How to Take Better Quilt Photos with Megan Saenz, The Quiltographer
Megan FowlerShare
Originally recorded as an episode of The Quilt Scouts Podcast
You know those quilt photos that stop you mid-scroll?
Soft light. Crisp details. Colors that feel true. Every stitch looking intentional and alive.
And then there are the photos we take in our own sewing rooms where the quilt is somehow crooked, the colors look like they went through a weird filter from 2012, and the whole thing feels… off.
Been there.
That’s exactly why I sat down with quilt photographer Megan Saenz, also known online as The Quiltographer, to talk all things quilt photography.
This episode was originally recorded as part of The Quilt Scouts Podcast, before Quilt Scouts became Quiltbound. You’ll hear the old name in the recording and transcript, but the heart of this conversation fits right into Quiltbound: learning to see your quilts with fresh eyes, documenting your work with care, and treating photography as part of the creative adventure.
And here’s the good news: you do not need a studio or a professional camera to take better quilt photos.
You need a few key skills, a little practice, and maybe one willing quilt holder who understands they are the unsung hero of the operation.
Listen to the Episode
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Episode Overview
In this episode, I’m chatting with Megan Saenz of The Quiltographer about how to photograph quilts in a way that honors the work you put into them.
Megan shares how she moved from high school darkroom photography to family sessions, weddings, Modish Quilter Magazine, quilt pattern photography, magazine features, and photographing multiple quilt books.
We talk about what makes quilt photography different from photographing people or products, why lighting matters so much, how to style quilts at home, how to use your phone well, and why editing is part of the process.
This conversation is full of practical tips, but it’s also a reminder that quilt photography is not just documentation.
It’s storytelling.
Meet Megan Saenz, The Quiltographer
Megan Saenz didn’t start as a quilter.
She started as a photographer.
She fell in love with photography in high school, back in the darkroom days, which immediately made both of us feel a little vintage in the knees. After college and while raising her kids, she picked photography back up and spent years photographing families, seniors, and weddings.
Then quilting entered the picture.
After finishing her first quilt, she did what any photographer would do.
She photographed it.
That one choice eventually led to:
- Photographing quilts for designers across the country
- Shooting for magazines and editorial features
- Photographing multiple quilt books
- Building a niche career around quilt photography
What started as “I’ll just take a photo of my quilt” became a full creative path.
Very casual. Very iconic.
Why Quilt Photography Is Its Own Thing
One of the biggest takeaways from this conversation is that quilt photography is not the same as photographing people, products, or landscapes.
Quilts have their own quirks.
You’re Photographing a Flat Object
A quilt is flat, so you have to bring dimension and life into the image through light, styling, angle, texture, and context.
That can mean showing the full quilt straight-on, but it can also mean capturing the drape, the quilting texture, the binding, or the way the quilt lives in a room.
Distortion Matters
If you’re photographing a full quilt, especially one with geometric piecing, distortion can become a big deal.
Shooting straight-on helps your quilt look square and accurate. You can fix some distortion while editing, but not always all of it.
Basically, future you will be much happier if present you takes an extra second to line up the shot.
Scale Changes Everything
A quilt with large, bold blocks needs a different approach than one with tiny, intricate piecing.
If the blocks are large, you need enough of the quilt visible so people can understand the pattern. If the quilt has tiny details, close-ups might tell the story better.
Details Matter
Stitching, texture, fussy cuts, quilting lines, binding, fabric direction, and tiny design decisions all deserve attention.
Sometimes those close-up shots are what help someone understand how much care went into the quilt.
Quilt photography is not just “take picture of blanket.”
It’s interpretation.
The First Skill to Focus On: Lighting
If you take one thing from this episode, let it be this:
Lighting will make or break your quilt photos.
Megan said lighting is one of the most common struggles she sees, and it’s also one of the biggest opportunities for improvement.
What to Avoid
Harsh direct sunlight can create intense shadows and blown-out highlights.
Too little light can make your photos look grainy, dull, or muddy.
Neither is ideal, and both are fixable.
What to Aim For
Megan prefers natural light on a cloudy day because it gives you soft, even light without harsh shadows.
Inside your home, look for soft window light and pay attention to how it changes throughout the day. Your best photo spot might be in one room in the morning and a totally different room in the afternoon.
Which is annoying, yes.
But also useful.
Quick Fixes You Can Try
Try light-filtering curtains.
Tape a white sheet over a window to soften strong sunlight.
Move your quilt around the house at different times of day.
Look for even light across the whole quilt.
Every home has a sweet spot. The trick is finding it before the sun moves and ruins your plans like a dramatic little goblin.
Yes, You Can Use Your Phone
Good news: your phone is enough.
