5 tips for shooting blog photos
i hope you are all enjoying blog month so far - it’s definitely been fun sharing everything with you :) today’s post is all about tips for shooting and editing blog photos.
i have played around with DSLR cameras for as long as i can remember, so these tips are more directed towards those of you shooting with a DSLR as opposed to an iPhone (i have previously posted a few tips for iPhone photography - click here for that). for reference, i use a Canon 6D with a 35mm f/1.4 lens (also by Canon) to shoot my blog photos and have since the beginning. i edit in Lightroom, using presets that i initially bought and then made adjustments to in order to tweak them more to my liking - i recommend doing this when you are just starting out in Lightroom as opposed to starting from scratch because there are so many little things you can change and it was personally easier for me to start off by adjusting someone else’s settings until i got the look i was going for. i am well aware that this post may be criticized for being too simplified or informal, but if there’s anything i wanted when i started taking photos, it was a simple “how-to.” anyone can seek out more info and get more technical, and i encourage you to do so as you get more comfortable with your camera, but today’s post is really just breaking down the basics.
5 tips for shooting blog photos
learn how to make your camera work for you
take some time to get comfortable with your camera and how to shoot before anything else. know if you want to take photos in RAW or JPG (most people shoot RAW). learn how to shoot in manual mode - it’s easy and well worth it. (don’t even mess with aperture priority; it’s trash).
when it comes to shooting, keep your shutter speed as low (smaller number) as you can so that your ISO doesn’t crank up super high to compensate. a big ISO number is bad because the larger the number, the grainier your photos will be - and if you want a grainy look, you can always add that in when you are editing. you also want your aperture at a lower number for a blurrier background (think anywhere from f/1.4 - f/3.5), so i set that first and then adjust my shutter speed second.
similarly, my lens is fixed, which means it doesn’t zoom. when i’m taking photos, i need to move to get closer, rather than just adjusting the lens. know what your lens does and doesn’t do, and practice with it before you get to your location.
also, there are times where it will be beneficial to have a list of photos you need shot so that you don’t forget anything when you’re in the moment - especially if you are shooting something for a brand. keep the list on your phone and refer back to it as necessary.
think about lighting and location
the one thing i am a stickler on when it comes to shooting blog photos is lighting because it either makes your life easy or super difficult. i always always aim for natural light, but not direct sunlight, which is too harsh. golden hour (just before the sun sets) is probably the most popular time to shoot but i have shot in the middle of the day and been fine because i found a shady spot. cloudy days are usually the best, because you get enough light but are not limited to finding shade or waiting for the sun to set. try not to shoot at night - it just makes everything overly difficult and the quality might not be what you want. similarly, artificial light can be difficult to work with. if you are shooting inside, try to be near a window.
when it comes to location, everyone has their own preferences or things they are drawn to. my best advice is to be flexible and to work with where you’re at. i love a grungy city shot but i live by the beach so it’s harder to come by than if i lived in new york. think about where you are and what makes it special, or how you can use that to be complementary to what you’re trying to shoot. the more effort and time you spend downplaying certain elements the more unnatural it will be. instead, showcase where you are and make the best of it :) i do know a friend who uses Google Earth to scout locations (especially while traveling) prior to going somewhere, but i just wing it.
practice makes perfect
when it comes to actually shooting photos.. don’t be afraid to try new things. shoot more than you think you need, because you never know. a few other tips:
move! movement is great because it adds energy to a photograph. jump, skip, walk. don’t feel confined to one spot. or switch it up and try sitting. i sit all the time in photos, mostly because it’s true to how i am when there’s no camera around.
use a prop if you are just starting out or feel awkward in photos (me). i love hats and sunglasses - they give you an extra detail to photograph, too.
be yourself. don’t feel like you have to follow a set formula or do what everyone else is doing. obviously we all have our “go to” poses but try something fun that you like. what feels natural to you? what feels true to your personality? i do this silly little peace sign where i mess with the focus of the camera - it’s a quick, fun shot. try new things and see what you can come up with, too.
smile. it’s not that serious :) and this is coming from someone who used to stare at the ground in every. single. photo because i was that shy. smile; don’t take it too seriously. when you loosen up, the photos just look happier. and you can feel that energy, i swear.
tell a story with the visuals
when it comes to shooting blog photos, my most valuable piece of advice is probably this: treat it like telling a story. don’t just phone it in and do something formulaic every time; that’s boring for everyone and it gets repetitive for you, too. get photos of not just you - showcase your location, part of what you did that day, or something local to the area. mess with the perception by playing with angles or shutter speeds. take detail shots. post a sunset if you shot at that time.. you aren’t the only view ;)
you create depth to your post, and make people want to keep scrolling, when you see not just the obvious (aka the main purpose of your post), but different perspectives and variety.
EX: one of my fave blog photos is when my mom walked over and asked to take a photo of one of the workers at the Carlsbad Flower Fields. we were surrounded by people taking tons of photos for social media (literally someone brought light reflectors), and no one was acknowledging the people who were working the fields to make them look so good that were five feet across from them. i think the best parts of blogging shine through when you remember that you aren’t just shooting photos; you’re telling a story and creating a “walk in my shoes” moment. are you trying to share a moment or sell something?
when it comes to editing, less is (sometimes) more.
as i mentioned, i edit in Lightroom, so i apply a preset and then tweak things like the exposure and contrast to fit that particular photograph. we all have our own editing styles and what catches one person’s eye may not translate to another. so follow what catches your eye as opposed to just following trends, which will eventually date themselves.
if you are just starting out in Lightroom, download a few off FilterGrade (look at the before and afters really carefully. pick something similar to what you shoot - don’t buy a landscape pack if you only shoot outfit posts. then play with the different settings to get your own look.
lightroom before and after:
in summary
i think shooting photos can be most stressful part of blogging, although it should be the most fun.
getting comfortable with your camera, the person taking your photos, and being in front of the camera is all really important. i think we all have certain ideas in our head of what we want a set of photos to look like, and it’s so easy to get frustrated when you don’t see that happening. take a breath, pause, and be flexible to change.
work with what you have and be confident in what you are creating - if you are constantly comparing yourself to others, you are going to feel like you fall short no matter what. sometimes it helps to remember this: others are comparing themselves to you, so be stoked with what you’re creating and take pride in it.
lastly.. if you are just trying to anticipate what will get the best engagement or most likes, maybe take a step back. that’s no fun and you can’t always anticipate or predict what others will take interest in. so stay true to you and it will work out better than you think.
good luck with your photos! i hope you found this helpful and cannot wait to see what you create :)
and in case you get stuck or want to screenshot a little cheat-sheet to reference, here is a mini-checklist:
BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE HOUSE
- check to make sure i have a fully charged battery and extra SIM card
- make sure there is a SIM card in camera, too (i have forgotten one more times than i want to admit. so now i keep an extra one in my wallet always)
AT THE SHOOT
- exposure triangle: set my aperture (usually to f/2.2), look at the ISO, then adjust my shutter speed accordingly (lower the better).
- after a few min of shooting, i quickly scroll through the photos i’ve taken to see how much variety i have (i tend to do the same 3 things over again because i am shy but that’s a little boring)
- i also ask myself if i have enough “b-roll” shots (detail shots, scenery shots) remember: tell a story!
WHILE EDITING
- apply my regular preset, then make adjustments
- save a copy of this “new” version of the preset and apply to the rest of the photos, making more tweaks as necessary
- i export all the photos i edit, and then i open a new folder on my computer and drag the photos i like most over to it, then arrange them all to create a post.
