This is going to be a 2 part series about stepping up your visual content game–even if you don’t have access to professional photography/video equipment.
Part 1 – Tips for taking a really good picture that will keep candidates interested… using a smartphone:
It’s no secret that creative visual content–aka–Instagram pictures, snap chats, behind-the-scenes pictures,etc.–is a critical way of attracting and keeping customers attention. But how can you put this strategy to work without a DSLR camera that costs $5,000+??
Easy.
Use your smartphone.
Just follow these tricks instead of mindlessly snapping away. Methods, people. Methods.
- Frame it up
There’s this thing we have in the creative world called the Rule of Thirds. It is a theory that states an image should be broken into thirds, both vertically and horizontally, resulting in 9 equal parts. If you turn on the gridlines when taking a picture, you will see the 9 squares. Place points of interest of what you are taking a photo of on the intersections of the gridlines. This will give you a more balanced and interesting photo–and more people will naturally engage with it, so science says.
To turn the grid on:
iPhone: Go to “Settings” > “Photos & Camera” > switch “Grid” on.
Samsung: Go to camera app > “Settings” > scroll down and switch the “grid lines” option to “on.”
- Focus
This sounds like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised. Make sure if there are various objects in your picture the camera could identify as “subjects”, make sure to tap the subject on the screen that you want the camera to focus in on. It’s a small step but easily overlooked if you’re not careful. You could end up with your subject appearing blurry while the pot of flowers next to it is as sharp as all get out.
- Perspectives
Try taking your photos at unique, unexpected angles. The standard front, straight-on shot is what everyone does, right? A new perspective will make your photo more memorable.
- Space is a good thing
Everyone needs space sometimes. While you may like to hole up in your basement for 2 days straight, pictures like to not be overcrowded and constantly bombarded with way too much going on in the frame. Pictures need negative space. This is the space that surrounds your subject. Having a good amount of space around your subject will add emphasis to it and give the image a stronger appearance, making it more appealing to viewers.
- Patterns on repeat
If you see objects that form a repeating pattern, take the shot. Patterns are pleasing to the eye and make a strong impact to the viewer. So whether you keep an eye out for bold, repeating patterns or you create one with company paraphernalia, capture the pattern!
- Don’t use flash
Wait, what?! Yep. Don’t. Use natural light. Flash can alter colors, make your subject look washed out, and other weird things are bound to happen. Use natural lighting and make it work for you. Then when it’s time to edit, you can adjust contrast, brightness, saturation, etc. without altering the quality of the photo too much.
- Candids
Some of the best pictures are taken unexpectedly. Capture employees and coworkers in the moment without them posing. Take a picture of a group having a meeting, a couple people playing ping pong, or someone just doing something that’s natural. These always turn out to be amazing.