I posted this picture on Instagram a while ago, and captioned it “Did it for the ‘gram”, which got me thinking about all the times I’ve taken pictures, just to get the perfect picture for Instagram. Believe it or not, taking the perfect picture takes some practice – and yes, it is an art. I’ve been doing this whole blog thing for a few years now, and by no means consider myself an expert, but wanted to share my tips for getting the perfect picture.
Top / Skirt / Booties (old) – super similar / Bag (old) / Sunnies
1. Camera – It’s really important to have a camera that performs the way you want it to take the perfect picture. Some girls take awesome pictures on their iPhones, but I prefer having a full frame camera to shoot with. (Now, ask me if I know how to use the thing, and that’s an entirely different story!) Luckily, Brandon takes all my photos, so we invested in a Canon 6D. We currently have a 50mm lens, but really need to get a 70mm lens to shoot the way we want to.
2. Confidence – is everything when it comes to taking the perfect picture. Of course it’s not comfortable prancing around the streets taking photos of yourself, and stopping in the middle of an intersection during a red light, to get that perfect shot. I know, I know…but people staring. Of course they are! Who cares, though? They aren’t paying your bills, and chances are you won’t ever see them again. You have to own it, every part of it, or it’s going to show up on the camera. You do you, boo!
3. Take Risks – It’s easy to stick to the shooting locations you know, or the poses you have become familiar with, but like they say, “If there is no risk, there’s no reward.” You have to be open to trying new things for that perfect picture, because that’s what life requires of you if you want to excel to the next step in anything!
4. Hire someone that is willing to take risks with you. – (And, if not, do like I do and force your husband to take risks with you. Sorry, Brandon.) The risk takers behind the camera are just as important as the ones in front of it. That means, they need to be willing to jump out into the streets with you, or even lay down on the ground to get the perfect shot. I realize how absurd that sounds, but it’s just the simple truth.
5. Lighting – They don’t call it the “golden hour” for nothing. Whenever possible, try to shoot during the golden hour to achieve the dreamiest photo shots. I wish I could do this more often, but sometimes you just have to roll with what your schedule allows. I prefer to shoot in semi-shaded areas, otherwise the sun is “too hot” and washes out the look. Ideally, I try to shoot late afternoon, when it’s still well lit outside, but the sun isn’t so intense. I find that really helps me achieve the ideal lighting for my shots.
6. Edit – Everything really comes down to the editing. If you edit photos on your computer, I highly recommend Adobe Lightroom. It’s where I edit all my blog photos. If you aren’t familiar with editing, you can search for presets online, and load them into the program, then play with things from there. After I edit in Lightroom, I always edit them again before posting to Instagram. My favorite iPhone editing programs are Snapseed and VSCO.
7. Believe in what you are doing – With Instagram’s ever changing algorithm, it can be pretty disheartening to put (what you believe to be good) content out there, only to have it tank on Instagram – because most of your followers aren’t even seeing your posts. At the end of the day, you have to believe in yourself and what you are doing, and know that you are creating good content. If you keep creating good content, I believe it will all work itself out in the end.
What about you? What are some tips you want to share about taking the perfect picture? Did I miss anything? Let me know in the comments below!
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Posing is something I've been trying to work on when it comes to "taking the perfect pic". I love your tip about taking risks and finding a photographer that's also willing to take them too!-MorganHow 2 Wear It [] http://how2wearit.com
I love your tips – I agree with #7 – it can be super discouraging, but it's helpful to keep the big picture in mind :)Laurenwww.anexplorersheart.com
Such good tips and I always think about how free my life would be if I wasn't always doing something for the gram lol!! McKennastylewaltz.com
What fantastic tips! But, let's talk about this dress! Love the ruffles and the fun stripes!!!
Thanks for sharing these tips! Love your outfit too, especially the shoes! 🙂
#2 will always be on favorite tip!
I NEED this dress! It is soooo cute on you!
everything about this look is GORGEOUS!xoStesha
I love blogging but the toughest part for me (still) is getting my pictures taken, I feel so awkward in front of the camera! I see all of the hard work you ladies put into this and admire you so much! Thanks for the great tips x
These are some great tips for photos! Thanks for sharing and you look great in that dress girl! XOJamaria | http://www.throughjamseyes.com
These are SUCH great tips!! The confidence thing gets me sometimes… I get nervous when people are staring at me! LOL!