Megan uses her phone often for her own quilt photos because it’s convenient, quick, and easy to edit right away.
You do not need to upgrade your gear before you start practicing.
Focus on:
- Lighting
- Composition
- Practice
- Editing
That’s where the real improvement happens.
The fancy camera can wait. Your phone has plenty of magic in it already.
How Megan Styles Quilt Photos
When Megan photographs quilts professionally, she works from a loose checklist so she can capture the quilt in multiple ways.
Her must-have shots usually include:
- A full quilt photo, straight-on
- A styled full quilt photo with props or furniture
- Detail shots of stitching, texture, binding, or special fabric moments
Then she adjusts based on the quilt itself.
A large-scale pattern needs more of the quilt visible.
A smaller or more detailed quilt might need close-ups and texture shots.
And one thing I loved: Megan styles many quilt photos using her own home. She uses real spaces, pillows, furniture, walls, and everyday props.
No fancy studio required.
Just intention.
And probably a step stool.
Want More Dynamic Quilt Photos?
If you’re ready to move beyond “quilt flat on wall,” try a few different angles and setups.
Lay the quilt on the floor and shoot from above.
Drape it over a couch and shoot from a lower angle.
Use a ladder or step stool for a top-down view.
Photograph it outside in a beautiful location.
Take it on a quilt photo adventure.
Outdoor quilt photos are especially fun, but you will almost always need a helper. Someone has to hold the quilt, manage the wind, and pretend this is totally normal behavior in public.
Shoutout to the quilt holders.
They are the infrastructure.
The Small Change That Instantly Elevates Your Photos
Editing.
Always editing.
Megan edits every photo, even if it only needs small adjustments. Editing helps photos look consistent and helps the image better match what your eye saw in real life.
She recommends adjusting:
- Brightness
- Contrast
- Vibrancy
Her go-to editing tool is Lightroom, which has a free version.
Editing is not about changing your quilt into something it isn’t.
It’s about helping the photo tell the truth more clearly.
The colors you chose. The texture you stitched. The details you worked so hard on.
That’s what editing should support.
How to Find Your Quilt Photography Style
This might be my favorite takeaway from the whole conversation.
Instead of trying to copy someone else’s photography style, Megan suggests looking at your quilting style and letting your photos reflect that.
If you love soft, vintage-feeling quilts, you might lean toward neutral backdrops, warm textures, and cozy spaces.
If you love bold modern quilts, clean spaces and strong lines might feel more like you.
If you love scrappy, colorful quilts, playful props and colorful settings might make sense.
Your photos should feel like an extension of your quilts.
Not a separate personality you put on because Instagram made you panic.
Common Quilt Photography Mistakes
Let’s lovingly call ourselves out for a second.
Mistake 1: Ignoring the Light
Fix: Move your setup, soften the window light, or try a different time of day.
Mistake 2: Crooked or Distorted Full Quilt Photos
Fix: Shoot straight-on when accuracy matters.
Mistake 3: Not Practicing Enough
Fix: Take more photos than you think you need.
Megan said you might take 100 photos to get a few you love, and that’s normal.
Honestly, thank goodness.
We are not failing. We are gathering evidence.
Seeing Quilts Differently Through a Lens
One of the most beautiful parts of this conversation was hearing how photography changed the way Megan sees quilts.
Through her lens, she notices the time behind every stitch, the intention behind fussy cuts, the direction of fabric placement, the quilting texture, and all the tiny choices most people might miss at first glance.
She also shared such a lovely perspective: quilts are one of the few art forms that can live on your wall, then move to your couch, then wrap around you on a chilly night.
Functional. Beautiful. Story-filled.
That is the whole thing, isn’t it?
Your Next Step: Start Messy, Imperfect, and Curious
If you’ve been waiting until you can take “better photos” before you start sharing your quilts, this is your sign to begin anyway.
Use your phone.
Find a window.
Try a new angle.
Edit just a little.
Take more photos than you think you need.
Treat photography like part of the adventure, not a final exam.
Because documenting your quilt is part of the story too.
Earn Your Quilt Photography Badge
Inside the Quiltbound Badge Club, the Quilt Photography Badge is all about learning how to document your quilts in a way that honors your work: the stitching, the color choices, the texture, and the details that make it yours.
If you’re ready to improve your quilt photos, build your creative eye, and share your work with more confidence, this badge is a beautiful place to start.
You can learn more about the Quiltbound Badge Club here:
https://quiltbound.com
Resources Mentioned
Megan Saenz, The Quiltographer on Instagram:@thequiltographer
Lightroom:
Megan’s recommended editing app, with a free version available.
