Why it matters for a shop like yours
People buy custom work when they can see what you've already made. Every finished job is proof: this shop can carve cedar, engrave a powder-coated tumbler cleanly, print a part that fits, hold a tolerance. A steady weekly post keeps that proof in front of people who already follow you and gives new visitors something recent to look at on your Facebook page, Instagram and Google profile.
Posting doesn't guarantee likes, followers or sales. It's a habit that makes your work visible. The trick is to make it so small you actually keep doing it.
What you need
- A phone with a clean camera lens (wipe it; shop dust is the number one photo killer)
- A simple background: a plain board, a sheet of poster board, a painted wall, or a clean bench
- Good light: a window, a shaded spot outside, or one or two cheap LED panels
- A photo folder or album called "To Post"
- Your Facebook page, Instagram account and Google Business Profile logged in on your phone
- A way to get the customer's OK (a line on your order form or a quick text)
What to photograph
Take pictures before the piece leaves your hands. Once it's out the door, the chance is gone. For each job, try to get:
- The hero shot. The whole piece, straight on, filling most of the frame.
- A close-up. Show the detail: the carved letter edge, engraving depth, print layers, a machined surface.
- A scale shot. Something people recognize next to it, like a hand, a coffee mug, a ruler, or a door frame.
- An in-process shot if you remember: on the machine bed, masking half peeled, part still in the vise.
- In use when the customer sends one back: sign on the porch, tumbler at the tailgate, bracket installed.
Light and backgrounds
- Soft light beats bright light. A window with no direct sun, or outdoors in the shade, works for most pieces.
- Turn off mixed light. Yellow shop bulbs plus daylight makes colors look wrong. Pick one.
- Shiny items (tumblers, anodized aluminum, acrylic) show reflections. Move the light to the side, or bounce it off a white board, and watch for your own reflection.
- Engraving shows best with light from a low angle across the surface, so the depth casts a little shadow.
- Keep the background plain and the same most weeks. A consistent look makes your page feel like a real shop.
- Hold the phone level and shoot from the piece's height, not from above at an angle, unless it's a flat sign.
Say what it is: material, size, finish
A caption that only says "Another one done!" wastes the photo. Buyers want to know what they'd be getting. Every caption should name:
- What it is (house sign, 20 oz tumbler, replacement knob, mounting plate)
- Material (cedar, walnut, stainless, slate, PLA, PETG, 6061 aluminum, Delrin)
- Size (inches or ounces)
- Finish (painted letters, clear coat, color-filled, sanded and primed, bead blasted)
- Who it was for, in general terms (a family in Edmond, a church, a local fabrication shop) and only if the customer is OK with it
- How to order (one line)
Getting the customer's permission
Most people are happy to have their piece shown, but ask. Names, addresses, logos, and company parts can be private. Add a checkbox to your order form, or send a text.
Hi [name], your [item] is done and it turned out great. OK if I post a photo of it on our page? I can leave off your name [and address numbers] if you'd like. Either way is fine.
Machining and business customers: assume parts are confidential unless the customer says otherwise in writing. Many are covered by an NDA. When in doubt, don't post it, or post only a general shop photo.
Caption templates
Standard finished-job post
Just finished: [item] for [who, in general terms].
[Material], [size], [finish].
[One sentence about something interesting: the design, a deadline, a tricky part.]
Want one? Send a photo or sketch through our quote form: [link]
Before and after
From [a napkin sketch / a phone photo / a broken part] to finished [item].
[Material], [size], [finish].
If you've got an idea, we can usually work from what you have: [link]
Multi-piece order
[Quantity] [items] headed out to [who] this week. [Material], [finish]. Small runs are our thing. Ask us about yours: [link]
Customer photo repost
[Customer first name, with permission] sent us this photo of their [item] [in place / in use]. Thanks for sharing! [Material], [size].
The weekly 30-minute routine
| Time | Step |
|---|---|
| During the week | Snap photos of every finished job before it goes out. Drop the best into "To Post." Takes 2 minutes a job. |
| Minutes 0–10 | Pick 1 to 3 jobs from the folder. Crop, straighten, and brighten slightly with the phone's built-in editor. Don't over-filter. |
| Minutes 10–20 | Write captions using the templates. Check you have permission for each one. |
| Minutes 20–25 | Post (or schedule) to Facebook and Instagram. Meta Business Suite lets you post to both at once and schedule for later in the week. |
| Minutes 25–30 | Add the best photo to your Google Business Profile. Reply to any comments from last week's posts. |
Pick a fixed time. Sunday evening or Monday morning before the machine starts. The routine only works if it's on your calendar.
Checklist
- Lens wiped, plain background set up somewhere in the shop
- Hero, close-up and scale shot for each finished job
- Customer permission recorded
- Caption names the item, material, size and finish
- Caption ends with how to order
- No customer addresses, phone numbers or private logos showing by accident
- Posted to Facebook, Instagram and Google Business Profile
- Comments answered
Common mistakes
- Waiting for "enough good jobs." One piece a week is enough.
- Messy backgrounds: shop vac, trash can, and cords in the frame.
- Dark, yellow, blurry photos. Wipe the lens, use daylight, tap to focus.
- No details in the caption. Say the material, size and finish.
- Posting without permission, especially names, faces, addresses, and business parts.
- Posting in bursts (ten posts one day, nothing for two months). Steady is better than a lot.
- Heavy filters that change the wood or metal color. The customer should get what the photo shows.
Notes by shop type
| Shop type | What's different |
|---|---|
| Wood carving & signs | Wood grain photographs best in soft daylight. Big signs: shoot outdoors, straight on, and add a shot of it installed. Name the wood species and the finish. |
| Laser engraving | Watch reflections on tumblers and metal. Rotate curved items so the design faces you. Show a group shot for team or corporate orders, with names blurred if needed. |
| 3D printing | Close-ups show layer quality, so use side light. Name the filament (PLA, PETG, TPU) and whether it's post-processed. Show functional parts in use. |
| Machining | Only post with permission. Show surface finish and features with a scale reference. Name the material and process ("6061, milled, bead blasted"). A general machine or setup photo is a safe post when parts are confidential. |
Want Annie's to do this for you? Send us your job photos and we'll write the captions and post them on your pages every week.