Photography for bloggers

For your blogPhotography

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Teresa Boardman• Serial blogger for 5+ years

• Minnesota Realtor licensed broker.

• Happy to be some place warm.

• Writer - columnist for Inman News

• I don't have anything to sell

• Photographer

• Looking forward to photographing my first cactus.

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• Photography as content with a voice.

• Understand the value of photographing the ordinary.

• Tips for taking pictures

• The magic of simple edits.

• A little about WordPress and getting the most out of images.

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Photography for bloggers

People love to look at pictures

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Picture in a post

• Attracts readers

• Keeps them coming back

• Shows your area, gives your blog a sense of place.

• Posts with photos get more views

• Why not just by stock art?

• Why just search the Internet, find a photo and use it?

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What to photograph

But not your listings

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There is a wide range of images that will work for blog posts.

For your listings the range is narrow. Listing photographs should be amazing.

No wide angle lens

Wide angle lens

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Photography is communication.

• What we see

• How we see it

• Why we want to photograph it.

• 1000 words - show your readers.

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Photography Mythology

• Bright sunlight is best for taking pictures.

• The main subject in a picture should be in the center of the picture.

• Landscapes look best if the horizon splits the picture in half.

• Cameras take good pictures or bad pictures.

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Photography isn't about the camera

• What kind of a camera should I buy?

• What kind of a camera did you use to take that picture?

• Spending money on an expensive camera will not improve your pictures

• Practice will improve your pictures

• Cameras don't take pictures people do.

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Top cameras on flickr

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The magic manual• How to turn off the date

stamp.

• Control the flash

• Settings

• How to photograph: people, landscapes, close ups, sports, fireworks, the beach, snow.

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Settings

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How to Shoot

• Check the settings

• Hold the camera with both hands.

• Keep it level

• Press the shutter half way

• Squeeze the shutter all the way.

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One rule - so simple

• There are no rules

• Lighting is everything.

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Best outdoor lighting

• one hour before sunset to one hour after.

• One hour before sunrise and one hour after.

• The golden hours.

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Bad light = Bad Photo

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Bad lighting = bad photo

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Great lighting= better photo

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Bad Camera Good Light

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Indoor photography• Dial down the flash if possible. If not turn it

off and place camera on flat surface or use tripod.

• Try to find some light in the room, move.

• Look for indoor dark room setting on camera.

• If photo is blurry it is because of low light and camera shake.

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The Rule of Thirds

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Photos for blog posts

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• Do not have to be high quality but they can be.

• They should either be interesting or have something to do with your post.

• A little editing can make all the difference.

• You can get images that will work from your phone.

How to learn - practice

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Carry a camera at all times - make a list

It takes practice so start taking photos

Take a couple of shots. Move around, zoom in, fill the frame.

Picture the picture. What do you want it to look like?

Look at amazing photography every chance you get.

Learn More

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No film - keep shooting

Join Flickr - looking at great photos is learning

DPS - digital-photography-school.com A must read.

Scott Kelby books Digital photography 1, 2 & 3.

Helpful how to videos on you tube

Editing• Crop

• Brighten

• Sharpen

• Resize

• Photoshop elements

• picnik.com on the Internet.

• Programs built into the camera.

• pixlr browser add on Firefox or Chrome

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Crop

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Editing options in WordPress

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Adding an image

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Plug-ins I like

• NextGen gallery.

• Smush.it

• Slimbox 2 - simple overlay and float.

• Floatbox 2 - overlay with the ability to customize transitions.

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NextGEN Gallery

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Slimbox 2 or floatbox 2

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Photography For Websites

• Just do it!

• Teresa Boardman 651-216-4603

• [email protected]

• StPaulRealEstateBlog.com

• StPaulPhotos.com

• @tboard 34