15 Important Details to Consider When Taking Your Own Photos

Have you ever taken photos for a post and realized afterwards you’ve been photobombed? When it comes to photography, the beauty is in the details, and even something like a garbage can in the background or Home Simpson smoking a joint can ruin a photo (or make it funny, depending how you look at it.)

After penning 3 Compelling Reasons For Taking Your Own Blog Photos for IFB, I was thinking that a nice follow-up piece would be a checklist-style feature that would make your photos a tremendous amount better, just by taking pause before snapping those pics. With contributions below from IFB’s Jennine Jacob, we’ve compiled some items to consider, which, for the most part, come down to keeping tabs on and making sure some aspects of your photography remain consistent, while mixing up others for a bit of interest and variety.

Before taking a photo:

• Check your background to make sure there are no unsightly items, i.e. parked cars, garden hoses, garbage, or photobombers.
• Venture out and find new locations for your photo shoots.
• Compose your photos. When in doubt, center yourself in the frame.
• Make sure your pose is not awkward. Play around with different poses, but make sure you don’t look awkward in the ones you publish. It’s ok just to stand! Smiles usually do more to improve a photo than a dramatic pose.
• Make sure there is not too much ground in your shot (take the photo at a low angle).
• Take photos in the morning or just before sunset for the best light (sunny days often cause harsh shadows).
• Are you sure you’re using the right setting on your camera? Test out a few to make sure there isn’t a better option for your setup.
• Make sure all fingertips, hair, straps, strings, or anything that could dangle in the way of the lens are tucked away.
• Avoid red eye; if you can’t find better lighting use a red eye setting, look away from the camera, or have the flash aimed at slightly above your head.
• Consider if making a small investment in a tripod or remote control (if your camera is compatible with one) will make life much easier for you!
• When photographing still objects, get close, and crop tightly; don’t be afraid to fill the frame with your object.
• Sometimes having a little bit of the object outside of the frame can build great interest and attention to your photo.
• Don’t wait until you’re home or have left the location before checking how the photos have turned out; you may want to re-shoot!
• Strive to get the photo elements right the first time around; don’t rely too heavily on image-editing software for major overhauls on your pics.
• Keep taking photos until you “got the shot.” Sometimes one or two photos aren’t going to be enough. Especially when you’re learning, you may need to take 20 or 30 shots until you have one good one.

What do you look for to make sure your photo is picture perfect prior taking it?