So how do you take good photos?

Peri

The answers to my photo question were so interesting, thanks everyone!

But...if the photos I tried to take this week are supposed to tell me something, I'm in big trouble! Even new things with high happiness didn't mean the picture was any good. I'd be all happy with my outfit, snap a picture with my iPhone to send my friend...and delete it immediately. Cause I wanted my friend to like the outfit and that just wasn't going to happen from that photo!

I'm asking for technical help...how do you hold it to get a good angle? How do you hit the button without blurring the picture? Do you snap a photo of your reflection in the mirror or try to hold it out far enough to take it "real"? Or just give up and have someone take it for you so you can do the model pose thing?

Thanks!

12 years ago

General

12 replies

Latest reply was from Astrid

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

Using a tripod helps tremendously. I've never managed to take any flattering photos of myself in the mirror with the iPhone. Maybe Deborah chimes in, I think she uses a tripod with her iPhone to take all her outfit pictures. Her pictures look really good, I think.

12 years ago

Beth Ann

Veteran

I use an app called camera+, with a timer feature. I don't have a tripod, but I balance it, lens toward me and "face" the iPhone away from me, on a bedside table or on the piano in the living room. I press and then set it down and walk to my spot. If I'm not centered in front of the lens (if I stand to one side or the other), it'll be blurry, since the lens focuses on the central object. I've learned over time where to stand. I still get a blurry photo about 20% of the time. My photos are passable, not as good as I'd like. I have the camera angle too low, as I mentioned before.

12 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

It's really tough doing it with the iphone. I've never managed to get mine to stay still enough; only way I can do it is by holding it out in front of me. Then the angle is poor and it's distorted. But I only do it when I don't have my regular camera -- on travels or in a dressing room.

Usually I use my camera and a tripod. The tripod was a Christmas present. Before that, my daughter used to take my pics for me. I'd pay her a little bit if there were a whole bunch.

The tripod has made my life so much easier. Now I can take pics daily even if I don't post. SUPER helpful. I think there are little iphone stands you can get that would help, too.

Deborah uses her ipad, I think.

12 years ago

K. Period.

Veteran

I use my iPhone for all of mine! There was a great post a while back about this. One of the best tricks is to always place all your weight on just one of your hips/legs, then stretch the other one out a bit. I realized that I do that all the time. (I think that tip was from Krishnidoux!)

12 years ago

kkards

Veteran

Will keep checking back, since I am still working this out myself. But for now, I am taking pictures in front of a mirror with my iPhone. I try to stand with one leg slightly angled, and if possible I try to hold phone and take picture with one hand so that I don't completely block my front. Pictures are ok, but not great.

12 years ago

Krista

Veteran

I take most of my pictures with my iPhone as well. I stand in front of a mirror and hold my phone just to the right so that I can see the screen on my phone and the mirror at the same time. Sometimes I try to take the picture while I'm looking at the mirror but I find that I'm concentrating so hard on trying to look natural that I end up looking permanently surprised. So basically, I look wherever I can so that my face is somewhat neutral and/or naturally smiling and then take as many pictures as I can. Sometimes I take 10-15 pictures! But then you can choose the best ones and then once I've chosen 1 or 2, I edit them on the iPhone. Tap the picture and an edit option will become available. Usually I crop my photos (because my dog is usually in the background) and I use the brightening feature to lighten the tones. They're not perfect, but if I didn't use my iPhone, I'd never take pictures.

12 years ago

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

I use a camera, turned on its side, on the flat top of a railing post, which is about waist-high. I point the camera at my door-frame, set the timer, and go stand in front of the door frame. Not as good as someone actually taking the shot and focusing, but works pretty well. Lighting is my biggest challenge! I turn on all the lamps in the room and hope for the best.

12 years ago

(website)

Veteran

It may be obvious through my WIW, but I snap shots wherever I can. Not usually in the same place even in the same house (I've been in 3 since joining YLF). Sometimes I get the BF to do it, but he inevitably makes me look 3 feet tall lol.
I figure, a so so pic beats no pic at all. And so, I take so so pics he he.

I don't have a smart phone. I use my Olympus Tough on self timer.

12 years ago

Anonymous

I do what Krista does. Using the iPhone eliminates the need to upload to the computer and get everything in a folder where I can find it again.

12 years ago

Veteran

I use a tripod and ....OK, don't laugh. I use a mirror, but the mirror is behind the camera and facing me. That way I can see if I'm centered in the screen which is reflected in the mirror and I can gauge my smile and stance at the same time. However, I still get slightly blurry photos because my camera is really old and I think on its last leg.

12 years ago

Deborah

Veteran

I am not an expert by any means and I suggest you have a play around.
I started by using my iphone camera and would swap between the iphone and my ipad on a tripod my DH made for me. DH recently bought me 'a real proper camera" so now I use a DSLR camera on a tripod using the timer.

If you are taking photos inside, try different spots until you find a spot where the lighting tends to be consistently good for the time of day that you take your photos. Practice some poses and see what works. I have high ceilings and white walls in my home and have an awsome huge bare wall but I can never get the lighting right so I consistently use the wall by the kitchen entrance which just seems to work. (I try to crop out the kitchen:)

It sounds like If you are using your Iphone, you need to try the free gorillacam app. It has a timer. This app is available for your ipad also. Then there is a free app called itouch which you can use to crop your pics.

Take photos at all different angles and see which you feel works best I mostly have my camera at about my waist height and pointing up. So Im shooting from lower down if that makes sense.

I think it is all trial and error for those of us who are non professionals:)

I think Aida is pretty knowledgeable re photography as is Jenava, and of course Greg:) Some other style bloggers do posts on outfit photography (try Katherine from Not Dressed As Lamb) she has done a series which was great.

12 years ago

Astrid

Veteran

I use my old DSLR with an even older tripod, the camera ends up about waist high (without angle). My background are my wardrobe doors, that way I have an practically white background that doesn't distract from the outfits. This works well because I use the self timer and the camera can use the handles from the doors to get the autofocus right. If I stand directly before the doors the pics are always focussed. I always crop my pics before I post them, I've found that a certain ratio works best. I mostly take the pics in the evening when I have time and my flat is fairly dark anyway, so I always turn on the overhead lights. Sometimes I use the flash and sometimes not. Using a DSLR is handy for that, because it's much more light-sensitive than a phone camera.

12 years ago

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