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It’s important to know how to take awesome pictures for your website, even if you do plan on hiring a professional photographer or using stock photography. Trust me, there will be a time where you don’t already have the perfect photo and can’t find ‘the one’ available as a stock photo. Your content should not suffer because of this. Bad photos can scare people away from your website and that’s the last thing your business needs.
Follow these steps to take awesome photos for your website:
Find that light
Seriously, lighting is everything when it comes to photography. A general rule is to take photos with as much natural light as possible. We always try to avoid the flash if we can, as it adds harsh light and can impact the quality of your photo. Try to find a bright window to take images by and try all different angles to find the best light. If you’re still getting a lot of shadows, add a light reflector.
Tip: If you don’t have a light reflector or a few bucks to spend on one, use a mirror, tape tinfoil around a piece of cardboard or hang a white bed sheet.
Keep it simple
We typically recommend a very simple, light and neutral background. Plain walls, counter tops or tables are great for product photography. You can also create a backdrop with fabric or paper. Your background may vary based on the subject and your photography style, but remember, busy backgrounds will take away from the subject of the photo.
Keep it clean
Clean any surfaces and objects that will be in the photo. Nothing is worse than dirty dingy pictures or spending a chunk of your day taking pictures only to upload them and realize there was dirt, pet hair, or fingerprints the whole time. A little prep can save you a ton of time in the long run.
Rule of thirds
It’s tempting to center the subject of your photos every time, especially if you’re as OCD as we are, but the rule of thirds adds interest to photos. The rule of thirds means breaking the image down into thirds, both vertically and horizontally, which essentially creates 9 sections. Points of interest in the photo should be located on the intersections of these 9 sections or along the lines. You may want to turn on the grid function of your camera or phone starting out, so you can get used to composing photos this way. Keep in mind, there are some instances when rules should be broken, so not every single photo needs to follow this rule.
Finishing with editing
We almost always adjust the brightness and contrast of our photos. You may also want to sharpen, adjust the temperature, etc. The most common photo editing software are Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom, but if you don’t plan on photography being a big part of your business, you may want a free option. We have heard great things about Snapspeed, PicMonkey, VSCO, and Gimp.
Now that you have the basics down, you can experiment and find your photography style.
Combine your new photography skills and these 10 Tips To Grow Your Business With Social Media
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