Probably the number one comment that I get when I meet other bloggers that follow me on Instagram is that they love my blog photography! This is such a huge compliment to me for three reasons. First, I’ve done photography since high school (even minored in it during college!) and it’s always been one of my passions. Secondly, my boyfriend Craig is actually also my blog photographer and shoots 95% of the photos that you see on here! I’ve been teaching him how to shoot with my camera and equipment for the past year or so, and he’s such a natural. And finally, blog photography is SO important to the overall aesthetic and quality of your blog (in my opinion). Beautiful photos are a game-changer. And I knew that with my background in photography, I needed to have great photos on my blog to increase the quality of the content that I produce. So today I wanted to share some of my biggest tips to up your blog photography game! Some of these may be obvious, and some may be just the tip you needed. Shall we?
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Blog Photography Tip #1: Lighting, lighting, lighting
This may seem obvious but trust me, I still see poorly lit and grainy photos up and down my feeds and I just don’t understand why! By now, camera phones are just as good as some DSLR cameras so there is no excuse. There is absolutely no reason to still be posting grainy and dark photos. So what’s the key to good lighting? Well, first and foremost, I prefer to shoot in natural sunlight. There is just no lighting that’s better than the sun, plain and simple.
Something people may not know though, is that you want to avoid shooting in direct, bright sunlight. I know, I know. You’re probably reading this like “wtf, Kacie?” But stick with me here. Ever notice how some photos shot outside in the sun are either a) overexposed and way too bright, b) show the blogger squinting so hard you can barely see their eyes, or c) has super harsh shadows that end up distorting the blogger’s face? Yup. All reasons you do not want to shoot in direct, bright sunlight. Typically this means shooting between about 11AM and 4PM (depending on the season). This is when the sun is highest in the sky and creates that really harsh lighting. What you’re looking for is the “golden hour”, that magical time right when the sun is rising or setting, where it casts a nice even, warm glow. This light is great for photos and my preferred time to shoot. Have to shoot during peak sunlight? Find a shady area out of the direct sun and shoot there! Trust me, it’ll create a nice even light throughout your photo that you’ll love. If you take nothing else away from this post, this is the tip to remember! Lighting will be your best friend, point blank.
Blog Photography Tip #2: Be Intentional With Your Location & Planning
Think about some of your favorite bloggers. I’ll bet they have great photography right? Their outfits seem to flow with their background perfectly, and everything is styled to the T. That’s not by coincidence. There’s a ton of planning that goes into a blog photoshoot. Maybe not all bloggers, but I’d gamble that a good amount don’t just walk out their front doors and start shooting randomly. They location scout on their off-days. They plan outfits in advance. And when it’s time to match an outfit with a location, they’ve got a running list of possible places to shoot. It’s all about finding a background or setting that will compliment your outfit, not clash with it.
For example, if you’re putting together a post about color blocking and you have this great vibrant outfit planned, it could be really cool to shoot it against a complimentary color wall to make those colors pop. Or go for the monochromatic route and find a matching wall! It’s all about being intentional. If you’re shooting a “perfect workwear look”, you probably shouldn’t shoot it in the middle of a playground. Guarantee that shot would look much more cohesive if you shot that outfit on a sidewalk downtown, or in a lobby of a nice building. It’s all about making your surroundings enhance your outfit and tell a story.
Blog Photography Tip #3: Go Easy On The Filters, Please
Okay, this one might be a bit polarizing but hear me out. Today on Instagram, everyone wants to have “the perfect feed” and this usually means that they want it to be super cohesive. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that! To achieve a cohesive feed, or Instagram theme, some people use specific filters on their photos to achieve the same tone across all of their images. Again, nothing wrong with this, except that I think some people take this a bit overboard and end up doing more harm than good.
Maybe this is the photographer in me, but when I edit my photos, I try really hard to keep the integrity of the photo intact. I like the colors to be as realistic as possible, and really try to do minimal editing. So for me, personally, I’m not a fan of the themes that completely change colors and tones in a photo. I understand the desire to have an Instagram theme, but I’m not sure I agree with sacrificing the integrity of your photos to achieve it. Call me crazy, but that’s how I feel. Also, this is not meant to criticize or call-out anyone. If you’re one of the people that loves your filters, more power to you; please take this tip with a grain of salt. But if you’re not a big fan of filters, or can’t seem to find one that works for you, ditch it! Don’t feel pressured to use filters on your blog photography. Let the photo shine through and just practice editing techniques that feel good to you.
Blog Photography Tip #4: Work Those Angles
This tip pertains more towards shooting objects/still life photography such as brunch photos or flat-lays, but could also be applied when taking photos of yourself! Don’t be afraid to switch it up and try different angles to get “the shot.” When I’m shooting a flat-lay or stylized shot for my blog or Instagram, I like to take the photo from multiple angles until I’m satisfied and have a bunch of options. You never know which one will end up being the right one, so be creative and don’t be afraid to try different things! Eventually you’ll find your favorite angle and that can be your go-to whenever you shoot.
Blog Photography Tip #5: Know Your Best Side
My final tip for good blog photography is to know your best side and to work it! Before you go out to shoot, study your face and body in the mirror and practice a few poses. You can even try on your outfit beforehand and do this so that you really know which side looks best; what pose makes your legs look longer or your neck look short. For example I know that I’m not the biggest fan of my profile, never have been. But I’ve learned through posing, how to cheat my face to the side so that you get a good profile shot. It might sound kind of bizarre, but I swear it helps!
It also helps to have a handful of go-to poses in your arsenal that you can do in any outfit or situation. Sometimes I am just not feeling a shoot; for whatever reason maybe I don’t feel confident that day or I’m uncomfortable because of the weather, you name it. Times like these, I like to start the shoot with my go-to poses that I know look good 9/10 times. This helps me and Craig get in the groove of shooting again and helps me to loosen up so we can get the job done. Find your go-to poses and angles that make you feel radiant and confident, and work them girlfriend!
I hope you guys found this post helpful and if you have any blog photography or general photography questions for me, feel free to reach out! You know where to reach me ?
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