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Question for Bloggers
I have had my blog for a few months now but, I have not shared it with anyone until recently. Mainly because my pictures were awful and I knew it. I got a new camera, that I love, Nikon 1. My pictures are already a vast improvement.
I have been reading lots of blogging photography tips and the number one tip seems to be natural light and turning off your flash. I did both of these things, now today I have been playing around with my pictures in the iPhoto app, there is a button - enhance. This makes my pictures look a lot brighter, but I am not sure if that is better. Would this be the same as using the flash, aka, no good?
Any other photography tips would be greatly appreciated! Here is my blog site if you want to look at the pictures. I have only used my camera on the last 3 posts. Sorry, I do not know how to make it clicky! Thanks!!
http://thebarbeehousewife.blogspot.com/
Re: Question for Bloggers
I don't generally like the results I get with the 'enhance' feature on iPhoto. I'd rather use a program and adjust colors, sharpness, saturation, etc. myself.
What kind of Nikon did you get?
Your pictures have good roots. I suggest looking through the photography primers on White on Rice Couple and The Way the Cookie Crumbles. Also, checking out photos on other blogs to see what you like helps.
From Hey To Horses
Play around with it and see what appeals to you. When I'm on your blog's homepage, the granola post's picture jumped out at me as being the best--pretty good lighting and reasonably good composition. The Greek yogurt or whatever is on top looks a little *too* white, so I'm wondering if you used the "enhance" function on it? Perhaps the ladies on here could recommend some photo editing software--I'm not sure how good the iPhoto app is.
Flash tends to wash some things out and cause weird shadows (or lack thereof), which is why the advice is not to use it. The "enhance" buttons often lighten photos, you're right, but they can sometimes do weird things to colors--make foods look a little too yellow or orangey, whites look too white (almost blue), etc.
Take all this with a grain of salt, because my photos are terrible, but I do know what good food photography looks like (it's just replicating it that's tough!). You can check out Foodgawker or Tastespotting to get some ideas. In general, light is good, and colors should look vibrant, but not garish.
Taking good pictures was the worst part of blogging for me. I could not get my pictures to look decent for the life of me. I agree with what you've already said - natural light is a must. I have a crappy point and shoot and seriously, my winter-time photos were not even worth posting. Natural light - outdoors or in a window - was key for me to getting even acceptible shots. I even bought a lightbox contraption for winter-time and it was nowhere near as good as taking shots outdoors (in the shade) with sunlight.
Definitely check out the tutorials others have posted. And really get to know your camera.
I don't have any experience with iPhoto (I've got photoshop) - but is there any way to play with the color balance? In photoshop, I can mess around with color balance and also sharpening of the picture.
Really though, again, best advice I have is put the plate in a window (or better yet, take it outside) and take a picture.
Pantry Raid Blog | Travel blog | My Goodread shelf
Thanks for all of the advice! I have been playing around with it pretty much all weekend. I did not even think to take the pictures outside, I have been taking them on the table next to the window. Duh!
I have been going through all the tutorials and getting more tips and I think it is just going to take lots and lots of practice.
The camera I got is this one : http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Nikon+-+1+J1+10.1-Megapixel+Digital+Camera+with+10-30mm+Kit+-+White/3628065.p?id=1218422887927&skuId=3628065&st=nikon 1&cp=1&lp=2
I just ordered the additional lens to go on it so hopefully I can get more in-focus, better pictures.
And is there just no possible way to have a clicky link on a mac? Or a picture in the blog updates??
This is unrelated to your post, except for the fact that I found your blog through the link you posted. I tried to comment on your blog, but for some reason, I don't think it was working.
Anyway, I came across your 30 Before 30 list and thought it was funny as I just posted my own a few weeks ago. We even have some of the same items. Too weird!
Also, I do have a great recipe for soft pretzel bites, and I saw they were on your list. Try them out if you like