Technique Tuesday Tutorial - 3 Easy Tips for Taking Better Photos

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3 Easy Tips For Taking Better Photos - a guest post by Jason Mullett-Bowlsby, owner of Shibaguyz Photography

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It is no secret that fiber folks and, indeed, folks who make handmade items in general, like to take photos of our handy work. In fact, if you have a handmade business, it is a VITAL part of that business to be able to take FAB photos of our work in order to present that work in a way that will appeal to your clients. If your product photos aren't good, it doesn't matter how gorgeous your pottery, yarn, or garment designs are. People just aren't going to see that beauty and craftsmanship shine through.

To that end, today we're placing a different spin on our Technique Tuesday Tutorials and we're going to focus (see what I did there? Focus. Photography. *ahem* moving on…) on another aspect of the Shibaguyz. Specifically, Jason, the other half of the Shibaguyz is going to put on his Shibaguyz Photography hat and give us his 3 Tips for Taking Better Photos.

Take it away, Jason!

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Jason Mullett-Bowlsby Shibaguyz Photography

As a professional photographer I get asked questions… lots of questions. People ask me about my camera, my lens, and my equipment. Conversations sound something like this:

“So, I’ve been thinking of upgrading to a new body. What one do you like?”


“Do you like prime lenses?”


“Is that a ‘nifty-fifty’ you have on there?”


“I once read that Cannon’s are better than Nikon for shooting Mountain Sasquatch in their natural habitat…” 

While all of these questions have merit, the answers will not necessarily make anyone a great photographer. Buying an expensive camera with big fancy lenses will not allow you to take professional quality photos any more than buying a professional-grade Viking gas range and new All-Clad Stainless Steel pans will let you cook like a five-star chef. It just doesn't work that way.

However, there are tricks to make your photos (regardless of what camera you use) look more professional.

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Click the "Read More" link for the full article.

Maybe you’re a clothing designer taking photos to sell goods on your website (or a craft site like Etsy). Perhaps you are a hobbyist who’s shooting for posterity, documenting the lives of your children. Possibly you just take selfies on your camera phone. It doesn’t matter what you are photographing or why; the fact remains you are doing it and there are ways to make your photos instantly better whether you are using a $3000 Nikon D3 or a $30 Nikon Cool Pics camera. 

Relax, I’m not going to give you a big long lecture about reading your user’s manual (we all know that’s not gonna happen).  Nor will I tell you to buy fancy lights or equipment. Nope, I’m giving you three things you can do today to make your photos look better.  Just three things.  Ready?  Here we go!  

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1. FIND THE BEST LIGHT 

It’s no surprise I start off with this point.  Most any photography tutorial will emphasize the importance of finding good light, and by good light I do not mean direct light.  In fact I mean just the opposite.  Look for areas that are lit or are bright but without light streaming in.  The light should be soft and wrap around your subject without casting harsh shadows.  Look around your home and study the quantity and intensity of the light in each room.  Notice how it varies throughout the day. My western facing windows get soft indirect light in the morning and beautiful golden light in the evenings. These are the best times for me to shoot.  Identify the areas of light and the times of day when the light is most abundant in each room of your home.   Write your observations down.  This will help you remember what you are seeing.

Now that you know when and where to photograph, place your subject in the light then move yourself around it looking for the best angles that give you gentle shadows.  You may need to turn your subject to get the light to hit the way you want it. Take your time and really look at it.

Pro Tip: Don’t use your camera flash. Nothing will make your photos look more amateurish than flashes used incorrectly. Flashes are great tools to utilize once you know how to take photos in good soft natural light. Practice taking photos without flashes, then work up to lighting with flashes.
  

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2. IDENTIFY YOUR SUBJECT AND FOCUS ON IT

This sounds straightforward, but it’s actually one of the hardest things to master.  First, there is the question of what is your subject.  I take a lot of fiber/craft photos, so I have models and mannequins dressed in sweaters. So what is my focus?  The sweater right?  However when I have a live model in front of me I have to fight the urge to make them the focus. It’s a constant battle to keep the garment my center of attention, thus the center of attention for anyone viewing the photo.  So before you click that shutter ask yourself what it is you are taking a photo of… and is that item in focus

Ways to help with this…

• Get in close to your subject and fill the frame with it. No distractions, just your subject.  Even if you plan on cropping later, get in tight for at least 1 or two photos then slowly pull back. 
  
• Don’t place your subject in the center of the frame. The most interesting photos will have the main subject just slightly off-center. Play with composition, move the subject to the top of the photo with something in foreground… or to the left with something in the background.

• The rule of thumb is if it has eyes they should be in focus… I disagree.  If you are photographing  a woman in a shawl and the shawl is your subject keep your focus there!  
  
• Take lots of photos from different angles and different placements… delete the ones you don’t like. That is the beauty of digital photography.

REMEMBER: Keep your subject the main focus.

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3. MIND WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE BACKGROUND - Simple is best!

It's easy to get focused on what is in front of you in the viewfinder and forget what’s behind your subject.  Before you take your first photo, look at the whole surrounding.  Look for clutter, distractions, and embarrassing items. I once had a model looking for a job send me a photo he took of himself.  It was a nice selfie. He was shirtless showing off his muscles, looking masculine and macho, with a great big HELLO KITTY poster on the door behind him.  It was a FAB photo of him… but totally distracting. We've been sent product shots from students with dirty dishes, dirty laundry, and even the cat in the background. It happens to all of us from time to time but that one distraction pulling away your client's attention can mean the difference between making a sale or a customer going to another site.

Remember: It only takes a moment to set your stage for the perfect shot.

My recommendation is to keep your backgrounds as simple as possible. Bare walls, windows, flat table surfaces or something similar will keep your photos looking clean, composed, and thought out.

Here’s a photo from a shoot I did for a cookbook. The idea was to show a simple, homestyle bowl of chicken noodle soup. I placed the bowl on a blank tray sitting on a coffee table making the background minimal and used natural light from a nearby window. That's it! Keep it simple and your photos will look much cleaner and more professional. Clutter and unnecessary distractions will look like you just decided to grab a quick shot when you could and your message will be lost in the clutter.

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That’s it.  3 easy tips you can use today to take better photos. Remember, keep taking photos. Lots of them. Like everything else in life, the more you practice, the faster you master the skill.

Want to see more of Jason's work? Check out his website at ShibaguyzPhotography.com.

Want more training with Jason? You got it! He has two webinars available online from F&W Media and the Interweave Store. Together these two webinars are a FAB starter pack for anyone wanting to take better photos of their projects… or just better photos in general! Here are the links:

How to Create a DIY Photo Studio: Get Professional Results at Home!
and
Photographing Your Projects Like a Pro

All the details about the classes are at the links.

Thanks for stopping by another Technique Tuesday Tutorial! We love sharing the skillz with our community and hope you all enjoy adding new skillz to your toolbox.

Drop us a line and let us know what you'd like to see in future tutorials and you might see your idea right here in a future Technique Tuesday Tutorial!

talk to you soon…
S&J

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