Photography Tips for Influencers: 8 Ways to Get the Shot

Getting “the shot” is tough. Influencers are tasked with consistently sharing pictures and videos with their audience. It leads to a full camera roll. Influencer Courtney Halverson, for example, told the Huff Post that she takes 200-plus photos in one sitting to capture that perfect picture. With so much pressure to produce searing snaps, influencers can benefit from these photography tips:

Understand the rule of thirds

One of the basic principles of photography is to shoot pictures using a 3×3 grid. With this grid, you can create more intrigue in your shots. The intersection of each line represents a point of interest, so position people or objects with this grid in mind. The flower below, for example, is off-center, utilizing several interactions to the right.

When taking pictures of people, place them in the left-third or right-third of the grid, as opposed to putting the person’s face in the middle of the shot. The same goes for a product shot.

Avoid shots in harsh sunlight

Trying to snap a picture on a bright, cheery day might seem ideal, but the light can be too harsh and blow out the background. If the sun is too bright, put your subject in the shade, facing the light. The shade provides even lighting on the subject and reduces the sunlight to a backlight.

Try the flat lay

Have you ever held your camera over top of an object to take a picture? That’s a flat lay. This bird’s eye view is an easy way to capture a great photo. To start, pick a simple backdrop. It might be a table, desk, or bed. You can always add a tablecloth too. Now, arrange a few props.

You can use this concept to create cool graphics too. Take a look at the example below. Arrange your props with graphics in mind and import the picture into a graphics platform like Canva to add the text.

Get closer

Beginners tend to take a lot of wide shots, but remember, variety is key. To maintain a good mix of photos on your social channel, take some close ups too. Rather than the wide shot of the beach, try taking a close up for a shore bird. Rather than photographing your entire body to showcase an outfit, take a shot of the intricate detail on the bracelet you’re wearing.

Take selfies from a higher angle

To snap a slimming selfie, hold your camera a little higher than your eyeline and look up at it. The higher angle helps minimize chubby areas. If you’re shooting a product review video, you can mount your camera on a tripod slightly higher than your eyeline and point it down a little. Adding a circular selfie light can help too.

In addition, you can try Facetune, a photo editing app that helps touch-up selfies. It can remove oily skin, ease wrinkles, and brighten your face.

Use a timer

Tired of seeing your arm in every selfie? Mount your phone on a tripod and flip the camera so you can see yourself. Now, set the timer and get in front of the camera. The timer gives you a few seconds to take a wider shot (without your arm). Try a few different poses. Consider framing yourself on one side or another, or step closer or farther away from the camera.

Remove unwanted objects from the shot

You were at the beach and captured a great sunset, but the snap has a stray dog in it. Not to worry, you can still use the photo. With a tool like TouchRetouch or Pixomatic, you can remove the dog from the photo. This tool can remove any unwanted object — from an ugly garbage can to lurking strangers in the background.

Blur your background

A busy background can take away from a picture, but if you use the Portrait Mode on your iPhone, it will automatically blur the background for you.

With this feature, you can take a great picture in your living room, like this influencer did. Notice the background is blurry, making it interesting, but it doesn’t take away from the influencer’s pose.

With these photography tips, you can take stunning photos that might capture the eye of a brand looking for an influencer.