Have you ever wondered how people are able to snap those perfect photos you see on Instagram? There are several pro secrets anyone can implement to make their feed look spotlight worthy! If you need more inspiration and social media photography tips, read on!
Food Photography Tips
Stop using filters
Filters are normally great! They can change up the color of your photo to match your feed. They can also give your skin that nice glowing tan instantly.
However, when it comes to food photography, you don’t want to use filters when editing the image. This can cause the food to look more undesirable. Instead, stick to the basics. Bring up the contrast, sharpness, and exposure a bit. The food should look appetizing!
The same is true when photographing frozen pizzas. You want the tomato sauce to pop! This vibrant shade of red will truly make your photo stand out, especially if you are posting it to social media. Stay away from heavy editing as you want the food to look natural.
Lighting is your best friend
When it comes to taking better photos, natural lighting is your best friend. Natural lighting in the morning and evening is soft and diffused. This makes for better and brighter images. These will be easier to edit in post too!
Therefore, if you want to implement the best social media photography tips pay close attention to the time. Try to take the bulk of your photos before noon. Afternoon, the sun can cast harsh and unattractive shadows that will negatively influence your image!
Stand by one of the interior windows in your home to get the best light. If you struggle to take your photos during this opportune time, consider investing in artificial lighting.
Buy several lights. You should also purchase something to diffuse the light in case it is too bright. Many lighting kits come with white umbrellas that you can place over the lightbulb to mimic the look of natural lighting. However, nothing beats the real thing!
You can also use lighting gels to change the colors of your photo. Use a red gel to make your photos seem more striking and dramatic! Use a blue photo gel if you want your photos to look cool, and melancholy.
Depth of Field
When photographing vegan food, or food in general, ensure you have a deep depth of field. This is what causes that beautiful blurred background effect. It also adds lots of dimension to your photos! You can achieve this effect by increasing the aperture setting on your camera. Ideally, you want an aperture of 1.2 – 1.6 to create a blurred background.
Even cellphones have this neat setting. Set it to portrait mode and snap your photo.
Focus
You also want to snap a picture that is perfectly in focus! You can do this by tapping the center of your cellphone when taking the photo.
Make sure to take a close look at your photo after taking it. Don’t be so quick to put your phone back in your pocket. Zoom in, make sure everything is clear and snap another picture if you need to.
Add moving aspects to your food photos
Pictures are still images, but you can still add live and movement to them with the right social media photography tips. Shake some salt onto your meal and snap a picture as the grains fall towards the food. Drop ice cubes into your ice cold, fizzy soda to cause the liquid to splash and bubble for a more interesting photo!
Use flat lay backdrops
If you don’t have natural stone countertops in your home, use flat lay backgrounds to transform your pictures. These are printed backgrounds on laminated sheets. You can switch them out every time you want to switch up the vibe of a photo.
Marble, fuzzy, and wooden flat lays are all popular backgrounds.
Selfies and Self Portraits
Social media isn’t all about food. While food photography is a popular niche on Instagram, selfies and self-portraits are even more popular! Maybe you’re not comfortable taking photos of yourself yet. Never worry, since you can unlock a newfound sense of confidence after learning these social media photography tips for taking selfies and self-portraits!
Stay away from heavy editing
It can be tempting to alter your photos dramatically. There are apps that make editing your photos and giving yourself a new face and body so easy to do! You can transform yourself in seconds. However, this is not reality. You can also warp your perception of your physical appearance this way. It’s an easy trap to fall into. You might want to simply blur your pores and before you know it, you have changed your nose, jaw, and perhaps your waistline!
Instead, you can get teeth whitening treatments done. A nice smile is more alluring and makes for gorgeous photos
Don’t oversaturate
Here’s another editing social media photography tip. Try not to oversaturate your images. This can cause your skin one to look off. The same goes for the exposure or the brightness of the image. Don’t over-expose the image, as this can cause you to lose the key details of the photo.
Use the self timer setting
You’ll have so much freedom once you learn how to use the self-timer feature on your camera. Instead of having the camera a few inches from your face, you can play with different angles and positions. You can also get more of the background into your shot, making for more visually engaging images.
