Simple Steps To Improve Your Pictures
I absolutely love taking pictures. Capturing life as it happens is awesome! The moments, the places, the people, the events, the chaos, and the calm. What Burk Uzzle said is 100% true...
Now, I won't say I'm the greatest photographer, but I will say that I truly appreciate a well-taken photo. And I've learned quite a few things about photography during my life - as a hobbyist, as a student, an iPhone owner, and as a volunteer at Snap! Orlando - a local Orlando art gallery that features photography from around the world.
"Photography is a love affair with life"
— Burk Uzzle
The purpose of this blog series, How To Take Really Good Pictures, is to share some of the knowledge and tips I've learned over the years in a way that makes it easy for you to apply to your own set of paparazzi skills.
To keep things interesting, I'll also be partnering with some of my colleagues and other professionals who work in the photography/video industry to share some of their favorite tips as well!
This series is meant to be simple. Nothing technical. No textbooks required. Just easy-to-understand bits of info to help bring your photography game to the next level.
“You don’t take a photograph, you make it.”
— Ansel Adams
The Big (Business) Picture
You may be asking yourself...
"Why is this topic showing up on a marketing company's blog? Shouldn't RedFork stick to sharing their ideas about business and marketing strategies?"
Pictures, videos, and graphics are SO IMPORTANT in the world of marketing - especially with social media marketing. Don't believe me? Here's some data to prove it:
According to AddThis, "Social media posts with visuals deliver 180% greater engagement, and images make up 93% of the most engaging posts on Facebook."
DO YOU BELIEVE ME NOW?!
Small businesses are beginning to understand that having a strong digital presence is really important, regardless of their product or service. Yet there are still many brands and companies that continue to share low-quality images and videos - especially in the small business sector.
And yes, before you even think of leaving a comment below, I do know there are some companies who intentionally share low-quality visuals because it is a part of their branding. But the number of companies who actually pull that off correctly fit on a very, very short list.
As the camera systems advance in smartphones, it’s so hard for me to understand why businesses continue to share low-quality visual content. So let's get started with increasing the quality of our photos, shall we?
Part 1 - Know Where To Stand
One of the fastest ways to transform your pictures is to be aware of where you’re standing. Check out this quote from a world-renowned photographer and environmentalist...
Taking a few steps to the left or right, or crouching down lower to the ground can drastically change the quality of your photo.
Think of a cube - shoot it straight on, you’ll only produce a picture of a square. However, if you take a few steps to the right, dimension and depth are now a part of the picture!
“You don’t take a photograph, you make it.”
— Ansel Adams
A PHOTOGRAPHY LESSON FROM MY MOM
My mom is not the greatest photographer in the world (or in the family, for that matter), but she does love taking pictures.
One day, after returning from a photography class in my hometown of Gainesville, Florida (Go Gators!), she shared a piece of advice that has stayed with me to this day, "When you're ready to take a picture, move three steps closer." Nine times out of 10, I usually take a few steps in before finally snapping a pic.
“When you’re ready to take a picture, move three steps closer.”
This idea was validated years later while attending the University of Central Florida (Go Knights!) in a video production class. My favorite professor, George Bagley, would consistently stress the importance of photography being a close-up medium.
Photography is magical and intimate, especially when the subject is a person. It’s about capturing the nuance of the individual, so don't be afraid to get up close and personal!
Your Turn
That's all for the first edition of this series! What do you think?
Do you have any other tips and tricks you think about before taking a picture?
Share your thoughts in the comments section!
Additional Sources
6 Social Media Best Practices You Should Know, by AddThis
10 Critical Small Business Statistics, by Business 2 Community
20 of the Best Free Stock Photo Sites, by HubSpot
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