BASIC PHOTOGRAPHY FOR BLOGGERS
Quite often I receive different questions from some of you and because those questions are very often the same I decided to create blog series with answers and tips.
First of all I would like to say that I do not feel like the ultimate expert in all the topics that I will write about (topics like photography, social media, graphic or flower design and styling) but I will share my own experience with you on the issues that interest not only you but me too. And believe me I will be very happy to hear your opinion and experience about the given topic too. I’m sure that I can learn many things from you as well.
I would first like to talk about photography. Because I receive so many questions about it.
Here I have prepared seven important tips that you can follow to improve your photography. They have helped me – you can see some of my first posts here, and to compare how much I improved my photography. I kept on purpose these first funny blog posts from 2009 when I didn’t have any skills and knowledge about the photography. ☺
I will not hide from you that as a blogger the quality of the pictures is really important to me. I often have to reject a material that has been sent to me because the photos are not good enough – dark, wrong and honestly ugly. (I am very sorry about it, because some of the rejected materials are for interesting products, by young designers, but this is very important for the look of 79ideas). So if you want to take a good picture – don’t make it in the evening. During the day the light is great and works for you!
Pay attention to the background or simply a bit of styling will not harm anyone. Choose carefully where you want to shoot.
If you shoot product for your e-shop in Etsy, Dawanda, Fler, etc. your background has to be clean and monochromatic. The most important thing on the picture is your product and it must be clearly visible and in focus. No blurry photos and small depth of field.
If you want to show what you have done for your blog – note card, jewelry, DIY, be careful what you capture in the background. It wouldn’t be nice to see the laundry or the dirty dishes from lunch.
Well, you do not need to physically remove it out of your camera.
The flash produces very unpleasant, hard shadows and makes everything yellowish. Check the manual of the camera how to u disable it and forget that the flash exists. You can thank me later about this. :)
It is better to choose from more pictures than just 2, right? Plus unless you shoot with film or Polarioid camera you can always delete the unneeded photos.
So make 10 or even 20 more photos than usual and don’t forget to change the angles. Make a full circle around your object if possible. Sometimes even the strangest at first glance angle can work very well for you.
Do not post 20 pictures of the same subject. If you want to show what a great chair you bought from the local vintage market it is enough to post a picture of the chair in full size and a few close-up details. 4-5 shots are really enough. If you post 10 pictures, you risk to bore your readers.
Details are crucial. So don’t be afraid to get as close as possible (and as your camera allows you) to your subject. The only exception here is when taking pictures of food. There are so many unpleasant pictures when people try to capture the food closely. So be careful with the macro of the pea in your stew.
Here we touch a very important problem of the Internet – stealing of photos and not giving credit. Personally for me this is one of the most important rules, but we will discuss it later. To prevent stealing some bloggers put watermarks or write with large font on their pictures. I personally do not like this because I think it is not pretty and the idea of the picture is to give a visual representation of things. So if you still want to indicate that the image is yours – do it in one of the corners. Put your logo always in the same way, angle, the same size and color. Otherwise you might break the concept of the blog if you use different angles, different colors and sizes of photos.
And at the end I would like to tell you that there’s no need to have the most expensive equipment in order to take good photos. And the lack of an expensive camera is not an excuse that the pictures in your blog aren’t good. If you can afford a DSLR camera that would be great, even if it is second hand. As a lens I’d recommend you 50mm F/1.8, an affordable lens which is very versatile and is great for portraits and details.
If you cannot afford a DSLR, just read the manual of the camera you own and follow the abovementioned simple rules. I hope I have been helpful and would be happy to answer your questions if you have any.
Simple, concise and yet written with wit. Perfect guide. I love your photos.
hello bara, thank you for the comment. happy that you like the post, because it is the longest post I've ever written. :)
i hope you find it helpful.
Just perfect and the pictures are beautiful! Thank you Radostina xx
thank you for taking the time and leave me a comment.
if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask :)
hugs,
radostina
Thanks for these tips, they are very useful for me.
Ciao
Michela
Thank you for this post. I find it very useful. I really like yogur pictures. I am starting with a new camera and my motivation is to take good pictures for my blog. It is crucial
thank you michela, if you have any questions or need help – just drop me a line :)
thank you, eva for the comment. i pretty sure that soon you will take great pictures.
