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The Importance of Photography

If I were to write a book on blogging, Chapter 1 would be titled ‘Photography, Photography, Photography’.

It is THE MOST IMPORTANT THING when it comes to fashion blogging. I would even say that having actual style would be second compared to photography. Amazing photography can make anyone and anything look good.

When people ask how I took off so fast, I always say photography. I invested in photography immediately and it did wonders for my blog. I am pretty lucky though, my sister Adria Lea, is a professional wedding photographer. She shot my very first looks for me and taught me how to use a DSLR camera.

Having great photos from the start allowed me to be accepted into programs like rewardStyle very early and also allowed for my photos to be regrammed from @LIKETOKNOW.it after only a couple of months of blogging.

Needless to say, photography is super important. If you have the funds to invest, invest in a photographer.

How to Pick Your Photographer

This definitely will depend on where you live. The smaller towns and cities definitely have limited availability/options. We have the opposite problem here in Dallas. There are so many amazing photographers to choose from.

You need to decide what kind of shoot style you want.

Streetstyle

Are you a fan of streetstyle photography? Here are some pictures from a couple influencers I love following: Fashion Jackson (top half above) and Lucy’s Whims (bottom half above) . They have mastered streetstyle! If this is the look you want, make sure to find a photographer who can do these type of shots.

In Dallas, I recommend Mary Summers or Beckley & Co for this style. They are insanely talented at streetstyle. They capture movement so well and have an eye for different kind of shots. They can also edit the photo to your liking (filter vs no filter or light edits vs heavy editing.) They are the two photographers I want with me at New York Fashion Week.

Bright

Some of us (myself included) need bright vivid photos. This is for people who like their feed to be white and clean. See Lonestar Southern (top half above) and Style Charade (bottom half above) for these type of looks. I could look at both of their feeds all day. So bright and fun!

In Dallas, I recommend Vanessa Christina or Angie Garcia for these shots. They are so fun to work with and love what they do. I shoot with Vanessa 70% of the time. I also grab Angie whenever I can, but she lives in Ft Worth and is a busy busy girl! I recommend these two when you have an important brand collab that you want pictures you can guarantee will be amazing!

Mix

Sometimes you need a mix of these two depending on who you are shooting for. You may want a different kind of look for Urban Outfitters then you would want for J. Crew. This is totally acceptable. Just try to make sure every 9 photos in your Instagram feed flow together.

Indoor

Indoor photography is tough. I definitely haven’t mastered it and I am not sure I ever will. I would HIGHLY suggest getting someone that specializes in indoor photography for your collaborations. I have tried shooting my own makeup posts inside and I cringe when I look at the quality now compared to what I could have gotten for $30 from a photographer.

Cococozy has the most beautiful indoor photos! I love following her blog for interior design inspiration.

In Dallas, I would recommend using Madison Kaitlin Photography or Vanessa Christina. Both can make your space super bright even if it is raining outside!

Now that you know what style you want, find a photographer in your area and show them the style. You can either find someone you already know specializes in that style, or try to work with someone you like already and see if you can master the style together.

Mastering the Pose

Do you get bored doing the same old poses every day? I sure do and it is something I continuously think about/work on.

How can you change it up? One word: Pinterest. If you look at my ‘Looks I Love‘ board, you can see I have a little bit of everything in there. I am not only looking at the outfits, but I sometimes pin stuff just because I want to come back to that same exact pose later on.

I am going to try to start looking at Pinterest every day, and trying to incorporate one new pose a day into my Instagram feed. You will see the first new pose this morning!!

You can also draw pose inspiration from other bloggers. Bloggers like Ohh Couture keep reminding me that it is sometimes more about the shot than the actual outfit. I love looking at all of her different poses! Who do you turn to for pose inspo?

Well, there you have it. 1. Think about the importance of photography. Start investing in a photographer if you haven’t done so already. You may sell more with a mirror selfie, but the editorial shots get you all of the bigger collaborations. Brands have to see the quality in the work before they invest in it. 2. Have you found your photographer yet? Can you see your vision through their shots? If not, time to find a new one. 3. Try new poses! Head to Pinterest now and start pinning poses, not just outfits, so you can come back from time to time to gain new inspiration and keep your feed fresh. This will keep your readers interested!

Until next Tuesday! Love you guys!

PS- Don’t miss THESE Tuesday Talking Points:

–Pay Your Interns

–How to Balance Work/Life

–The Do’s and Don’t of Guest Blogging

–Fohr Card & Why You Should Sign Up

–How to Pitch to Brands

xoxo Amanda