4 Photography Tips for Any Beginner
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Do you wish you could show off more of your work? Do you want professional, high quality photos for your business? Grab your phone, or maybe that camera you bought for yourself two years ago, and let’s get working on some photography that’ll give your business that WOW factor! Here are 4 principles to help you take better photos.
1. LIGHT
WE RELY ON IT.
Light is the most important aspect of photography. Everything revolves around it.
WHEN TO SHOOT?
If you’re taking photos outside, shoot when the sun is low — golden hour. That’s two hours after sunrise and two hours before sunset when the sun isn’t too harsh and won’t overexpose your photos. Cloudy skies are PRIME for portrait photography because shadows are reduced, and your camera will capture true light well.
IT’S ALL IN THE EYES.
When taking portraits, especially headshots, try to capture light in the eyes, whether that’s a reflection of the sun or a lightbulb. That little glisten in the eyes brings more life and depth into your photo.
2. COMPOSITION
SHOOT FROM INTERESTING ANGLES.
This is your opportunity to get creative! Get up on the roof and take the photo from up above to get that overhead shot, lay down on the ground and shoot upwards to emphasize a building’s height, wedge yourself in the corner of the room to capture maximum space. The options are endless!
STRAIGHTEN!!! THE!!! HORIZON!!!
I could not emphasize this enough. It’s a quick and easy way to make your photo instantly look 110% better.
TO CROP, OR NOT TO CROP?
It’s usually better to capture more than less, and then crop out what you don’t need while you’re editing the photo. No one likes to see homes without their chimneys and people without their limbs.
TAKE HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL PHOTOS.
It’s tempting to take only vertical photos on your phone or only horizontal photos on your DSLR, but might I suggest shaking things up a bit! It’ll give you more options to work with when inserting them into your website or newsletters. Plus, some photos simply look better one orientation than the other.
3. EDITING
DOWNLOAD A PHOTO EDITING APP.
Photoshop is great and all, but editing photos can be as simple as a quick adjustment here, a filter there, and ba-da-bing, ba-da-boom––ready to go on Instagram! Some of my favorite free photo editing apps are VSCO and Snapseed. You can also preset your filters so that your photos look cohesive and professional.
DON’T OVERDO IT…
Steer clear from tacky filters and over-saturating or exposing your photos.
...BUT DEFINITELY ENHANCE WHERE NEEDED.
Adding a little contrast and adjusting the color balance can breathe some life into your photos.
PUT IT TO REST FOR A BIT.
After looking at a screen for awhile, it’s easy to become accustomed to the new edit and forget what the original photo looked like, so I like to come back to my edited photos after an hour or so to make sure I didn’t over-edit anything.
4. STORYTELLING
A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS.
Whether it’s the smile or the colors or the setting, your photo should be able to accurately tell a story or create a certain feeling. Authenticity is key.
TAKE SOME CANDID PHOTOS!
Posed photos are often necessary for businesses, but there’s something about the genuineness of a candid photo that builds trustworthy relationships. When appropriate, capture a few moments of laughter, human connection, and work-in-action.
HAVE FUN!
It’s no wonder why photography has become a hobby for so many people around the world. Take some of these tips, develop your own style of photography for your business, and start sharing your stories!