Tips for great outfit photos

While I don't claim to be a pro or even in the upper echelon of style bloggers or photographers, there are a few tips and tricks I have learned along the way to help my blog have interesting and pretty photos. I have noticed that more and more all blogging advice is valuable to me and I enjoy reading others tips so I decided to share a few of my own to help you guys create great photos for your blog!

- Have variety. Nothing is less interesting then finding a new blog and scrolling through archives where every photo looks exactly like the next in the same place with the same pose! Readers want to be interested by the outfit and the photo. 

     Try finding interesting walls with contrasting colors (to your outfit) and textures (bricks, wood, etc.) or wide open spaces such as fields, parking lots, etc. We love to go to the top of parking structures, schools on the weekend (when they are empty), or streets with light traffic where we can stand in the road or on the sidewalk. When shooting with walls, instead of having it placed directly behind you, standing along a wall and shooting down it will appear to give a photo more depth. This could be a post all in its own!

- Set the scene. If you are going to go out in the "Golden Hour" (the hour before sunset where the sun is lowest in the sky) know how to use the light. This is something we have recently been playing with and you can get amazing light leaks and a "glow" on your photos. Position the camera toward the sun, with your subjects back to the sun. Letting light peek around your subject will create really cool effects. 

     If you are in a field or park try to position yourself in complete and even shade. I cant even tell you how many photos have been ruined because a shadow from a tree left me looking like I had a pattern all over my body. Make sure to let in as much light as possible so not to be under exposed.

- Make it interesting. Think about what you are wearing and what details are interesting. Of course have a handful of full length photos to show the entire look, but the details make the outfit! Place the camera even on the ground with your shoes, to show a different perspective. Trying using your handbag as a backdrop to show off your jewelry or painted nails. 

     Remind yourself of your favorite pins on Pinterest or what catches your eye in a magazine and try it out! Detail photos are always the most fun to stage and play around with. Which leads me to...

- Move around! If you take outfit photos often you are going to get comfortable and have a few go-to "signature" poses. I often put a hand on a hip and look to the side, or lean forward slightly and look at my shoes. Why? I don't know, but it happens! Try not to get stuck in a rut and try to do new things.

     If your camera is above, tilting it down slightly and keeping your chin straight can create long, lean looks while getting all of your outfit in one shot. If your camera is lower (like on a tripod), tilting your head down slightly will help avoid double chin syndrome and an up the nose shot. Try standing at an angle (not dead on), this will help your pose look less "heavy" and more natural. 

     And if all of this fails, sometimes I dance around, walk back and forth, twirl, anything to get some movement that is more free feeling then just standing still!

- Edit, Edit, Edit. My process goes something like this... When I upload the 100-150 photos taken I scroll through them right then and there and discard any where my eyes are closed, the lighting is off, I dislike the pose, or whatever else isn't working. This leaves me with about 30 photos and is much easier to work with. Then I scroll through with a closer look. Is this interesting? Does it show off something unique? Is it different then the last? And most importantly, can I edit this photo to make it look amazing? If the answer is yes then go for it! If you have 4 photos that are identical pick your favorite one and edit that. At this point I normally have anywhere from 5-8 different, well edited, various photos to use in my blog post. 

Hope you enjoyed these tips! Will you use some of them in the future? Do you already do some of these things and do they work? Would you like to see more posts similar to this? Leave your feedback below!