10 Simple Tips to Improve Your Photography for Social Content 

With the steady rise in opportunities for social media exposure and platforms for business expansion, capturing attention is growing increasingly more difficult.

The importance of striking photography for social content cannot be overstated.

Proper strategy for content development can require just a few extra minutes of your time but can go such a long way in keeping your customer engaged with your photo and prevent them from scrolling past it. 

Photography can be very intimidating if you do not know where to begin, so we curated 10 simple tips you can use to improve your photography–no fancy camera equipment required!

Plan, Plan, Plan

Using Pinterest or other similar platforms before a photoshoot can be helpful for creating some amazing content. Make a mood board. or have an idea of what you want accomplished in your photo shoot. Look for ideas of different shots you may want on your social media. 

Putting in a little time at the beginning can make such a huge difference in streamlining the efficiency of your shoot. This will not only get your creative juices flowing, but will also make the process of the photoshoot go much quicker and will be way easier to achieve your vision! 

Keep your iPhone Lens Clean

It may seem simple, but having a clean lens is often something we forget to do before taking photos on our phones. It can make a big difference in photography for social content. With your phone sitting in your pocket or purse all day, the camera is bound to get a few smudges or scratches on it. 

If you don’t have a microfiber cloth handy, you can take the corner of your shirt and wipe off the lens, but make sure you do this before you take every photo. You will be surprised to see the difference this simple trick makes in the quality of your photos! 

Lighting is Everything

Know when the best times to take pictures are that fits with your style and brand. My favorite times to shoot are early in the morning or later in the day before the sun begins to set.

This is what photographers refer to as the “golden hour”. Trying to schedule photoshoots at these times will help eliminate harsh shadows and help the lighting stay soft and flattering! 

Use the Rule of Thirds

When shooting pictures, photographers often utilize the rule of thirds. This means keeping your subject on one side of the frame instead of right in the middle of the shot (keeping 2/3 of the picture open).

This is a great trick to elevate your shot from commercial to editorial (if that’s reflective of your brand).

Color Consistency

While you need to diversify your photos to keep your audience engaged, you should also  stay within a certain color theme so your photos look more cohesive and help solidify your brands personality. Don’t be afraid to play around with different colors, but make sure it matches your brand and the overall goal of the photo. 

Don’t Overcomplicate It

Have you ever looked at a photo and could not figure out where to look because there is so much going on? Make sure the background of the photo is not distracting your audience from your brand or product. Create a  star of the shot and keep everything else around it simple! Less is more! 

Keep Diversity in Style

Should you create a planned photo shoot with posed team and portrait photos? Should you take a bunch of candids? The answer is: try both!

Posed shots elevate the brand’s style and delivery. More candid photos can better capture the personality of your company and can show a behind the scenes look. 

It is so important to include a balance between these types of photos. This will make your social media more engaging to look at while also capturing both the aesthetic and personality of your brand.  

Represent your Audience

It is so important your audience can see themselves using your product or services in photography for social content. Make sure they are represented in the photos through shoots or targeted content towards their demographic.

Diversity in photography and representing individuals from many different backgrounds in your brand can increase engagement with your social media and can make your photos stand out. People are more likely to engage or believe in your products or services if real people are using them! 

Keep in Mind What Interests You

Put yourself in the shoes of your viewer and post only what you would want to see on your feed. Typically, if you do not want to see it on your feed, your audience will not want to either. A few impactful photos that are very interactive with your target demographic will be so much more beneficial for your business than more photos that only clutter the feed of your audience.

Inspiration is Everywhere

While it is easy to rely on Instagram for photo inspiration for shoots or future content, make sure you expand your mind and keep your eyes open from places that may seem unconventional. 

Books, magazines, movies, even the poster in your hair salon can provide great visuals and potential inspiration for your next brand photoshoot. This can also help make your photos unique and help your brand stand out among just the content circulating Instagram at the time. Be a trendsetter! 

Simple changes and creativity can go so far to make your work stand out among everyone else. The world of photography can seem overwhelming, but taking small steps towards improving your photography for social media will be recognized and can go a long way with your audience. 
Still feel like you don’t know where to start? We’d love to help you with any of your business’s photography or content needs! Give us a call (843) 631-6273!