Quiltbound Badge Club:https://quiltbound.com
Related Quiltbound badges:
Quilt Photography, Hiking for Quilt Photos, Picnic on a Quilt
Note: This episode was originally recorded before Quilt Scouts became Quiltbound, so some older names, links, and references appear in the audio and transcript.
About The Quiltbound Podcast
The Quiltbound Podcast is a cozy, campfire-style quilting podcast for quilters who want more creativity, confidence, and connection in their quilting lives.
Episodes explore quilting skills, creative ruts, tools, design, community, and the small adventures that help us grow one stitch at a time.
You’ll find solo episodes, quilter interviews, behind-the-scenes stories, and plenty of permission to take 100 photos so you can find the three that make your quilt glow.
Episode Transcript
Below is the full transcript from this episode of The Quilt Scouts Podcast for accessibility and reference.
Note: This episode was recorded before Quilt Scouts became Quiltbound, so the transcript uses the original Quilt Scouts language to match the audio.
Read the Full Episode Transcript
Megan Saenz (00:00)
practice is everything. So if you want to start photographing quilts, just get in there and start photographing them and just
I would say maybe the most common mistake I see is lighting and lighting can be really tough.
because if it's too sunny outside, even if you're in your house and the sun is shining through the windows, your photos can look harsh and the shadows can look harsh too. But if it's not enough light, then your photos can look grainy.
Megan Fowler (00:23)
your photos can look harsh can look harsh too. But if it's not enough
Megan (00:29)
Welcome to the Quilt Scouts podcast. I'm Megan, your quilt scout leader and fellow adventurous quilter. This is a cozy campfire chat for quilters who crave creativity, community, and a gentle nudge to try something new. Each week we'll talk about quilting, and the small adventures that help us grow more confident one stitch at a time. I'm so glad you're here. Let's get into it.
Megan (00:55)
In this episode, I sit down and talk all things quilt photography with Megan Saenz known online as the Quiltographer. And when I say quilt photographer, I mean the real deal.
designers across the country and has been the photographer behind five quilt books, capturing entire collections of projects in a way that feels cohesive.
artistic and true to each maker's vision. She's also photographed for magazines, pattern releases, and editorial features, turning quilts into full-on visual storytelling. Now, if you don't already know, inside Quilt Scouts, we have the Quilt Photography badge. is very intentional. You pour so much time, intention, and heart into your quilts, learning how to document them beautifully in a way that honors
the stitching, the color choices, the tiny fussy cut details, that's part of the adventure. Inside this episode, Megan shares how she went from high school darkroom photography to building a niche career photographing quilts. She also shares what makes quilt photography completely different from other types of photography and the small shifts that you can make that will instantly elevate your photos, even if you're just using your phone.
is on your list or you simply want your quilts to shine on Instagram in pattern covers or in future books of your own, this conversation is going to give you both inspiration and practical tools. Let's dive in.
Megan Fowler (02:23)
Megan, welcome to the Quilt Scouts podcast. I'm so glad to have you here.
Megan Saenz (02:28)
Thank you. so excited to be on the podcast and thank you for having me.
Megan Fowler (02:32)
Yeah, my pleasure. I've been a big fan of your work for a while. I follow you on Instagram. You have the most
photos known as the quiltographer on Instagram. So that is your specialty. So tell me a little bit about that. Tell me a little about yourself.
Megan Saenz (02:42)
Yes. you.
So I started photography in high school. I am not a great artist. You know, I can't draw. I'm not good at painting. So when I had to take a required art course, I took photography because I was like, well, it's a different kind of art. And I fell in love. I loved working with cameras. I loved working in the dark room that we had in the school. But after I graduated high school, I went to college and
I majored in education and that left no time to kind of develop photography skills further in an educational setting. When I started having kids, I decided to pick photography back up. So I bought a new camera and learned how to use it manually. And for years, I did lots of photography with people. I did lots of family sessions, senior sessions, I did weddings. And when I learned to quilt,
A friend of mine forced me to learn how to quilt. She was like, you have to learn how to do this. So she taught me. And when I finished my first quilt, I was like, oh, I'll use my camera to photograph it. And that's kind of how I started photographing quilts. And then I started photographing my friend's quilts. And in 2020, we started Modish Quilter Magazine. And that was a digital magazine, but I did the photography for that.
Yeah, I would say that's how I got into quilt photography.
Megan Fowler (04:15)
So you were a photographer first that found quilting is really the order of those events. Nice. That's it's so funny. So I actually took a photography class in high school too. And I remember the dark room, you had to develop your own film and it was a whole thing. that. didn't.
Megan Saenz (04:17)
Yes. Yes.
Yeah.
I haven't done it since high
school, but it was fun to learn, you know, all these different skills.
