As a business owner, how do you grab the attention of your customers? Social media? Your website? Traditional print advertisements? If your response is yes to any of these, my first piece of advice is to always use captivating images to tell your businesses story. With text alone, your customers will not be interested, but with images of what you are selling, events taking place, or just of your fabulous staff, you will be sure to grab the attention of your target audience. But there is one problem. You’re not a professional photographer and don’t know where to start. Viola! Start with the tool that is literally in your own pocket: your smartphone. I’m here today to help you get the most from your smartphone camera, in my case, an iPhone camera, to show off your business. If you don’t have a fancy camera or don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on a professional photoshoot, grab that handy smartphone and check out these tips to up your smartphone photo game for your business!
Tip #1: LIGHTING, LIGHTING, LIGHTING:
Did I mention lighting? One of the most important things to getting that perfect shot to show off any aspect of your business is of course, lighting. Taking the time to find that perfect spot inside, or outside that will make all of the difference when it comes to the quality of your photos. Most of us have an iPhone, and these cameras have so many features to help adjust the lighting automatically. But, don’t always go for the flash or the recommended settings. Instead, play around with different setting and those special areas of your business with just the right lighting. Even try heading outside to dabble with the brightness and exposure to get that perfect lit shot. If you’re like me and want to take advantage of those sunny days and place some products outside, always make sure to take your pictures in the shade or facing away from the sun. Everyone likes a change of scenery for their pictures, but nobody likes a black or dotted picture with shade and sun spots.
Tip #2: Get to know your camera and the features it has. i.e: Portrait Mode, Panorama, Time Lapse
Ahh, portrait mode. Some love it, some hate it. If it’s used right, it will produce a beautiful photo that could be mistaken for a professional shot. The iPhone houses this feature and allows the user to capture a photo with a blurred background if it is taken at the right angle with the right lighting at the preferred distance from the subject. This feature will allow you to capture the perfect shot, focusing specifically on the parts of your business that you want to stand out! If you are looking to capture the entirety of your business in one photo, try the panorama feature. This feature allows you, with a steady and slow hand, to capture your entire business outline in one snapshot. Another great feature of the iPhone that I love to use to capture a special event is the Time Lapse setting. This setting will allow you to video record a long period of time but speeds up the video when finished to watch the event in a quicker motion.
Tip #3: Steady your shot: gridlines and symmetry
Capturing that perfect shot can be hard, but there are tools already available for you. With a simple gesture of turning on the gridlines on your iPhone camera settings, you can balance out each shot you take to make sure you capture every point of your business in photos. To turn on your gridlines on your iPhone simply go to Settings > Camera > Grid and slide the grid feature on. Once your gridlines are on always use the rule of thirds. The rule of thirds is essential in photography and will improve the balance of every image you take. When taking a photo, think about what element of the photo is most important and try to position it at or near the lines and intersections of the grid.
Tip #4 Zoom no more
Read it again. No. More. Zoom. Unless of course you’d like to capture blurry, unrecognizable photos of your business. We suggest taking a few steps closer to get a good focus on your photo subject and then take the photo. No one wants to look at a fuzzy photo and you don’t want to make the wrong impression to your customers and potential customers with blurry, lazy and unprofessional looking photos of your business. When posting pictures, don’t just post a picture that you have to post a quality picture that will make individuals want to come back for more. The closer you can get, the better. Whether its laying on the ground or standing on a chair up close, pictures from a different perspective than the human eye will reward you better in the end. You may look silly in the moment but take the extra step in and then take that picture.
Tip #5: Make it easy, download an editor.
They’ve made it so easy for us. There are so many apps out there, for free and for a little cost, that will take your photos to the next level. By adding a subtle contrast, fixing the exposure, or cropping it, there is a photo app out there that will help make your photos look as professional as possible. Before you hit ‘post’, go check out these helpful apps. Our top free picks are: Adobe Lightroom, VSCO, and Photoshop Fix.
Yes, these are just a few ways to up your photo game and of course there is way more that goes into successful photography, but these are definitely a set of beginner tips that will help you improve your photography skills. With these few tips, you can up your photo game so you can continue promoting yourself or your business to its fullest potential. Happy shooting!
-Sarah, Marketing Intern