As a blog owner, you know all too well how important pictures are to your success. At the very least, adding a picture or two to each post makes everything look better. You’ll also soon find that incorporating photographs can help you with SEO because Google are sure to favour any blogs which display relevant pictures. Not to mention that including pictures can help you to make even the shortest blog posts look longer. That’s sure to help your readers feel as though your posts are detailed, even on days when you didn’t have much time.
The trouble is that, right now, you can’t shake the feeling that your pictures aren’t complimenting your posts. You stare in envy at other bloggers you love who seem to pull quality-style snaps out the bag every single time. Then, you look at your page and see that those mediocre photographs aren’t doing anything for you.
The main thing to remember here is that every blogger has to start somewhere. The chances are that even the most Insta-friendly posters out there started at your level. Instead of admitting defeat, improve your skills by considering the following reasons you’re not capturing the true essence of blog photography right now.
You aren’t focusing enough on background
It would be fair to assume that your subject is the most essential thing in your photographs. In near enough every other instance, you would be right. When it comes to blog photography, though, background often plays an even more significant part. The chances are that you’ve already seen plenty of examples of how the right background can complement a subject. By comparison, a scruffy or ill-planned background can draw the eye away from where it needs to be. Don’t let it happen by thinking about this next time you settle in for a shoot. Look around some charity shops for cheap ornaments which can complete your pictures once and for all. If you take most of your snaps outside, make sure to keep on top of your lawn care and flower maintenance from now on. You may also find that using your flower beds makes for a much more impactful image than you bare lawn would. As you can see; this is all about playing around. Don’t be afraid, either, to use your favourite blogger’s snaps as inspiration. Before you know, you could well get your blog aesthetic exactly where you want it to be.
You’re treating pictures as an afterthought
If you treat pictures as an afterthought right now, you aren’t alone. Many bloggers don’t even remember to get the camera out until an hour or less before they’re due to upload. The trouble is that last minute shots like these always look rushed. That’s especially the case if you’re new to this whole picture taking thing. Instead, aim to treat your photoshoots with as much time and care as you do your blog posts themselves. You can bet those winning pictures you love so much weren’t taken in a last minute rush. From now on, then, make time for photos in your blogging schedule. A successful blogger will dedicate an hour or more to their photoshoots alone. This ensures that you have the freedom to play around and search for that perfect shot. You may also find that taking your time helps you to harness skills and camera settings far more than your rushed sessions do. If you’re worried about taking too long away from your blog posts themselves, get wise with your photoshoot planning. By jotting down your blog ideas for the week, you may find that one day of picture taking can cover you. That will leave you free to focus on writing for the rest of the time. All while guaranteeing some winning photo additions.
Your pictures aren’t relevant
It’s also well worth noting that irrelevant pictures are nearly as bad as no pictures at all. That’s especially the case when you consider that that SEO only favours blogs with relevant photographs attached. You may also find that unrelated photos prove more of a distraction to your readership than anything else. While it may seem easier to take generic pictures and reuse them, then, doing so will never serve you well. Instead, you should always aim to keep your images as relevant as you can. If you’re talking about particular products or places, make sure to use them in your photographs. Whatever you do, don’t just take a few self-portraits or pretty landscapes which you can pull out whenever. Along the same vein, it’s also worth noting that you should only aim to use each picture once. This can help to keep things fresh. It can also reveal to your readership the effort which goes into each photoshoot.
You need to harness your editing skills
It’s also worth bearing in mind that no blogger posts their photos without tweaking them first. If you don’t harness or crisp up those colours, your pictures are never going to live up to your standards. That’s why you should watch video tutorials or attend evening workshops which can ensure you get the best results. Play around with filters like those on Instagram to harness your knowledge of what looks best. You may also find it beneficial to install apps like Adobe Lightroom. That way, you can alter colours by hand. This may seem like a lot of work, but you should develop your skills here much sooner than you expect. You probably already have good knowledge from all those pictures you love so much. Plus, you should find that you can save presets to most editing software. You’ll then be able to return to these to speed this whole process no end.
It’s not as hard as you think to get your head around photography for your blog. All you need to do is treat this with the care you use when writing your posts themselves. You should soon be able to capture snaps which compliment every upload.