Photography Tips For Blogging Vol. 2

Are you guys ready for round 2? My first installment went down pretty well and  seemed to help a lot of people so I decided to make a part 2. I never knew what I was capable of when it came to photography, but then again it’s art in its own way! I try to bring as much life as possible to my photos and keep them uniform with the same filter. I think it can show your blogs potential and now your photos become recognizable to your viewers (your personal signature). It’s almost as if I try to share the moment with you all so you can see my vision (I’m starting to loose you aren’t I). Here are some additional tips I’ve picked up throughout this blogging journey. . .

• Play Around With Different Angles – This is where a tripod may come in handy! I like to shoot overhead like in this post here. To me they’re appealing to the eye and makes me feel like i’m actually over looking the shot. You can also get down super low to get as close to the subject as you like in the shot above. Move around, bend your knees and you’ll see a major difference in your shots. I look like a ninja playing Twister during the whole process!
• Adjusting Brightness, Exposure, Saturation and Contrast – Once you find a good editing program it’s all about tweaking it. I don’t think you need to pay loads of money for Photoshop when there are a ton of free programs you can use. I love Afterlight and it’s the only editing app I use. I try to stay consistent with the filter I choose because it’s the over all look I’m going for. Adjusting these settings will bring life into your photos by adding light and color where need be.
• Bokeh Effect – The term “Bokeh” means blur and by this you’re creating a soft out-of-focus background. To do this simply increase the distance between the background and your subject. Here’s an example, It gives the reader that much more to look at and I luurve this effect!
• Making The Most Of The Sun – It sounds funny but I try to shoot all my pictures when the sun is at it’s brightest. That is between the hours of 12-3pm, if weather permits. After 4pm I’ll leave it for another day because I run the risk of getting a gray cool cast in my photos. I have studio lights but the problem with that is I can get shadows in the shot and I’m very critical! #bloggerproblems

Everything is trial and error, It takes me about a good 20-25 shots before I get the one! I’ve had plenty of fails and have come a long way since first starting out. I know that an SLR camera is pricey and not everyone can afford it but it’s the best investment I’ve made when it comes to blogging. Not only do I use the camera for my site but I can take it with me on family outings and things like that. Practice is key and just remember to have fun with the process, it’s just a picture right?