Megan Fowler (04:33)
Yeah.
Mm-hmm. Yeah, now we all have, you know, the digital cameras and stuff like that. I don't know if anyone really develops film. I mean, sure, someone develops film, but yeah, back in the day, right? Back in the day when you had to go into the dark room and develop them all.
Megan Saenz (04:43)
Yeah. I guess I'm aging. I'm aging myself too there.
Megan Fowler (04:49)
Was there a moment when you realized, okay, so this could actually be more than just a side thing, like a turning point where it shifted from a hobby to a real direction.
Megan Saenz (04:59)
So when I started with Modish Quilter Magazine, that was pretty, it was a lot of work. And the photography part was really fun. And we started going to QuiltCon. And at QuiltCon, a lot of people commented on the photography in the magazines and people started asking me if I had a business card or a way that they could
contact me so that I could photograph their quilts too. And I would say that's pretty much when I realized that it could become like a real thing, not just like, like I photograph my own quilts and for my friends. I started having people from all over the country mail me quilts to photograph so they could use as their marketing photos when they did pattern releases. And since then, I've also photographed five quilt books, which I...
think is amazing. like so can't believe that I've done that and just lots of pattern release photos for pattern designers.
Megan Fowler (05:55)
That's so you photographed for five books now.
Megan Saenz (05:59)
The fifth book hasn't been released yet. I just did the photos for it a few months ago.
Megan Fowler (06:04)
That's cool. Can you tell us which books you photographed for?
Megan Saenz (06:07)
Yes, I will go get them so I can give you the proper titles
So the first book I photographed was called Merry and Bright Modern Christmas Quilts. it was Christmas themed projects, but ones that you could like potentially have out year round. So they weren't like necessarily Christmas colors. And that was my first one. And they, yeah, they mailed me the quilts from all over because
Megan Fowler (06:28)
Mm-hmm.
Megan Saenz (06:33)
every project was designed by like a different person. So I had lots of different people mailing me quilts. Usually for a book, it's just one designer, right? And they mail you or bring you all the projects.
Megan Fowler (06:45)
huh.
Megan Saenz (06:46)
so that was an interesting one just because it was so many different pattern designers working together as opposed to just one designer. The next one I did was for Love So Modern, Erin Grogan, and her book is titled Retro Curved Piece Quilts. And that was fun. It's full of retro.
Megan Fowler (06:55)
Mm-hmm.
Yes!
Megan Saenz (07:05)
vintage designs and that was fun because that's not something that I normally gravitate towards making myself. So it was fun just to see all of the vintage props that she had to use in the photos. And then I also did modern day quilter for Kylie's quilt room, Kylie Ferons And we did that at her home and just the area that she had set up for the photos was so beautiful and just so thought out of like
Megan Fowler (07:19)
That's so cool.
Mm-hmm.
Megan Saenz (07:34)
for the designs and so that was a really fun one. And then the last one that's been published is from Modish Quilter Magazine and it's called Stylish Quilter. And that was just like a collection of projects from various magazine issues that we had.
Megan Fowler (07:50)
That's amazing. Wow. Erin's book is so fun. Erin's actually a quilt scout. So I'm familiar. Yeah, so I'm familiar with her. She has great work. I always loved the retro vibes. I bet that was a fun one to photograph. so usually if
Megan Saenz (07:53)
it is. Yeah.
Megan Fowler (08:02)
Someone wants their quilt photographed. You said they usually mail it to you and then you'll stage it or do flat lays and things like that.
Megan Saenz (08:11)
both Erin and Kylie live close enough to me that we did their quilts together. like in person, so Erin and I worked together in person and then Kylie and I worked together in person since the distance wasn't too far. And the photos go a lot faster if you have help with doing the photographs.
because putting them up on the wall to photograph can actually be pretty time consuming because you have to step back and make sure that everything is level. And so if you're doing it by yourself, it can take a lot of time to step back and say the left side needs to go up. Then you have to climb back up and adjust the one side. But if you have two people together, it goes a little faster.
Megan Fowler (08:51)
I can imagine. Yeah, you gotta have a helper for sure.
Megan Saenz (08:52)
Yes.
Megan Fowler (08:54)
Okay, so from your perspective, what makes quilt photography different from other kinds of photography?
Megan Saenz (09:01)
So one big difference is in quilt photography, you're photographing like a flat object. you have to really, depending on the size of the quilt and like the size of the pattern on the quilt, you have to really think about how you are going to style that in photos. Like if it's a large scale pattern, you have to make sure that you're seeing a lot of the quilt in the photos so that you can actually see the pattern on the quilt.
