Making The Most from Your Photoshoot

When I first started blogging, one of the main passions I wanted to put to (metaphorical) paper, was photography. By no means do I claim to be a professional photographer, but through practice and a whole load of trial and error, I’m happier with my photographs than ever before.

Patience & Practice

I picked up my first Camera shortly after the age of five. It was a chunky old fashioned first of it’s kind digital cameras, and I had no idea what I was doing. The photographs were fuzzy, and most of the time I managed to get the likes of poles and railings blocking every view point. I moved onto various other more modern digital cameras as time went on. From the Myspace days of dramatic ~emo~ selfies, to teenage house parties.

Times were changing, but at least now my photographs were in focus. Moving into college, I studied Photography as one of my A-levels and fell in love. I was seeing things in a new light, and could finally get a half decent shot when travelling. With patience and practice, you can only ever get better.

Let’s Start With the Basics

Repeat after me – owning a DSLR camera does not make you a better photographer. Sure, the quality is brilliant and it gives you a range of control more than something simpler, but it’s not all about the functionality. Learning how to properly use your camera, no matter the level of kit, will immediately take things to the next level. Even most basic cameras offer the option to shoot in manual. This allows you to adjust things like the shutter speed, aperture and the opportunity to shoot images in raw – making it easier to edit afterwards.

If flicking through a manual isn’t your thing, there’s a whole host of Youtube tutorials to inspire you. But of course, I always believe that the best way to learn the ins and outs of your camera is by going out there and using it.

Have Some Patience

On a professional Photoshoot, a photographer will never just take one shot. You can always review your shots later on in editing, and it’s better to have too many than too little. Why take the chance of missing getting ‘the shot’ in the first place? Ah, the beauty of digital cameras.

Consider New Angles

We all have different ways of looking at things, so why restrict yourself to one view in photography? Try a new composition, I prefer things at slight angles or as a birds eye view for a different perspective. You never know, you might surprise yourself with the results. I even have a Pinterest board for styles of photography and shapes which inspire me as a mental mood-board.

Scouting Out a Location

One of the first things I’ll do before heading out on a photoshoot is consider the location. The location is as important as the subject of your image, and can often make or break the shot. If you’re planning on only being in one location, question different angles and positions around the area to get a range of images. Consider how the background of your shot will best compliment the foreground – whether that be a person, or object.

A Little Touch Up

Regardless of if you’re using Lightroom, Photoshop, or something simpler – the main tools I only really use on editing photographs is adjusting the light and contrast. Filters are great for Instagram, but they can make things look too saturated or grainy if overdone in editing.

I hope you enjoyed reading my tips on making the most out of your photoshoot, what are your top tips?

A big thank you to my friend Kyle Bonallo on shooting these.

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