This episode originally aired 6/18/2021

Summer is coming and the world is opening up—I’m excited! From simple dinners with friends to graduations and weddings, this seems like a good time to talk photography and taking great pictures. So let’s talk about iPhone photography today.

My own training included a BFA with a definite interest in photography. I learned how to interpret images, convey your message with imagery, execution of images, darkroom techniques, and more.

I also share: 

• My personal history with photography, from the Kodak 110 to the Kodak Disc camera
• What I learned from studying photography through high school and college
• The importance of the book Ways of Seeing by John Berger
• Why seeing and recognition—visual understanding—is so important to what we understand and what we share. 
• How I used my degree to photograph much of the hip hop and cultural scene of the 1980s

I also learned why it’s important to acquire a “design eye” when sharing your brand. Now I know what works, what doesn’t work and what could work when it comes to images and how to apply these concepts to working with brands.

Some of the ways digital photography has improved the ways you can share your brand: 

• Using photography on websites, social media and more
• The importance of a specific direction to keep you on task
• How digital cameras and phones have really enlarged the barriers to snapping unlimited photographs 

There are some classical foundational concepts such as composition, background and lighting you can apply when taking photos. Here’s what I share in this area:

• A shortcut to easily open the camera on your phone (bet you don’t know this one!)
• Some concepts that professionals all use when they take photos, such as the “rule of thirds” to create a more engaging image for you (and where to find this on your iPhone)
• How to make the most of selfies—what to do to improve them 
• Tips to upgrade the backgrounds in your photos (and avoid the faux pas made by Megan Kelly at the Billboard Music Awards)
• The unexpected tip for best lighting when taking photos outdoors
• The best lighting when you’re indoors and how to get the most of it (especially important for product photography)
• Artificial lights: pros and cons

Remember, the better quality of light, the better clarity of image, too. You really can tell the level of professionalism from the quality of the light. 

A few other tips about iPhone modes:  

• How to use the portrait mode on your camera
• “The blitz” and how it can help you capture that split-second image
• The insider trick you’ve never heard before to get full clarity and sharpness in your photos
• The importance of the timer function on your phone
• Other fun gadgets you can buy to help you take steady photos for sharper images

Don’t forget that all these concepts apply to photographs of people as well as things. You may be surprised by the amazing quality you achieve with landscapes or your products. So head out this summer, snap away and share with your audience! 

Links: 

Megan Kelly with mop and broom

John Berger, Ways of Seeing

Connect with me on social media: 

Website: https://sandrasky.com/podcast/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandrascai/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sandrascai/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices