How to Take Killer Blog Photos | 6 Secrets Revealed

Photography is a super intense field. There is so much to learn and know. But my motto is KISS, (keep it simple stupid). If I can find simple, easy, and quick tips to better photography without having to do a ton of research… ugh, yeah of course I’m going to use the crap out of them on my on photos AND share them with you.

have great natural light

Take photos in the early morning, (from 7-9am-ish), or an hour before the sun sets, (aka the golden hour), that’s when the lighting is best. It’s a romantic feel and this time is best for boho beach babe bloggers or bloggers who just have a really ethereal vibe. This time is also popular for engagement and wedding photos.

If you take your pictures in direct sunlight at prime time during the day (10am-3pm) the lighting is too harsh. Your camera won’t pick up the true colors of the picture and/or your subject will be totally blown out (over-exposed/white or under-exposed/black).

If you do want to take pictures during the day, find “shadow light” (my personal favorite). Shadow light is the light you get when you’re in an alley or in some place that is shaded by the buildings around you. This is super easy to find in cities.

edit all your photos

It’s very rare your pictures will be perfect upon taking them so as a professional blogger you want to use Photoshop OR Lightroom, for killer blog photo editing.

Remember that you want all your photos to be similar and have the same aesthetic so try to stick with the same editing for all your pictures. Otherwise, people will get confused and you won’t brand yourself as well.

use the rule of thirds

Whether you’re taking a picture of food, home decor, a workout pose, make-up, yourself… you want to use the rule of thirds. What this means is when you take a picture, pretend your frame is a grid of 9. So within these 9 boxes you/your subject should take up 1-3 of them. You can position yourself on the far left if you’re next to a cool building so you showcase yourself and also the building. Or for an ootd you want to be taking up the middle 3 boxes of the grid so the person looking at your photo is focused on you and your outfit. Make sense?

Head over to my Instagram to see what I’m talking about. I mainly keep my pictures centered with equal distance around me.

shoot from an aerial view

When you photograph stuff like food, articles of clothing, table settings, or any “flatlay” you want to stand on a chair and take the photo from above. Trust me, it’s wayyyy more flattering than taking the picture on an angle. Aerial shots get the detail of the shot that is meant to be seen, plus it gives a different perspective since we’re not used to seeing things from above.

stage your “candid” shots

Stage all your “candid” shots. Let’s be real, in the blogging world, there are no “candid” shots.

So, say you’re being photographed for a street style look, make sure you stop and pose in a “candid” way, maybe with one foot up or looking towards the sun, something along those lines. It sounds ironic but the more you practice being candid the better you become at posing candidly.

The reason candid shots are so popular is because they create a feeling. When people see you crossing the street with your coat tail blowing in the wind behind you, people envision themselves wearing the same coat, crossing the same street, and feeling fabulous. That is blogging in true form: pure inspiration.

invest in a white poster board

White poster boards will be your best friend for flatlays, DIYs, and food photos as a blogger. Not everyone has a nice surface to take photos on so a white poster board acts as just that. It keeps things clean and makes whatever it is you’re photographing pop. It also can create a pretty little aesthetic on your Instagram feed. #wootwoot

Don’t even think about it, just invest the $3 in a white poster board. It’ll be the cheapest investment of your entire blogging career.

There is SO much more to learn about photography but these are the basics that have worked for me as a beginner and even now. If you want to learn more tricks of the trade let me know in the comments or shoot me an email brittany@notanotherblonde.com.

What is your BEST photography tip? Tell us below!

xx