I love props. I wouldn’t say I go crazy with them but they are definitely fun to have. A photographer can never have too many props.. right?
My weakness is baskets. If I find a good looking basket that is unique and has character, I will find a “reason”, a.k.a. excuse, to buy it. See? This little guy agrees with me!
This past weekend I had the rare opportunity to go antique shopping with some girlfriends. After we shopped, I had a few epiphanies that I thought I would share for other prop lovers out there who are on a budget like me.
- Decide what you are looking for BEFORE you go. Look online for ideas and then be specific on what you want/need. Also decide how much you can spend. Be firm and I am sure your spouse or business partner will happily oblige to keep you accountable to that amount.
- Buy what you will USE. Think about upcoming shoots and how you could really use the prop. My recommendation is to buy 1-2 things and see how those work. Unless it’s a crazy deal or items that you have to buy in bulk, stick to 1 or 2 items.
- Shop in the right area! The antique store we went to outside of town was much more affordable than the antique store smack dab in the historic downtown. This may not always be the case, but generally speaking location can have a big effect on prices.
- Trademark items will be more expensive. I was looking for a Coca-Cola crate box and noticed that the Coca-Cola box was TWICE as expensive as a Pepsi box. That’s just the way it goes with a trademark item like Coca-Cola. The Pepsi crate had the same look I was wanting so for me, it didn’t really matter what name was on it. Sometimes you will have to sacrifice the exact trademark for the right price.
Well my fellow prop lovers, hope that helps! Now go start your prop list and happy hunting!
Local Antique Stores:
Online Inspiration and Reviews:
