Blog Photography: 10 Ways to Gain Confidence With a Camera

me • hobbies & me time • lifestyle • hobbies-me time

by Mom It Forward on September 13th, 2011 | 1 Comment »

Photography—By now, we all know that blogging and involvement in various social media outlets has become a new, fascinating, and powerful means of self-expression. Hand-in-hand with blogging is the subject of photography as a means of enriching your written content and garnering interest. Blog photography as a means of self-expression in and of itself is a topic deserving of it's own "face time," however. As one of our tweeters put it, "social media + photography = a powerful new form of personal narrative."

Last week, our #gno tweeters had the opportunity to learn some valuable photography tips from Me Ra Koh, key note speaker at Evo '11 and Evo '12, a regular photo expert contributor for The Nate Berkus Show on NBC, author, and host of the sold-out CONFIDENCE workshops. Her work and photo-recipes have been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Lifetime Television, and VH1. She and other panelists shared ideas on how to gain confidence both behind and in front of the camera. Here are the top 10 tips, in no particular order:

Top 10 Tweet Tips for Camera Confidence

Decide what story to tell before you shoot. Get in closer, frame the picture tighter. If the background doesn’t add to the story of the photo, get it out. In other words, look for background that accentuates the story.
Don't be afraid to shoot from unconventional angles, whether that means standing on a picnic table or bed looking down at your subject, or lying on the floor looking up. Take lots of shots to find out what works best.
Know that it's not necessarily what camera you use, but how you use it. @chookooloonks says, "I've seen great cameras take crappy shots, and crappy cameras take great shots. It's all in how you use the tool."
Off-center your subject so they aren’t always in middle of photo. Read up on the Rule of Thirds and the Golden Triangle. Me Ra Koh says that, at first, she carried a small frame around to help her see the world in frames and thirds.
Choose a proper lens. @greeblemonkey recommends getting a lens with a low-number f-stop, 2.8 or lower.
Stray away from "Cheese." When photographing kids, tell them to say "poop" or "fart" instead of "cheese." Causes more natural laughter.
Choose one thing to work on per year, like using back light.
Turn your flash to the ceiling for more diffuse light. Another easy diffuser is a cotton sheet.
Read books like The Artists' Way and Millionaire Women Next Door to get inspiration and confidence and tips on dealing with critics.
Keep a journal. It's a "great way to release and be open for new inspiration," says @lucrecerbraxton.

Photography, when done right, can be not only a means of enriching content or expressing one's self, but also of gaining confidence in many aspects of life. Let us know how these tips works for you.