Moving into 2022, smartphone photography is increasingly becoming more popular for small business owners, bloggers, creatives, photographers and even consumers. This is due to the ease of access and efficiency from start to finish! With so many editing capabilities, photo apps and social media platforms to share on, it is easily accessible for all users. Many smartphones now have cameras with high quality cameras, which gives you the ability to snap your images anywhere at anytime. These tips are useful for both Android and iPhone platforms.
IDENTIFY YOUR SUBJECT
Before you begin shooting, make sure you are aware of what exactly you are wanting to capture. Sometimes, photos happen on the fly, others are strategically planned. Be sure to keep your main object in focus and clearly displayed.
COMPOSITION 101
Learning composition is essential to any level of photographic expertise. The method in which you arrange your photo will result in the impact of your frame. Learn the basics of composition and experiment until you know what suits your brand best! What works for some will not always work for other brands.
SIMPLICITY IS KEY
Don’t overthink your photo, sometimes less IS truly more. Creatives around the globe will remind you that white space = good space, though our consumer brains don’t always agree with that. The use of negative space and minimalist details can allow your brain to hone in on the specific details you have included and will make a quicker response to your message without complicating it.
USE AVAILABLE LIGHT
Lighting can be tricky when shooting on the scene, so having an off-camera flash or shooting at the “golden hour” can be ideal! If these aren’t options, utilize the lighting that is already available in the setting you are shooting. Available light can include natural lighting, artificial lighting or the perfect combination of both. Play with shadows and have fun while you create! It is equally important to continue to do research on lighting.
DON’T ZOOM
When using your smartphone, resist the urge to pinch in and zoom in on the image- the quality of your end image takes a big hit and the resolution suffers when zooming. Take a step or two IN after taking your first shot and allow yourself to have a different range for your focal length. Most smartphones have the capability of utilizing clip-on lenses, which can be helpful in this case, too!
UTILIZE PROPS
Props are a great way to include your personality into your photoshoots and they also add to styled shoots. Be sure to pay attention to your surroundings and look for things like: outlets, cords, animals doing silly things in the background, antennas poking out, etc. Utilizing props can look like a color-coordinated photoshoot or all-one-subject. They are a great way to fuel your creative brain!
EXPERIMENT WITH SETTINGS
Don’t just live in auto! Most smartphones have an advanced tab that allows you to manipulate the starting point for your photos. If your phone doesn’t come with this, don’t worry- there are tons available for FREE in the app stores.
USE A TRIPOD
I cannot stress this enough: USE THE TRIPOD. They are essential for long-exposure shots and when doing flat lays, so you aren’t hunched over throughout all of your set changes. They also completely remove shutter shake from the list of things that can go wrong in a photo shoot. USE. THE. TRIPOD.
USE PRESETS
Find your style and save it. Take a screen shot of the settings used on your most-clicked images. These are the images that convert! Using the same style in your photos will help emphasize your brand and image, which is important in developing your business. You can download free presets and filters for multiple editing platforms, or you can grab mine for lightroom here.
BACKUP YOUR PHOTOS
As most of us know, smartphones can be corrupted, crash, get damaged, or worse- lost, and in an instant, our hard work is GONE. Backing up to cloud and hard drive locations, frequently, will ensure that your photos are safe and sound when you get back up and running. Most of the time, you can utilize your backups from multiple platforms and access from varying locations!
BOOK A COACHING SESSION
Shameless plug. My name is Emily and I’m a professional portrait photographer. I have owned my business for over 10 years and would LOVE to chat with you about how to better your product photos or take on the task for you, if this seems overwhelming! If you’ve got your photos and are ready for the next step, give me a call and we can build your plan to success!
I hope that this was helpful to you as you dig into taking better smartphone photography your small business. Until next time,
Emily
