5 TIPS TO STEP UP YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY GAME IN 2021

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If you clicked on this blog post, chances are one of the main things that drew you in were the photos. Yes, the title is something that flashes and gives you an idea of the context – but the photos are the items your eyes are naturally drawn to first. The visuals catch the eye of potential readers, boosts engagement and keeps them coming back for more. That said, I wanted to share some tips for all of you today. If you’re having trouble building up traction for your social media channels, I highly recommend you take a look at the photos you’ve been sharing. After several years of being in the influencer community, I have learned photos are the key to success. Here are my tips and tricks to stepping up your photography game next year!

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1. Invest in the Right Equipment

It all starts with the right technology to accurately capture high-quality content. I prefer to shoot my editorial and blog photographs with a DSLR camera, but nowadays, the latest iPhones have killer built-in cameras that can come off as professional with the right settings. The key to any high-quality photo is the lighting though. Whether you take advantage of natural light during the bright afternoon or whether you decide to invest in ring lights. There are some reasonable priced lighting kits on Amazon that are great for beginners. Check out my posts here, here and here for all my equipment recommendations

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2. Keep an ongoing log of ideas and inspiration

I am quite independent in terms of shooting content. Just give me a tripod and a camera with a self-timer and I can get to work. That being said, it’s nearly impossible for me to do it all on my own. Instead, I keep a running list of ideas and accounts that continually inspire me. I jot them down in the Notes app on my iPhone and this helps keep my ideas fresh. Need a pointer for inspo? I love Oliver Wong, QMike, and StyleHeroine to name a few.

If the shot you envision in your mind is too difficult, I suggest recruiting the hands of your S.O., friend or parent to help – even if they’re not photographers. Simply take a test shot with them in the photo so they see the exact framing and composition you’re going after.

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3. Think Outside of the Box

Next, I encourage you all to think outside of the box when it comes to creating new content. If you continually shoot in the same location or the same angle, your content can end up feeling stale and unimaginative. Try expanding your horizons by getting creative. Rearrange your furniture for a new background, travel to the backyard for a new location, or try some new poses. If you need some direction, I post a ton of tips and tricks to revamping a regular photo on my TikTok and Reels. Check out my latest here, here, and here.

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4. Master the power of photography editing

The magical aspect of a photo or video really comes to life in the editing process! I have to be honest that editing is whole different monster of its own outside of photography. That’s why you should invest in education – or watch tons of YouTube videos if you have time. Skillshare has plenty of photo manipulation courses that will help you get started. I also like Retouching Academy for high-end skin retouching and they have tons of free resources. For video editing, a quick YouTube query will go a long way – for instance, “transition tutorials on Tiktok“.

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5. Catalog & Archive

Lastly, make sure you are filing away all your photos! External hard drives are a must for anyone in this industry. Additionally, if there is a way you can tag or categorize your photos, that is even better! This will make it easier to find specific photos in the future when you have built up quite the database of photos. Archive all your content because you can recycle it for future relevant blog posts. This way, you do not need to shoot fresh new photos for every single blog post.

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I hope these easy, actionable tips will help you improve your photography game. I know it can be quite discouraging when there are so many different resources already out there, but I promise a little TLC to your photos is going to raise the bar. Not only will you achieve a more professional feel – but it will keep your readers coming back for more!