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Tuesday, March 27

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!
     

22 comments:

  1. Great tips. You're speaking to me on all of them. I need to start doing everything you've stated here. Thanks and did I mention that I really love your style.

    www.beautystyleandgrowth.blogspot.com

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    1. Thank you and Thank you! I am glad you enjoyed them!!

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  2. Thank you for posting all of these tips - awesome!
    Taking outfit pictures is so difficult for me but maybe if I do some of this stuff they'll turn out better?!

    Happy Tuesday, girl :)
    xo

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    1. I agree, I have had some I didnt even want to post because they were terrible, the better the photo, the better the outfit looks too!

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  3. Great tips Hayley! I enjoyed reading this post. especially the part about Golden Hour. I still need to work on that! It's hard to find open spaces to get the light just right where I live, in the woods. There are trees and shadows everywhere! And I really, really wish there were more coloured walls nearby... I'm so jaleous of yours!

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    1. In the woods! That could be amazing! I think you should be able to look up your sunset times in your area and try going out about 1 hour beforehand!

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  4. wow. this is awesome!
    and theres not one fit i dont like.
    totally applying these tips to my fits

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    1. Why thank you! These days any info to help my blog better is valuable to me so I decided to share some of my tips for you guys!

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  5. im starting a fashion section on my blog and can't wait to try these tips! thanks so much lady!!! do you edit in photoshop?

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    1. Do I don't actually! I just use the built in editing tools in iPhoto and I really don't even do that much to them! I adjusting the brightness and exposure and then just color correct it a bit!

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  6. oh you are so right! backdrop makes all the differance! great photos

    sam*

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  7. Thanks for sharing this info, great tips! =) xoxo A-

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  8. Such great advice and so many great tips. You always have the prettiest outfit posts. :)

    http://shannonhearts.blogspot.com

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  9. Great post!
    www.beautejadore.com

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  10. Great tips! My outfit photos could stand some shaking up -- will definitely try these out. :)

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  11. these are some great tips hun! i am getting bored of the same location (around my house) and same poses!

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    1. Try going to a nearby park or just find an empty road!! Or if you have some neighbors with interesting landscapes or something, go there!

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  12. great tips! reason #101 why i haven't done OOTD posts! just didnt know what i needed to really do LOL
    happy to follow you <3
    say hi back sometime ?
    xxx

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  13. Amen girl! Some of these feel like common sense to me at this point, but when you break it down like this, it's sooo true! Great tips, will have to pass this along to friends :) xo

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  14. Such great tips! Now if only I could find someone else willing to take my photos when it's still light outside...hmmm:)

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Thanks for taking time out to leave a comment! I love and read every single one! XO! -Hayley