And you have to focus on like the stitching, like especially if there's hand stitching, trying to get in all of those small details that are hard to notice, you know, from a distance.
Megan Fowler (09:39)
Yeah, lot more. Yeah, like you said, small details you're trying to capture.
Megan Saenz (09:39)
I think it's...
Yeah,
and depending on the angle that you take the photos, the quote could look distorted. So a big key is when you want to photo of the whole quilt to take your photos square on, whereas in different types of photography, that doesn't matter as much.
Megan Fowler (09:44)
Hmm.
yeah, so you don't have any like distortion and like the shapes like to have it perfectly squared up Well, I assume some of some of that can probably be fixed in editing, but I'm sure to like to an extent, you know
Megan Saenz (10:02)
Exactly.
Exactly, some of it can be fixed in editing, but sometimes it is hard or it can't be fixed all the way.
Megan Fowler (10:17)
Yeah, yeah. So you've, so we've already talked about you've worked on book photography, which feels like a whole different beast from capturing photos for like Instagram or for like your personal, you know, photo collection. what's something that people don't realize about photographing quilts for books? Is it the logistics, the editing or like just the chaos of it?
Megan Saenz (10:27)
Yes.
Books are a really big job. They're so much fun, but they take a lot more work because first you have to photograph each project in the book individually. So each project needs its own individual photos that are unique, you know, to that project. But you also have to photograph all of them together. And so you end up with a collection of over a hundred photos for this book that all have to be, you know, different, but all have to feel cohesive and like fit together as in like a theme.
Megan Fowler (11:07)
yeah. Okay, I can see that. Yeah, you want to have, yeah, that would be kind of complicated. You want to have enough variety so that it's interesting to look at, but like cohesive. Yeah. So have to get really creative with your staging and probably different things.
Megan Saenz (11:15)
Right. Yes.
I just use my house and I have some large walls that I'll use for like the whole quilt photos, but then I just use the spaces in my house to style them. And so I use just things that I have like different throw pillows and rooms that I think that those particular quilts will match well with.
Megan Fowler (11:34)
And so I use just things that...
Do the quilt designers, will they send you like props and things to use with their photos? I'm curious.
Megan Saenz (11:48)
No, not usually because just the cost of shipping, things like that would probably be a lot. But I do like to ask them in advance before I take the photos if they have anything specific in mind that they would like showcased or different styles of how they would like the photos done.
Megan Fowler (11:53)
Yeah.
How does your approach shift between photographing for a book versus social media or editorial work? don't know if you, editorial work, because you were photographing for the magazine. So how does your approach change from those different platforms?
Megan Saenz (12:18)
for editorial work, I love to kind of like be extra a little bit. So I love doing quilts in the wild photos and just really trying to think of a good place to photograph those individual quilts.
And that's a lot easier when you're only photographing maybe one or two quilts versus a collection of 15, 10 to 15 quilts. Also for any quilt photos outside, you need two people because someone has to hold the quilt for you. So that's another thing to keep in mind is do you have an extra helper or would I have an extra helper to help photograph this in the wild?
Megan Fowler (12:56)
Who is usually your, quote, holder?
Megan Saenz (12:59)
Kylie Ferons from Kylie's Quilt Room. We will text each other and say who's up for quilt photos and we'll go out on little quilt photo adventures.
Megan Fowler (13:12)
Do you have to take a little hike to get like the perfect scenery?
Megan Saenz (13:17)
Sometimes yes, we live close to Harper's Ferry, West Virginia, and we've done a lot of quilt photos there, but it involves a lot of walking around. And sometimes we've even taken wagons or like a baby stroller to, you know, put all the quilts in to carry them around with us. They get kind of heavy.
Megan Fowler (13:35)
Yeah,
I can imagine. Well, you know, with the Quilt Scouts we have the Quilt Photography badge and the Hike for Quilt Photos badge. So right there, I mean, you've checked off two of them just with one project. And if you pack a lunch and have a picnic on the quilt, you've accomplished picnic on a quilt badge too.
Megan Saenz (13:43)
You. Yeah.
Exactly.
It's a perfect day.
Megan Fowler (13:52)
exactly, exactly, in my opinion. Do you have a favorite shoot where it's like, I can't believe we just pulled that off?
Megan Saenz (13:59)
So I loved so many of the shoots we did for Modish Quilter Magazine, but one in particular that comes to mind is the one we did for the rainbow issue. So I had this vision of doing a big balloon arch full of like rainbow balloons and we would photograph, you know, the cover quilt with this big balloon arch. We had never done a balloon arch. We didn't own an arch or so we went out,
you know, a huge set of balloons, blew them up in my living room, and we had to transport all of them ⁓ to a place in Harper's Ferry so we could get it outside, you know, with the mountains in the background. And we're out there and people are, you know, hiking and things around us, and we are putting, you know, 150 balloons on this arch to take quilt photos. And so it was kind of funny, I guess, probably to see that.
but the photos are beautiful and I just love all of the ones we did from that issue. So I would say probably that shoot.
