Photography

Have you ever heard the saying “eyes are the windows to the soul”? Well, images are the windows to the blog and whether you like it or not, your readers will judge your blog based on its visual appeal.

So here are 8 tips that will improve your photos and make your blog more visually appealing:

Disclaimer: this post contains sponsored content.

1. GET TO KNOW YOUR CAMERA

While (semi)professional cameras are not necessarily the only way to shoot decent photos, they do offer more flexibility, customisation and higher quality results. If you’re looking to buy a semi-professional camera, I would strongly recommend the Panasonic Lumix G5 or any of the other Panasonic Compact Cameras.

I’ve had my G5 for just over a year now and I’m gonna be honest, I’ve only just now begun to experiment and learn more about it. Up till now it was a point & click operation, with some hoping and praying for a good result. But whether you use a smartphone or a semi-professional camera, you have to know how to work it before you can achieve the best results. So go and dig up your camera manuals, watch some YouTube videos, and break away from only using the pre-set options.

2. CHOOSE AN APPROPRIATE BACKGROUND

No matter what the subject of your photo, you should always choose a simple, uncluttered background that will help your object stand out to the viewer and not attract attention to the background of the photograph thus distracting from the focus of your shot. To achieve this, it is best to use single colour backgrounds or very soft patterns that do not draw unwanted attention. To make the process easier you could buy a light box or make your own.

3. LIGHT UP YOUR SET-UP

I’m sure you’ve heard that when it comes to quality photos, lighting is key. Well, it’s true. Dark photos which vaguely display the object’s silhouette without showing its key features are next to useless for your readers. Truth is, if you’re reviewing an item that could be bought in stores, the readers can just as easily look the image up on the internet. So why have it on your blog? Visual aesthetic. And badly lit photos are not at all aesthetically pleasing.

Most bloggers would swear by natural lighting and recommend nothing else, but if you live in the north of UK or some other perpetually overcast country, you may realise that natural light is simply not enough. In some cases, a room light will do the trick, while others you may require a video or studio light. I have a simple LED light attached to my camera that does the trick no matter what the weather outside.

4. EXPERIMENT WITH ANGLES & PERSPECTIVES

Remember when I said that blog pictures are mainly there for visual aesthetic? That means you should try to make every image as interesting and attractive as possible to appeal to your readers. One way to do this is to try out different angles and perspectives of the same object. Try taking photos straight-on, from ground level, or from up top is a good place to start. Same object can look extremely different from a different angle, so find the perfect sweet-spot of your object.

5. FOCUS ON THE SUBJECT

Nothing says professional like a close-up with a blurred background (a.k.a macro picture). And when it comes to the blogosphere, we eat them up like candy. Lowering the aperture setting (f) of your camera will help to create a better distinction between your object and the background. Lower aperture = blurrier background.

For even more definition to your close-up object, you could get a macro close-up lens for under £10, which I use for all of my close-ups.

6. EDIT YOUR PHOTOS

Editing your photos (whether you’re using filters or simply adjusting the brightness & contrast) is a quick and simple procedure that can have significant results. Next time you take a photo, try adjusting the white balance, sharpness, and brightness & contrast to improve your image. If you don’t have a photo editing program, here’s a list of blogger resources including some great photo editing websites. You can also see my step-by-step photo editing process here.

7. TAKE A LOTOF PHOTOS

Simply put, more snapshots means more choice. Your friends and family will most likely throw suspicious glances in your direction as you proceed to take 30 shots that seem to be identical, but don’t be put off; allow yourself the luxury of selecting a photo rather than being stuck with the only one you have. Remember that a slight change of perspective or a brighter light can mean the difference between an average photo and the perfect snapshot.

8. SAVE IN .PNG & .JPEG FORMAT

Saving your photos in .png format will offer best results as it will preserve your photo resolution and avoid a pixelated finish once uploaded to your blog. However, keep in mind that .png format can often take up a lot more storage space and clog up your hosting site, as well as result in a longer load time for your blog page, so use carefully. When it comes to my blog, I usually opt for uploading a .png cover photo (as this will be pinned to Pinterest and needs to be of higher resolution) and upload the rest in a .jpeg format, though re-upload a .png version if the previous turns out to be too grainy.

Have YOU got any other tips for taking better photos?

○ Till next post ○

Morning Chummies!

Ever since I bought my new camera, photography was reinstated as a great hobby of mine and I can’t leave my house without the little magical trinket. Currently, I don’t think there’s anything I enjoy more than taking photos, but looking back at the ones I have taken over the last two months, I’ve discovered a pattern: close-ups. This is my first good camera with peripheral defocus, so close-ups are my thing – I love them and quite frankly overuse them because to me, that’s what professional photography has always been – blurred backgrounds and interesting subjects.

However, I in no way see myself as a professional just because I have a decent camera. I realise now that I mistook “professional” for “artistic” or simply “my kind of photos.” That’s all there is to it. These are the photos I love taking and looking back on, and while some of them may not be that great and I realise that I have a lot to learn, I’m still proud of them.

And here’s the message I want to convey in this post: if you love photography, do it and don’t let the petty things stop you. You don’t need a great camera to begin with; you don’t need great skill or talent; and you most definitely don’t need extraordinary objects to take photos of. The only thing you need right now is the desire to take photos – the rest will come with time. Whatever camera you may have, take the time to get to know it and discover what it can and cannot do. Play with angles, lighting, and different types of subjects. But most importantly, have fun with it and don’t give up if the first batch of photos don’t turn out too great.