For me blogging and photography go hand in hand like peanut butter and jam. A well shot image speaks volumes, in a sea of thousands of blogs. I'm definitely no expert or professional but I've come a long, long way since my University days, processing images in the dark room! Rather than getting into the nitty gritty technical details of shooting photos, I wanted to share 5 things I've learnt on my blogging photography journey. FYI I shoot with a Sony NEX 3N - compact, lightweight, fast shutter speed and fold out view finder - perfect for those all important selfies!
1. Practice makes perfect
I didn't think too much about my blog photos when I first started blogging, I used to snap half grainy snaps in the morning before work on my point and shoot. I then wanted to invest in my blog photos, so brought a digital SLR. I spent more time finding out the best time to shoot and playing around with the settings. Taking the time to learn about your camera really pays off!
2. Develop your own style
Like your blog it's nice to set a tone and style with your photos, it keeps things uniform and easy to identify with your readers. If I'm shooting products, I like clutter free images with a clear white background (usually my dresser!) A distinguish style becomes recognisable over time, such as the warm hazy tones of Sarah's photos from Temporary Secretary or the beautiful vibrate photos from Kayture's blog.
3. Consistency
Whatever your style, keep it consistent, it's like using the same filter on your instagram photos! I like to keep my photos
natural and not too heavily filtered or processed. Your photography style reflects
your blog so invest some time in it. It's nice to keep to a familiar setting or maybe use the same 'props'. I have a white rose from Ikea I like to use when shooting beauty products, it keeps the images looking fresh without over shadowing the overall photo.
4. Be your own critic
I used to only shoot 2-3 photos per post but now I make time to spend a few hours shooting the same set up to make sure I'm 100% happy with it. Perfectionist? Maybe! But I like to make sure the quality is consistent with all my photos. I make sure the images are in focus and well lit, natural lighting is best if you can. If I can't 'fix' the image in editing then I often re shoot another time, painstaking but worth it!
5. Editing
I'm a big fan of editing photos, they really amp up low lighting, crop out dodgy background objects or to add more texture. You don't have to be a whiz in photoshop, I just make sure the images are crips and clear! I also wrote a post on my favourite photo applications.
What are your photography tips?
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