Megan Fowler (15:00)
that sounds like you had to learn a whole new skill how to make a balloon arch before you could even set up the shoot. Okay, I have to see this picture. Is there somewhere online that I can like link in the show notes so people can see this photo because I feel like this, we need, we need the receipt.
Megan Saenz (15:07)
Exactly.
Yes, I can there,
like if I sent you the photo, would that work?
Megan Fowler (15:21)
Yeah, we can figure that out. I'll just attach a link. I was gonna say I've made plenty of balloon arches for like my kids birthday, so birthdays, you know, I feel like I do in every year. So and that's that's a task and a half. I'm glad the vision came to
Megan Saenz (15:22)
Okay.
It takes a lot of work to put those together.
Megan Fowler (15:33)
Yeah. what are the most common mistakes you see quilters make when they're photographing their work?
And I ask that lovingly because I absolutely like I've made plenty of mistakes, I'm sure with my you photographing, but I'm just curious, what do you see from your perspective?
Megan Saenz (15:43)
would say probably.
Well, first practice is everything. So if you want to start photographing quilts, just get in there and start photographing them and just practice. If there's things in your photos that you know that you don't love, you can Google how to adjust those things and just practice and learn. But I would say maybe the most common mistake I see is lighting and lighting can be really tough.
because if it's too sunny outside, even if you're in your house and the sun is shining through the windows, if it's too sunny, your photos can look harsh and the shadows can look harsh too. But if it's not enough light, then your photos can look grainy. ⁓ I prefer myself to shoot with natural light, but on a cloudy day. So that way I'm getting the natural light, but also none of those harsh shadows from the sun.
Megan Fowler (16:26)
your photos can look harsh and the shadows can look harsh too. But if it's not enough light...
way I'm getting the natural light but also...
Yeah. Okay. So lighting is like the number one, getting the right lighting. And that takes just practice. Like you said, I think you got to shoot probably more bad photos than good photos. You're going to have to shoot a hundred photos to get a couple good ones. I would imagine.
Megan Saenz (16:52)
practice.
And you'll learn the
places in your house that have better lighting than other rooms. So, or even what times of the day those rooms will have the best lighting. So I like to shoot in parts of my house in the morning, but then if it's the afternoon, I know that I'll have to move to other rooms in the house because of the angle of the sun coming in.
Megan Fowler (17:19)
That's so funny. I have the same thing. I'm in my studio right now and I have like a window in front of me and my desk in front of me, right? And yeah, there's only like a small window in the afternoon where I feel like I have the right light for doing photos and video. Like if I'm shooting for a tutorial and if I miss that window during the day, I'm like, well, I have to wait till tomorrow.
Megan Saenz (17:31)
Yes.
Exactly. Yeah, it can be hard. Sometimes if I must do them that day and it's really sunny, I will tape a white sheet over the windows to try to soften that light coming in.
Megan Fowler (17:51)
Yes, yeah, that's a really good tip. I actually just added some light filtering curtains to my window and I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner. My friend had mentioned something. She's like, well, why don't you just put light filtering curtains up? I'm like, yeah, that'd be smart.
Megan Saenz (18:03)
Yes.
Megan Fowler (18:04)
extend my hours for photography a little bit that way.
Megan Saenz (18:06)
Yeah.
Megan Fowler (18:08)
When you're photographing a quilt, how do you decide how it should be styled? Like flat, draped, you know, in
What guides that choice for you?
Megan Saenz (18:17)
So when people mail me I have like a checklist of different photos that I try to take for all of them. So I try to do a flat photo for all of them where it's up on the wall and I'll take some by itself and then I'll style that on the wall with some props like plants or chairs. But then how it's styled throughout my house, a lot of that depends on one, the size of the quilt and the size of the pattern on the quilt.
I just mentioned that a little bit earlier in the interview, but if it's a very large scale pattern, you wanna make sure that you're seeing enough of the quilts in the photos where you can see the pattern. Like a 20 inch star is gonna be a lot different to photograph than if you had a series of like six inch stars, cause you're gonna see more of that pattern of the quilt in a photo.
Does that make sense?
Megan Fowler (19:06)
Yeah, that makes sense.
So for someone brand new to quilt photography, maybe they just want to take better Instagram photos or submit their pattern for like a tester call or submit photos for like a show, things like that. What's the first skill that they should focus on?
