5 Tips for Social Media Photography

Content is King.

Nowadays, social media content is taking the form of photos and graphics.

Everything is visual.

Facebook posts with images receive 2x as many likes than posts without.

Tweets with images receive 18% more clicks, 89% more favorites and 150% more retweets.

In fact, 90% of information that comes into the brain is visual.

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So how do you take good photos to post on your social media networks?

Tips on Taking Good Photos for Social Media

• Zoom• Lighting & Flash• Framing & Composition• Camera Angles• Focus• Stability

Zoom

Zoom is a way to keep your photo focused… but it has its limits.

Avoid zoom when possible.

Don’t be afraid to move close to your subject.

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AND

This will cut out the extra noise in the photo

It’ll keep your viewer focused on what’s really important.

Taking photos with a mobile phone….

Your mobile phone uses digital zoom.

Digital zoom only makes the image more pixelated, and causes blurry and grainy photos.

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Lighting and Flash

Lighting is one of the most important factors in capturing a great shot.

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You won’t always be able to take photos on a bright sunny day….

The trick is to capture the right amount of light.

Avoid using flash whenever possible. Natural lighting is your friend.

Move your subject into a well-lit area. Open the blinds, turn on the lights, go outside.

Face your subject toward the light source.

If flash is needed, move into an effective flash range.

Move too close and the light will wash out the subject; move too far away and the light won’t reach the subject.

Don’t be afraid to take a few shots to get the right photo.

Framing and Composition

Framing your shot to get the right composition is what tells your story.

Think ahead.

What you are trying to get across to the viewer?

Framing is especially important when taking pictures for social media.

If you are taking shots for your cover photo, keep in mind this space is more rectangular.

If you are taking shots for your profile picture, it’ll be square.

Think about your surroundings and subject.

Have a sense of purpose when taking photos.

Keep the background simple.

Move your subject around to get the perfect shot.

Use your brand standards guide and follow any provided photo direction.

P R O

T I P

ule f

hirds

For the best composition in photography, divide photo into thirds.

The subject should be placed on either

side of the lines

the left or the right

or on either…

the top

the bottom

OR

Don’t place the subject directly in the center.

The rule of thirds creates balance and is aesthetically pleasing to the viewer.

Changing the position of your camera in relation to your subject can transform the style of your photo and create more creative elements.

Shoot from below or above your subject.

Move to the side, as opposed to shooting straight on.

Consider what the photo will be used for:– Wide shot for a cover photo– Square shot for a profile pic

Focus

Focusing in on your subject is an essential element to photography.

Focusing makes the details crisp and clear.

When taking a photo with your smartphone, tap the subject on the screen to auto-focus the picture

before hitting the shutter button.

With cameras…focus by holding the shutter button halfway down.

When the camera is focused on the subject, it’ll create a green box and make a sound to let you know the image is in focus.

Press the shutter button all the way down to capture the shot.

Now go out and take some photos!

Thanks!