We know social media and the constant wheel of churning out content can be exhausting. It just never ends! Capturing images that look nice and fit your feed can be time-consuming. And sometimes it can be hard to know what to even share. Our social media experts have jumped in to offer some key tips to make taking photos for your business’ social feeds that much easier. Here’s the scoop:

Plan your shots.

Take a moment to think about the types of pictures you want to capture so you have an idea of what you’re going for when you step behind the lens. As you line things up, keep in mind that your image will likely be cropped, so consider how it’s going to look on a screen and what elements you absolutely want in the post. Make sure those are in or near the center of the frame.

Natural lighting is often best.

Lighting plays a crucial role in getting a great shot. Try to shoot during the day near a window or outside to get the best natural light. That being said, you don’t want it to be harshly over-exposed. Think diffuse, bright, indirect light. If for whatever reason natural light isn’t an option, there are many small, inexpensive light options to be found on the world wide web for this purpose.

Focus on the details.

Wipe up the table, tuck in your shirt, look in the background of the shot. Our phone cameras capture it all these days, and sometimes they get a close-up of things we’d rather not see OR identifying info you may not want online like a house number or license plate. Pay attention to background clutter, props, and product placement in your shot. You want to make sure that everything in the frame is there on purpose.

Showcase behind the scenes.

“But what should I even take a picture of?”, you might be thinking to yourself. People love an opportunity to look behind the curtain and see a glimpse of the behind-the-scenes aspects of your company. Think about what those moments might be for your organization. A planning meeting, an action shot of the prep kitchen, some less glamorous part of your daily routine. Authenticity is rewarded on social apps where there is so much curation.

Edit your photos in the same way.

Your brand images should all have a similar look and feel to them. You can help yourself achieve this simply by keeping your treatment of the photos the same. Don’t go changing your filters all willy-nilly or crank up the saturation occasionally. Maintaining consistency in your photos’ editing helps to establish a visual brand. And changing it dramatically undermines what you’re building!

It will take more time than you think to get it right.

Whether during the actual picture taking or in the editing of it after the fact, achieving a stellar photo isn’t always as easy as you’d hope it’d be. Hang in there, do what you can to set yourself up for success, and remember that practice makes perfect.

A lot of the social media game is trying different things until you find what works for your organization and your audience. We hope this armed you with some helpful hints and a little confidence to continue posting. Of course, for more in-depth assistance, our social media specialists are just a phone call away. In the meantime, happy snapping!