Some 10 years ago, you would need to hire a professional photographer with cutting-edge equipment to get jaw-dropping photos for your portfolio or social media platform. You would need to tweak numerous settings, experiment with detachable lenses and lighting to achieve the desired effect and finally share your pictures with the audience. But everything has changed with the advent of smartphone photography. Now you can take effective pictures anytime from anywhere. And you don’t even need to possess some special skills, relevant experience, or professional photography tools for that. In combination with dedicated photo editors, smartphones can help you create cool images for your blog or Instagram followers in the blink of an eye! You just need to avail yourself of some useful techniques and recommendations that most popular influencers follow when taking their pictures.
Use Photo Editing Software
These days, you can hardly find a single person who doesn’t edit or at least make minor tweaks to their photos before posting them on Instagram. But for your images to look not only visually attractive but also natural and organic, you shouldn’t go overboard with filters and retouching, of course. If you put your hands on the right editing software, you’ll be able to spruce up your images without making them look ‘plastic’ and unnatural. In general, choosing editing software depends on your photography experiences, skills, individual needs, and budget. Anyway, it would be a wise decision to go for some easily accessible and affordable software for starters. And once you get your feet wet, you can go look for something more sophisticated. Also, don’t be afraid to experiment with online editors that enable casual photographers to create their own masterpieces with several clicks. Add fun effects, music, and custom stickers to your pictures and wow your audience!
Consider Perspective
Even if you’re just an amateur, you need to be familiar with some photography basics to produce the best result possible. And one of these basics is the ability to maintain the spatial relationship between objects captured. Linear or forced, atmospheric or diminishing scale, your perspective should be well-thought-out and help you convey your message.
Make it your rule to snapshots from different vantage points instead of constantly holding your phone at eye level. This is especially true when you’re photographing natural landscapes and architecture. Capture images from above or below or choose a low vantage point for a deeper, more dramatic effect. This means you should be ready to kneel, squat, crouch to the ground, shoot from the hip, and much more to get the best vantage point and produce the best shots for your Instagram feed!
Check Your Camera Settings
It might seem like a too obvious piece of advice, but a good many Instagram users end up dissatisfied with the quality of their photos simply because they failed to tweak the settings properly. If you’re striving for aesthetically appealing photos, be sure to adjust your focus and get the most out of your facial recognition feature to avoid pictures where your friends’ faces look like a blurred mess. Prior to taking your final photos, experiment with exposure to determine what amount of light you want to let into your frame. When shooting in the dark, make sure to switch to night mode for crisp and clear shots. You may want to take advantage of the high dynamic range mode for a better balance of colors and contrast. For deeper and more professional-looking photos, try the tried-and-tested rule of thirds trick. Modern phones feature grid options that enable you to break your frame into nine equal blocks. By placing the most conspicuous parts of your image close to the points where the grid lines meet, you can afford more depth and visual appeal to your composition.
There are lots of other features and in-built tools in your phone that can help you make the most out of your camera. Just make sure to explore all available options and use what suits your needs and personal artistic taste.
Use Effective Backdrops
When it comes to creating photos for Instagram, you should give much consideration to the backdrop against which you’re going to shoot. Not only should it be appropriate for your photography type and overall conception but also effectively represented or creatively reinterpreted in your photograph. That being said, it’s your own fantasy and creative eye that decides which background to choose for your next project! It can be a shabby wall of the old garage, ancient ruins, or some DIY backdrop specifically designed for your photo shoot. Just make sure nothing distracts from or gets in the way of your chosen backdrop’s effectiveness. And if you find yourself short on inspiration, don’t hesitate to browse popular hashtags and locations on your favorite social media platforms to get your creative juices flowing.
Shubham Kansal is a bit addicted to the latest happening in the political and sports world. He loves to watch anime & manga, suspense, and Horror web series. He used to search and writes about the latest political, sports, and popular celebrity biography.