Megan Saenz (19:20)
I would say lighting. And phones today take amazing photos, so you really don't need a fancy camera to take your own quilt photos. admittedly, I use my phone a lot for photos of my own quilts, just because it's so much handier and I can edit the photos right on my phone versus using my laptop. So use your phone and just practice and
Experiment, that's the word I was looking for. Experiment, try out different rooms in your house. Try also like different viewpoints. Like sometimes it's fun to like lay your quilt on the floor and like climb up on a ladder and like look down at your quilt or drape it on your couch and then stand above it and maybe sit on the floor and get a shot straight on. But just practice and see what photos you like and how you can replicate.
Megan Fowler (20:02)
Stand above it and maybe sit on the floor and get a stop straight line. Just practice and see what photos you like
and how you can
Megan Saenz (20:13)
that for future photos.
So a small change, I can instantly improve a quote photo. I always edit my photos, always. Even if it's just like a small amount of editing that needs to be done, I will always edit them. And that's because I like my photos to look consistent. So if you look at my Instagram, at least my hope is...
Megan Fowler (20:15)
Sure, go for it.
Megan Saenz (20:33)
that the style is similar, the editing style is similar through all the photos. And I just like to adjust things in the photos like brightness, contrast, and I will up the vibrancy a little bit. And there are so many photo editing apps that you can use and a lot of them are free. And personally, I like to use Lightroom, which does have a free version. So you can also experiment with editing photos in Lightroom too.
Megan Fowler (20:49)
And there so many...
I love Lightroom. I use that for a lot of my photos as well. They have some great tools on there.
Megan Saenz (21:05)
Yeah, they do.
Megan Fowler (21:06)
So I think a lot of quilters struggle with feeling like their photos don't look professional enough. How can someone start developing a photography style that feels like them instead of, you know, feeling like they're copying someone else's style?
Megan Saenz (21:19)
I love this question and I think it's important to have photos that feel like you because all of us I think have a distinct style maybe as a quilter of like things that we are drawn towards and you know some people are drawn towards maybe like softer more like vintagey or traditional style quilting some quilters love doing like modern prints and patterns.
And I think you can kind of take those styles that you notice in your quilting and try to mimic them in your photography. So like, do you like soft colors? Then maybe for your photos use like neutral backdrops or like cozy spaces where like the colors are also neutral but there's lots of different textures in the photo. Do you like modern quilts? can shoot for like...
clean spaces, like minimalistic spaces with strong lines in your photos and like scrappy quilts. I love scrappy quilts and they're super fun and can incorporate a lot of like color in those photos too because a lot of scrappiness is like many colors together. So just thinking of like fun, playful props. So there's kinds of photos.
I guess my answer to this one is look at your quilting style and see how you can mimic that in photos.
Megan Fowler (22:36)
if I had to summarize that kind of leaning in to the things that you're drawn to is that like maybe a good way to say that like instead of trying to
Megan Saenz (22:40)
Yes. ⁓
Megan Fowler (22:43)
replicate something else that you're seeing. Yeah, I feel like I'm just like reflecting back on my own photography and like the things that I'm always kind of drawn to the same colors, the same pattern, just leaning into that and doing more of that to kind of get a cohesive look to all your photos.
Megan Saenz (22:58)
Exactly.
Megan Fowler (22:59)
So you've seen tons of quilts up close through a lens. How has photographing quilts changed how you see quilts themselves?
Megan Saenz (23:07)
So I started photographing quilts around the same time as I started making quilts. Before that, quilts weren't a huge part of my life. So I had no idea, you know, previously how much time goes into making these quilts. And I love seeing them in person and noticing all of those small details. Even things like the fussy cut squares, how much time, you know, it would take someone to cut out those.
Megan Fowler (23:16)
Ha ha.
Megan Saenz (23:32)
fussy cut pieces that they want showcased or making sure that all of your fabric goes in the same direction.
Now that I'm a quilter, I can like see, recognize and appreciate all of the time that people have taken to put into these quilts. And also what I love about them is that they're comfortable
Megan Fowler (23:40)
See you.
and I'm a closer, I can like.
Megan Saenz (23:54)
that you can use for so many things, but also
Megan Fowler (23:54)
they're comfortable with quilts that
can use for so many things, but also they are like a standalone piece that you can put on your wall in your house and it is on it. And you can take it off the wall and put it on your bed. You can put it on your couch. You can turn it into a
Megan Saenz (23:57)
They are like a standalone art piece that you could put on your wall in your house. And it is art and people love them. And you can take it off the wall and put it on your bed. You can put it on your couch. You can turn it into a coat. Like it's just so versatile.