:)
hugs,
radostina
страхотни снимки и текст!!!
Thanks for these tips. I just got a new camera and start to learn how to use it first and then how to take good pictures :-)
your tips are very useful!!!!!
Похвала от такъв чудесен фотограф си е направо… уау. Много благодаря, Алекс.
Поздрави и усмихнат ден.
Радостина
congrats about the camera :) and thank you for the comment.
hugs,
radostina
What a great post girl! Thank you so much for the information! xoxo
you are very welcome, eleni :)
hugs
I love your blog and adore your talent :) you're such skillful photographer and writer :)
many thanks fot the tips! :)
thank you for your compliments :) i hope that the tips will help you.
hugs,
radostina
Thank you so much for sharing you're tips..
Your'e such aan inspiration!
It's all so true! I think the daylight and no flash are the most important ones to me (considering of course there is no dirty dishes in the background :P)
Sometimes I just wish I could have some sort of 'daylight lamp' at home to shoot when I feel like it and most of the time that happens in the evenings… Oh what a dream! – I wouldn't have to wait for the next day… or even weekend to have the whole morning to myself-plus-the-camera *sigh* I've been thinking to set up a mini studio at home with the professional lamps but I'm affraid I wouldn't make the most of it, seeing as I'm rather in the amateur category ;) Do you have any experience in that matter?
For now I suppouse until my dream comes true – natural light is my biggest friend :)
Страхотен пост и блог!
Много полезна информация!
Great post, Radostina! Thank you so much
Gee thanks! This post is really helpful! A friend of mine actually told me once that daylight is the best light for photography. I've also come to realize that the flash isn't very pretty. Thanks a lot for this! I'm a very new blogger and I needed this so much.
–Anne's Scribbles and Doodles
hello Anne, thank you for your comment. i'm really happy that you find this post somehow helpful. maybe i wasn't clear enough but if you have any topic that you want to discuss here – don't hesitate to drop me a line.
hugs from prague,radostina
What a great post. I can't agree more :) Good advise that I will think about. Have a nice weekend!
Yes! Watermarks are so tacky. It's not that I want to steal photos-it just makes someone look like an armature. If it ends up on the internet it will be borrowed (stolen) regardless of a watermark. Just create good art and you will be noticed. Jana @ 333 Days of Hand Lettering
Hi Radostina, thank you for the useful tips and the great post.
Thank you for your tips, i will take it all. Have a nice weekend! Anja
Thank you so much for sharing your tips with us! I already toke some notes and you aren't the first person to suggest the 50mm F/1.8 lens. Apparently it's well worth it and not that expensive! I really need to get one of those :)
Thank you once again
xxx
Hi, thanks for your lesson/tips. I think that you are one of the most talented bloggers. Really nice pics, not to long stories and not that adverticing for all kinds of labels. That I see so much with others and really dislike.
Thanks again, keep on blogging.
hello Carla :) thank you for your sweet comment. You just make my day.
hugs from prague,
radostina
Totally agree with you in all what you say ;)
http://comounaprincesasintonterias.blogspot.com.es/2013/06/wedges.html
Thank you for this!, Really clear and simple, love that! Just like your blog, amazing pictures and little text. Although….. you write everything twice. Keep doing what you are doing please, love to hear more on your view on blogging!
Dear Radostina,
thank your for this advices! Do you use a image editor software? And what kind of camera do you use?
Xx,
Aylin
http://www.aylinarkac.com
hello Aylin thank you for your comment. I use photoshop as editing program and have a Nikon D700.
thank you for your comment. I'm really happy that you find my advices helpful.
hey aga… this kind of light could help you probably in some situation, but personally I love the natural light and prefer to invest money in prime lenses instead of this type of light :)
Thank you for your tips on blog photography! I love your photos here too – just beautiful. I have this linked to my post on blogging and photography, for inspiration!
Thank you!
That is really fascinating.
I’ve joined your rss feed and sit up for in search of extra of your great post.
Thank you!
hey radostina! nice tips
but could you tell the best camera for caputering the best quality images
Radostina –
Beautiful! I love your taste! I agree about dark and gloomy photos. Thank you!!