Did you know that 500 million people use Instagram every month? How pretty is your feed?
Do you take a ton of photos now that you carry a phone or camera with you everyday? I’m dating myself when I tell you that, April (one of my besties) and I were the girls in college who took tons of photos long before Steve Jobs ever dreamed of creating an iPhone. To take it a step further, April worked at Ritz Camera where everyone took their photos for processing but that’s a whole ‘nother story! I can’t even begin to imagine what it would’ve been like to have a phone with a camera in my hands at all times while in college. All of this to say, I’m a little bit obsessed with my iPhone and it’s photo taking capabilities. As a business owner, I use my phone for product shots, videos and of course social media! My platform of choice is INSTAGRAM of course! Why? It’s all about taking great shots and curating a beautiful feed.
Getting the perfect shot takes a lot of trial and error, but there are some basic tenents you can follow to get a shot like those FAB ones you see on Insta.
The Backdrop. The backdrop is kind of everything. Because our products are colorful, we generally use a white backdrop so that the item will “pop” in the photograph. There are some beautiful feeds that use this same theory, but with black or light pink for example.
The Rule of Thirds. This is a golden rule in photography, that some of us do naturally, but many of us amateur photogs (myself included) didn’t have a clue about until Instagram came along. Often the photos we like are those with an off-center composition. Why? Because these sorts of photos are more appealing to the eye and look more natural than photos where the subject is placed smack dab in the middle of the frame. In essence, the rule of thirds involves mentally dividing up your image using 2 horizontal lines and 2 vertical lines. Too much to remember? If you have an iPhone, just go to Settings>Photos&Camera>Camera>Grid et volià!
Use Natural Light. The best photos by amateurs are those taken outside or by a window. Trust me, I’ve tried … Just go where the light is and you have a 75% chance of taking a decent photograph.
Find An Editing Tool You Like. Nowadays almost all smartphone cameras come with an editing tool. BUT, not all editing tools are created alike. I’m partial to VSCO Cam which can get a little complicated, but my quick and easy option is COLORSTORY. Both are free in the App Store.
We LOVE seeing how you incorporate our products into your lives! So, please keep the photos coming – don’t forget to use our hashtags #effiespaper and #stylishpaper. Oh, and incase yore not following us, we’re on social media @effiespaper.
