In an increasingly visual world, online imagery is more important than ever. Unfortunately few businesses have a budget anywhere close to some of the world’s biggest brands, but users still expect high-quality imagery.
These expectations of high production standards pose a significant challenge to small businesses that may not have a large marketing budget. So if you are a small business, how do you go about competing in an online space that’s brimming with quality imagery? Well, the obvious choice is to hire a professional website photographer. However, a start-up may not have the budget or be unwilling to invest in professional photography. But that doesn't mean you can't learn a few techniques from a professional photographer.
In this blog, we’re going to share a few tips that will hopefully make your amateur website photos look that little bit better.
The Basics of Website Photography
Lighting
Any professional photographer will tell you that lighting is a core component of photography. Where possible, always go for natural light. Look for a place where the subject is shaded – to avoid ugly overexposure – while still being bright enough to ensure details aren't hidden behind dark shadows.
Capturing photos in natural light isn’t always possible. If you need more light, inexpensive mounted LED lights are available online. Most cameras, even phone cameras, have an exposure slider. So play around with this setting until the subject is clear without being overlit.
White Balance
White balance is a feature of digital cameras that tells the camera how to capture colours in different lighting conditions. Sometimes the white balance can be off which affects the quality of the photographs. The easiest way to see if the white balance needs adjusting is to look through the camera's viewfinder to see if white colours have a yellowish hue. White balance can be adjusted by placing a white sheet of paper in front of the camera and turning on the manual white balance setting. This technique tells the camera what white is supposed to look like in particular lighting conditions.
Photography Backgrounds
The background of an image can be just as important as the foreground. Therefore, you should spend time considering how your background will affect the foreground subject. Cluttered spaces distract from the subject. To keep things simple it’s best to go with clean, clear backgrounds that contrast with the subject. A plain background can be achieved by placing the subject in front of a white wall or by using boards or sheets.
For more complex images with a more active background, think about how the background informs the subject. For example, gardening equipment should be shot in a garden, while a picture of a professional team should be captured in a board room.
The Rule of Thirds
Most cameras have a feature that allows you to overlay a 3 x 3 grid over the viewfinder. This grid option represents a basic principle of photography: the rule of thirds. To simplify, the rule of thirds states that to take interesting photos you don't want the subject dead centre in the viewfinder, instead the subject should be framed to the side. In other words, two-thirds of the space should be occupied by the subject while the remaining space should be empty.
Another simple technique is to put the subject in the space where the grids intersect. This makes the photo appear more natural.
Zooming
Don't use a camera’s zoom function. If you want a close-up, bring the lens closer to the subject. By bringing the lens closer to the subject, you make sure to capture every detail of your subject in the highest definition possible.
Post-Production
No matter how well the raw photos come out, a little bit of post-production can go a long way in adding a professional sheen to your images. Basic edits like cropping the photo to better apply the rule of thirds and adjusting brightness to increase contrast can be done on any photo editing software.
Some free photo editing solutions include GIMP for desktops and Afterlight for smartphones.
The above are just a few tips to make your photos look a little bit better. However, there is no substitute for hiring a professional website photographer. To enquire about our website photography packages, get in contact with offices today.