Megan Fowler (24:15)
You're absolutely right. I've never thought of it like that. what type of other art can you do that with? You know what I mean? Like you can't do that with a painting. You can't do that with a photo print on the wall. Like that's such a good perspective. I absolutely love that.
Megan Saenz (24:21)
acting.
Megan Fowler (24:28)
What has quilt photography taught you about creativity? Like not just technically, creatively about risk, about storytelling, about patience, trying to capture the right photo.
Megan Saenz (24:39)
You know, when I was younger, I never used to think that I was creative because I couldn't draw, I couldn't paint, I didn't have like any of those types of art skills. So I just kind of thought like I wasn't an artistic person. But then when I found photography and started doing photography, not just for people, but for quilts too, I realized that this is a great way to be creative because there's so many different aspects of
photography and so many things that you have to think about when doing photography. Like what part of this do I want the viewer to focus on in the photo? So like where's the eye going to be drawn in this photo? How do I style this quilt and still have the quilt be the main focus of the photo but have everything around it be beautiful as well?
And it's fun because one quilt can tell so many different stories based on how it's photographed.
Megan Fowler (25:36)
Okay, yeah. I can see that. Just giving a different perspective.
Megan Saenz (25:40)
Exactly. And so, you know, a lot of times people, when I tell them that I do quote photography, they're like, what? And you do quote photography? I'm like, yes, it's like a real, it's a real thing. It's a real skill too. And it's just shows that creativity can like, there's no bounds. You can, you know, choose to do anything. And I think as long as you are enjoying what you're doing, like that's the point of.
Megan Fowler (25:53)
I'm not sure if this is good idea to it.
Megan Saenz (26:06)
being creative, right, is to do something that you love that allows you to expand those skills in that area.
Megan Fowler (26:13)
Yeah, absolutely. So for listeners who are immediately going to want to follow everything that you do, because I know they will, where's the best place for them to find you right now? On Instagram, a website, a newsletter?
Megan Saenz (26:23)
Definitely on Instagram. As you know, my handle is the quiltographer and I pretty much put a lot of my work on there, not all of it. I do have a website where I have all of my photo galleries. And sometimes if potential clients wanna see like what does an actual photo gallery look like, like your finished product, I will send them links to some examples of ones that I've done in the past from that website. So they can just see like overall what...
What does it look like when you mail me a quilt to photograph?
Megan Fowler (26:55)
and I will make sure to link your Instagram in the show notes. Can I link your website as well so people can see your work? Okay. And then are there any upcoming projects or offerings or anything new that you're excited about you want to share?
Megan Saenz (27:01)
You can.
don't have anything specific coming up right now, but I am always excited to have people reach out to me and ask about getting their quilts photographed or even just with wanting tips on how to photograph their quilts themselves. I love to talk about quilts and I love to talk about photography. So I just love new friends.
Megan Fowler (27:32)
so for upcoming projects, though, you said that there was a book that you photographed that's coming out. When is that book coming out?
Megan Saenz (27:38)
I think it's due later this year. I'm not sure of the exact date yet. And I don't want to share too much about it in case things change for the author of the book. but hopefully this year.
Megan Fowler (27:50)
that's so exciting. Okay, final question. And this is my favorite in the spirit of quilt scouts and know, creative adventure. What does a quilting adventure look like for you right now?
Megan Saenz (27:59)
So something that I've been wanting to try that I just haven't made the time for is learning Photoshop. Like I said, I edit all my photos, but I would love to learn Photoshop specifically just so that I can change some different elements in the photos. Even if it's like changing the color of the wall or the color of the bedspread where the quilt's on, I just think that would be just like a super fun thing to learn.
Megan Fowler (28:20)
Yes.
Megan Saenz (28:25)
that hopefully this year I will make time for that.
Megan Fowler (28:29)
Photoshop. I never would have thought about that. But yeah, just being able to tweak, especially for a book, right? To get like the color story right or whatever. That would be fun to learn.
Megan Saenz (28:37)
Exactly.
Megan Fowler (28:39)
And that would be quite a new adventure to be going on, like learning a whole new skill, a whole new skill set, I should
Well, thank you so much, Megan, for coming on the podcast and taking time to talk with me. I feel like I learned so much from you and you really have my wheels turning on how I can take better quilt photos. So thank you so much.
Megan Saenz (28:56)
Well, thanks for having me. This was really great.
Megan (29:00)
If you enjoyed this episode, I would love for you to follow or subscribe to the Quilt Scouts podcast so you don't miss future episodes. And if you have a minute, leaving a review is one of the best ways to help this podcast find other quilters who could use a little creativity and community too. You can find show notes and more from Quilt Scouts at quiltscouts.com. Until next time, happy trails scout.