Use the Rule of Thirds
When taking self-portraits, ensure you are using this popular rule in photography. Basic social media photography tips can only take you so far. You will also have to learn more about photography theory.
This rule asks the photographer to imagine three equidistant lines running down the image. Now imagine three more lines running from the side of the image. Each ‘box’ that these lines have created should have an element in them. This ensures the photo is properly composed before you snap the shutter!
Use the Live Feature on your phone
When taking photos on your phone, consider using the Live feature. This feature will take a series of photos as you’re moving. You’re then able to pick out one that looks natural and candid. Best of all, you won’t feel as anxious. You can simply move around freely until you find a pose that feels natural to you.
Use a tripod
If you’re not using a tripod to take your photos, they’re more likely to look shaky and unprofessional. You can even buy a simple phone tripod to take photos while you’re on the go. This small tip can instantly upgrade your photo taking skills!
Use makeup if you feel comfortable
If you want to cover up a pimple when taking a photo, use a little bit of powder and makeup. If you want to make your upper eyelids less droopy, use a little bit of eyeshadow and mascara for a lifted look.
Learn how to pose
If you feel awkward in front of a camera, it’s probably because you don’t know how to pose in front of a camera. Thankfully, you can learn in as little as a few minutes.
For this first pose, try tucking strands of your hair behind your ears. This pose looks delightfully candid, even though it’s staged. You can also try leaning back against a wall to look more casual. Looking straight on into the camera can seem awkward.
Use the back camera
You can also use the back camera to get crisper shots. The front camera on your phone is easy to use, however you sacrifice some of the quality when you use this!
Switch to a professional camera
If you’re taking photos for a professional resume, consider using a high quality camera instead of your phone. This can also result in more flattering images as certain lenses do not distort your face’s proportions as much as a phone front camera.
Add an interesting background to your photos
If you are taking portraits, consider using a field of flowers as your backdrop. This can make for a more romantic and colorful image that you can frame or share all over your social media profiles.
You can also hang up a bedsheet and pose in front of that.
However, if you want something more professional looking, invest in a heavy backdrop for all of your photos. These can cost around 30 dollars and can be used over and over again for various different shoots!
Sharing Your Photos
After improving your skills with the right social media photography tips, here’s some information on how to make your photos more popular when sharing them all over Instagram. Why let all of that hard work go to waste?
Use hashtags that pertain to your photos
Want more people to stumble across your photo? Use the right hashtags when uploading to social media. For instance, if you have taken a photo of your air conditioning, you can use this hashtag to connect with other people who work in the industry. If you’re a baker and want to show off your cupcake decorating skills, you can use hashtags that relate to baking so that you can find new customers who love sweets as much as you do!
Connect with other social media photographers
These social media photography tips are valuable. However, you don’t want to ignore one of the most important rules of social media. Do not be afraid to network! Reach out to other people in your niche. It’s valuable to use hashtags, but if you’re not engaging with the people who comment, follow, or like your photos, then you’re not getting enough out of the experience.
Follow similar pages
If it feels like you’re doing everything right, and you’re still not getting the number of likes you think you deserve, perhaps you should look to other pages for inspiration and social media photography tips.
Find the patience
You can’t expect to grow your social media pages or online business overnight. Even if you’re taking stunning images, and following all the right social media photography tips, gaining traffic and momentum is a long battle you need to be prepared to fight.
Post consistently
Whether you’re a small business owner or an amateur photographer trying to get their name out there, it’s crucial to follow these social media photography tips. However, you should also create a content schedule so that you can be more consistent with your posting. Ideally, try to post between five to eight times a week.
Conclusion
In conclusion, you don’t have to be a professional photographer to take stunning images. Anyone can improve their feed by using the right social media photography tips. However, standing out can also feel frustrating at times. Remember that it’s a game of patience. Also, keep in mind that there is always something you can improve on. You can invest in a better camera, learn how to pose better, or learn how to style your food better for more likes and engagement.