Take Better Photos for Social Media

Social Media Photography

Let's face it good photos are necessary for success. Instagram has forced us all to be better photographers, and some of us have been successful! Others are still working on what it takes to snap killer social media pics. Today I am providing you with a few essential tips for taking better photos for all social media- because a better picture will help on all platforms! You are looking to capture clean, crisp images with a specific point of view and limited distractions!

First things first, know your equipment and how to use all of its features. An iPhone can take amazing pictures in natural filtered light when used correctly. But it can take awful pictures that look grainy or over-processed if using the wrong settings. Get to know the camera you are using and take lots and lots of pictures with it, which brings me to my first and in my opinion my most important tip.

Take More Photos Than You Think You Could Possibly Use

The most important thing I can suggest is to take more pictures than you think you could need! If you follow the rest of the tips and tricks, then at least a few of the photos will turn out awesome. Plus even the most experienced photographers with the best equipment and most excellent cameras on a perfect day end up with a few awful photos! They won't show you them, but I promise you this is true.

The Essentials: Tips You Need for Killer Social Media Photos

What else should you do to improve your photography skills? How about these tips:

Make sure that your lens is clean and not cracked or obstructed.
Steady your phone by bracing your arm against a table or use a tripod
Come closer, no closer, no closer- yup right there is perfect
Food- Life coach, lawyer, or chef; it does not matter food is a win on Instagram and other social media. Find a way to rotate it into your posts. After all, food is one of our 9 Essential Posts for Businesses on Social Media
Use the grid feature in your camera app on your phone to straighten out the horizon and keep your followers from getting seasick.
Embrace cloudy days; filtered light is perfect for photos
Don't over-edit your photos. Which is absurd coming from the king of overediting! But seriously, don't go too far with the editing it makes it look grainy and odd unless you are going full-fledged nutty with them as I do.
Tap the screen to hold the focus on your subject
Try not to use the flash- be willing to redirect and filter light to eliminate bright and dark spots and shadowing.
Are you taking a selfie? Turn your phone around its a better, more flattering camera.
Learn the rules, take some great photos, then break the rules and take lots more photos but take a lot of photos! I mean it! Click Away!

Staging and Presentation Tips

Stage the photo and make sure that the foreground and background are clean and well-presented Take a few shots to look at them. Adjust lighting and correct issues. Repeat.
Take the time to clean the surface, stage the photo, and eliminate the distractions like a dirty fork or crushed beer can.
Stand on a chair above the subject of any flat lay photo, but make sure you aren't casting a shadow on the subject.
Take photos in front of cool things like murals and large-scale objects helps you focus and will draw the viewers attention
Pay attention to framing and learn the Rule of Thirds which by many is considered the golden rule of photography- it helps you successfully find a way to direct your viewers to the subject of the photo while capturing a story or emotion. It’s applied by aligning a subject with strict guidelines and their intersection points made into squares, to allow an image to flow from section to section and creates energy and interest.