How to Learn Blog Photography the Easy Way

If you blog, you need to learn blog photography. Great photos are imperative for growing a blog, shop, or other online business. If time is stopping you from learning, use these tips and cheat sheets for blog photography, graphics, and images.

I do not have an innate skill to take photographs and I despise editing them. Over editing, I would rather be writing. Or getting a root canal. Or getting a bikini wax.

After 10 years in this blogging game and mastering PicMonkey, I’m ready to shoot in manual mode – eeek! Needless to say, I have been buying up photography books like a mad woman!

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[Tweet “Up your shutterbug game by learning some blog photography tips!”]

How to Learn Blog Photography

I’ll give you a hint: you don’t leave it in Auto or Guide mode like I did for years. One way is to study others’ photographs and develop your own style.

You can check out this list of 21 free stock image sites and these 10 more free image sites. Look at their composition, framing, lighting, and focus. Find a style you like and learn to emulate it.

Another way to learn is by getting into it and tinkering.

Of the 5 books I’ve read and practiced with, I’ve discovered two worth sharing. This one focuses on food photography (for my food blogger friends and clients) and the one I’m sharing today is for more general blog-related photography.

A blogger friend raved to me about Aniko’s book, The Ultimate Photography Book for Bloggers. I’ve been working with the 90-pages and can say this is a guide, tutorial, and girlfriend chat on “upping your shutterbug game” all in one.

And a CHEAT SHEET, y’all. Oh, how I love a good printable. See me using my exposure cheat sheet here?

I’m really enjoying The Ultimate Photography Book for Bloggers for learning general blog photography. There are things missing, so let’s talk about them first.

What The Book Is Missing

I would have liked to have seen more on shooting RAW. Everyone says you should practice shooting RAW (including Aniko) when you learn blog photography, but there are no additional resources.

If you want more on shooting RAW, I found this beginner’s guide to shoot RAW mode easily (also includes a cheat sheet)!

I know tastes and styles vary, but if someone is new to blogging, it would be nice to reference some of the wonderful resources for backdrops and staging. If you’re in search of:

• staging for food, Aniko shares her tips for photographing food on her site.
• general staging ideas, this article is chockful of photo backdrop ideas and tips.

What I Like About The Ultimate Photography Book for Bloggers

I’ve had this book a few weeks and have had many sessions in which Aniko’s instruction with my manual mode settings. Instead of sharing my later photos, I am sharing ones from my first session with the book. I wanted to show you how valuable her book can be for you.

1. Lighting and Dark Days

Aniko details how to take photos on dark days without having to spend lots of my hard-earned blogging income on Speedlights. Win.

We live in Seattle and yes, it does rain here all winter (only half kidding). These photos were taken when it was cloudy and raining with no blue sky in sight.

Again, these are unedited because I wanted to illustrate how a single one of Aniko’s suggestions took my photos from “Blah,” to “Meh,” to “Wow, I can actually use this!”

2. Composition and Focus

Are you good at setting a scene that is inviting, proportional, and will draw the eye in a Pinterest smart feed? I’m not.

That is one of my big, big problems in my journey to learn blog photography. If I create a great project, I have been known to ship it to a shutterbug just to be able to market it. #truestory

Through the book, Aniko gives us real examples of adding interest, composing, and even removing the object from its traditional spot. I especially appreciate the bit on where to focus… This was my first attempt at blurring the background (on purpose).

It didn’t go as well as I’d hoped, but trust me: when I eventually got this ‘right,’ IT.WAS.AWESOME!

3. Sanity Savers for Bloggers

You know I love the cheat sheet, but there are so many tips she shares! Did you know you can pre-set all of your hashtags for Instagram depending the category of your posts? MIND. BLOWN.

What I consider to be a TRUE sanity-saver are the available videos and Lightroom presets. In the book, Aniko tells you what preset she used so that you can achieve the same look. Oh, and she gives you her presets and templates so you don’t have to create your own!

There’s so much about those presets that make it fist-bump worthy, but saving me time is the best.

Takeaway

Learn blog photography so you can spend your time editing less and enjoying life (or your bikini wax) more. The Ultimate Photography Book for Bloggers is a practical, hands-on guide. Tips and instruction from a successful blogger and photographer will help you to elevate your shutterbug game!

Check out Aniko’s book and bring in more traffic from Pinterest!

Speaking of Pinterest, I would sincerely appreciate you pinning this to your photography or blogging board. Let’s help elevate everyone!