yesterday, on twitter one of my followers asked what i used to take my pictures and how i set my camera up for pictures… and this made me think that other people probably want to know the same things as well. psa: i am not the selfie queen!! all my pictures aren’t the bombdotcom!! practice, practice, practice!!
camera
the camera that i use to take my photos currently is my iphone 6s plus. i don’t usually use a fancy camera for pictures, but if i do it’s my dad’s professional cannon t3i, but i prefer to just use my phone because then i can take them quickly, edit them instantly, and post them all within the hour.
set-up
for most of the “photoshoots” that i have i usually just prop my phone up on anything, and when i say anything i literally mean anything. for the picture up above, since i am traveling the world, i used my suitcase on the edge of the bed. sometimes i’ll use my laptop, a shoe, my book bag, a windowsill, or sometimes i will figure out how to strap my phone somewhere for a different look. self-timer is everything, i use that so i can get into my pose very quickly. i prefer the 3 second count. on the contrary, i really want an applewatch so that i can have the capability of using my back camera (versus my front camera) and start my self-timer from my watch – which would be a lot easier than running into position!
editing
when it comes to photo editing i use very little apps. i have one app i pretty much use for everything. if i’m being super technical and trying to fix something i will import the photos into photoshop on my macbook pro, but other than that i will edit all my photos in an app called VSCO. ever since i found this app my life has been changed. i only use one filter for majority of my photos – which is the kk2 filter in the krochet kids international preset – after adding that filter i usually just play with the highlights and shadows.
lighting
the most important part of any photo is the lighting. the lighting of a photo can change the mood or even tone of the photo (yeah, that’s right. we’re getting into a lil bit of poetry here. every photo is like a poem and it tells a story no matter what the focus is). because my dad is a photographer, shoutout to DynamikWorks, he taught me these things at a young age about lighting, colors, and focus; so these things are kind of innate in me. the key is having enough lighting that you don’t become washed out. and being black i don’t wanna look too dark (unless it’s the mood of the photo). my goal is to look the same way i do in person on camera, i’m not trying to be out here looking like a catfish.
angles
now this is something that i struggle with. i’m still trying to find my angles and figure out which side of my face is the best side and how i can get my charm across through my photos. knowing your face is very important. i suggest you practice your smile and look at yourself in the mirror. for me, i’m not a big fan of my teeth; therefore, i have perfected my closed-mouth smile. honestly, if you know your angles and have good lighting then your pictures should turn out super good.
what are some of your picture taking tips?