How to Take Better Photos

Ok, so I’ve been trying to get this post up for a long time now, but I never really got around to it until now. While I’m no expert in photography, I did take a class or two back in college and my mom just so happens to be a photographer so most of my knowledge comes from her. However, I don’t plan on giving expert tips and tricks just because I’m not even there yet, but I will be giving some advice that has worked in my experience. So keep reading if you want to know how to take better pictures for your blog, Instagram, or just in general.

It’s all about Lighting

This is probably the number one tip in taking any kind of photo whether it be a selfie, a mirror picture, or a flatlay. Pretty much every type of lighting sucks except natural light. Natural light is your best friend and should be used whenever possible, but there are a few rules though. That sunlight that you get during the afternoon is not the best picture taking natural light because it’s entirely too bright. However, that same sun when it’s overcast will do wonders. The clouds are the sun’s filter, so use overcast weather to your advantage!

Just to be safe though, the best pictures are usually taken during golden hour. I’m sure most of you have heard this term before, but it’s the time right after sunrise and right before sunset. If you film videos as well, then this is the perfect time to get some footage. On the flip side, there’s also blue hour, which is the time right before sunrise and right after sunset. I wouldn’t recommend filming during this time, but your photos will still look amazing and more cool than warm.

Don’t be Afraid of Filters and Editing

Use your filters and don’t be afraid to edit some things out. Even professional photographers use filters and they DO quite a bit of editing. I’m not talking about airbrushing and smoothing out pimples. I’m talking about playing with the colors and making them pop out or warming/cooling up photos to set the scene. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made a background much brighter than it actually was just to make a picture more interesting looking. And yes, I’ve edited out pimples before.

Mind Your Background

It sucks when you have a great outfit on, but your background is filled with a bunch of people photobombing or just a not so pleasant looking space. Whenever I’m out I try to look out for a wall with art or a space that looks picture worthy or even just a place that gets optimal lighting. Lately, I’ve been liking minimal backgrounds with plants and nature taking over. I find that I stand out more with the foliage because of my neutral wardrobe. When in doubt, use Portrait mode (iPhones Only) on your phone or just use FaceTune and blur out that unpleasant background.

Play with you Angles 

If you’re posting to Instagram regularly and you’ve gotten bored with the standard pictures you post, play with your angles. I love doing this because your photos DON’T actually have to have your face in them – especially if you’re doing an outfit of the day post. I think this gives your feed an artistic feel and breaks up some of the same typical photos. Also, change up your angles with your flatlays. Most of my flatlay photos aren’t taken from a straight on aerial point of view and I think this gives both my backgrounds and products some depth.

At the end of the day, just play around with your photos and editing and filters. Take advantage of the golden and blue hour for that beautiful glow in pictures. Don’t be afraid to pose in a different way and be sure to change up the background from time to time. That’s all for today. As always, thanks for reading.

ChelsiKay