Since I started this blog almost eight (!) years ago, I’ve learned more than I ever thought possible. Eight years ago, I also founded my PR firm. Back then, I kept the two strictly separate. My main job was as a celebrity PR agent, and in my free time, I took great pleasure in sharing the things that inspire me most. In recent years, social media and the high-quality cameras in our pockets have changed so much that there’s more overlap than ever between work and lifestyle. Basically, the things I’ve learned through blogging have become the things I teach my clients most often.
The burning question everyone asks is: “How do you create good content and get professional photos when you’re not a photographer yourself and can’t afford to have a photographer following you around 24/7?” That’s a real problem. Whether you’re a small business owner trying to reach an audience on social media or you just want to give your friends some serious FOMO—here are some tips that have really helped me improve my photography skills. I’m still learning every day, but with each passing year, I can look back and see how much I’ve improved. I hope these tips help you just as much as they’ve helped me.
1) Let’s talk about cameras. I don’t have a big camera like the Canon 5D, which is so popular among bloggers. I do think it takes fantastic photos, but I want something that isn’t so bulky when I travel. I have the Sony NEX-5, which was named Camera of the Year the year I bought it. It’s small enough to fit in my purse, but you can change the lenses, which is really the key feature. I bought a 50mm f/1.8 lens, which is excellent for portrait photography. It just gives that very polished, professional look. It is a bit limiting since my lens doesn’t have a zoom (50mm f/1.8 zoom lenses are expensive), but if I need a different lens, the included zoom lens is also great.
2) Sign up for Skillshare and check out a few of the tutorials. For just $9.95 a month, you get unlimited access to the courses, and they’re so short that you can complete them during your lunch break. My favorites include Leela Cyd’s course on food photography, Daniel Krieger’s course on restaurant photography, and Marte Marie Forsberg’s course on lifestyle photography. I applied what I learned in my Skillshare courses to the photo above in terms of lighting and styling for Instagram.
3) I’ve really stopped taking photos at night, especially in restaurants. I just aren’t that good at it yet, unless I’m in a well-lit area (see the photo of Chinatown above, taken with my 50mm f/1.8 lens). During my last night photography session, I asked my girlfriend to take photos with her Canon at the restaurant Canele. Even with that camera, we didn’t start the shoot until 5:30 p.m. so we’d still have some light.
4) I plan my selfies very carefully. For example, for Seattle and Paris, I planned my outfits before packing and got my husband on board so he’d be happy to experiment an hour before sunset (the light is everything!) to take fun photos. Of course, when you’re traveling, you can’t know exactly what you’ll happen to come across, like in the photo above. I had planned the outfit in advance and wanted to get there early to take photos, but it was really just luck that our restaurant was located in such a beautiful little alley.
5). Take WAY more photos while traveling than you think you need. When I walk into a hotel room, the first thing I do is take photos before we mess it up (see Ludlow Hotel; the picture above shows the opposite side of the street). I took far more photos than I thought I’d need, because I always find after I get back that I still don’t have enough, or that some angles are better than others. I still didn’t have that many photos of this hotel’s lobby, despite all the shots I’d taken.
6) Learn Lightroom and buy VSCO filters or Mastin Lab filters to use with this program. After the 50mm f/1.8 lens, this is the second thing that has made the biggest difference for me. I now always use the same filter via VSCO (currently I’m using the Film 06 pack SO-Portra 160++) and the images just look consistent, which enhances the professional look (check out how the photo of Katz’s has the same atmosphere as the one of the Italian restaurant in Example 5). For Instagram, I switch between VSCO and A Color Story. There are so many great filters in this app, but I prefer a more atmospheric look.
7) In addition to the rule of thirds and the basics of image composition—which you can learn through Skillshare or thousands of other online tutorials—there are a few general tips: When I photograph a group of people, I always shout, “Everyone smile!” and start laughing myself, which in turn makes everyone else laugh—this results in great, natural shots where everyone looks happy. When photographing food, lighting and props are crucial. Skillshare offers many great courses on this topic as well. When photographing the interiors of a home or business (especially for exterior shots), a frontal shot is usually the best angle. If you’re out with someone and need to ask a stranger to take a photo of the two of you, set up the shot for them and tell them exactly what you want. All they have to do is press the shutter button when you’re in position, and you’ll have the photo you were hoping for.
I love talking about business, so tell me—what burning question is on your mind right now? I’ll definitely answer it in an upcoming Biz-Talk post!
