Why it’s important to post quality pictures on social media, and how to do it!
I get it, I get it - you’re not a professional photographer. You’re more of a share an article and caption it #same sort of person. I respect that! But if you’re looking to obtain optimum reach and engagement on social media, quality images are a necessity.
Photos rule social media. As humans, it’s our nature to ooo-and-aww over what pleases our eye. Facebook, Instagram, and even Twitter have catered their algorithms to images. Posts containing a higher imagery-to-text ratio are more likely to be seen.
Now, let’s get to that not a professional part. It is indeed possible to take a good picture without being an expert, using only your smartphone camera. Below are a few tips from yours truly!
Natural Light
In my opinion, natural light is the way to go, especially when using a phone camera. Unless you're willing to shell out big money for a professional lighting set up, artificial light has a tendency to look less vibrant, and, well...natural. I took the below photos in my living room, right next to the window at 9 a.m., and left them unedited. I would touch up brightness, structure, and saturation, but overall, not too shabby.
Focus on Being In Focus!
Little things make me cringe more than an out-of-focus photo. Pick a focal point and make sure to zone in on it. If you are using your smartphone, most cameras have a grid screen. Click on your focal point and the tiny computer will adjust its focus onto that object. Make sure your lens is clean! The tiniest smudge can obscure your shot.
Clean, Simple Background
For product photos, I always use a plain white background. Many bloggers or social media influencers use pieces of granite or tile for their photos. Make sure your background does not distract from the subject.
Composition
This term refers to the way elements of a photograph are arranged. A good “rule of thumb” is the Rule of Thirds. Dividing the image into nine squares, like an iPhone does for you, and positioning your subject where the lines intersect, rather than in the center, makes for a more pleasing image. Another tip is the Rule of Odds, stating that an image is more visually appealing when containing an odd number of objects. Of course, these “rules” are really just suggestions, but great to work with when starting out!
No Over Editing!
Classic mistake with today’s easy editing options. Filtering and editing, especially on Instagram, can get out of control. I’ve found it’s best to tweak the brightness, contrast, saturation, structure, and sharpen only a tad. If you do choose to use a filter, only use about 50% max.
What would you like to see on the S.O. Damn Social blog?! Let me know in the comments below.
XOXO,
