One of the beautiful things about marketing, photography and editing is they can be done right from your phone. So, it makes sense that more people are gravitating towards creating their own marketing materials for their business. However this doesn’t mean we always feel confident in setting up and curating photos that tell our personal business story. Here are some unbelievably easy phone hacks that you should try to improve your business photography game…
1. Wipe the lens
This one might seem small but is very important, WIPE your camera lens. In order to take good quality photos with your phone camera, it is important to keep the lens clean. Oftentimes, our phones are exposed to fingerprints, dirt, dust, and other substances that can quickly build up on the lens and affect image quality.
When taking pictures, be sure to wipe the lens with a clean, soft cloth before snapping a photo or taking a video. This simple step can make a big difference in the sharpness and clarity of your content. In addition, be sure to clean your phone camera lens regularly to prevent build-up from affecting your photos.
2. Phone configuration and settings
There are a few key phone configuration and settings changes you can make to ensure you're taking the best photos and videos possible with your smartphone. First, go to Settings > Camera. Make sure the grid is turned on; this will help you to line up your shots so that they are level and correctly composed. Next, go to HDR and select "Auto." This will ensure that your photos have a good range of highlight and shadow detail.
There are a few key things to keep in mind when configuring your phone for videography. First, go to Settings > Camera > Record Video and select the highest resolution and frame rate your phone supports. 4K resolution at 60fps provides the best video quality, but if you're trying to save phone space 4K at 30fps should do the trick. Additionally, make sure to enable HDR video recording if your phone supports it. This will allow your phone to automatically switch between standard and high dynamic range video recording, depending on the lighting conditions. By taking the time to adjust these settings, you'll be able to take better photos + videos.
3. Consider composition
Think about the bigger picture, literally.
Sometimes we know the thing or person we need to photograph to showcase our business, so we take a quick shot of it and post it. Ultimately, this is the difference between a sub-par image and a stellar photograph. Instead of a quick shoot and send, think about the ways you can optimise and cultivate the scene that’s right in front of you. How can you create a photo that is more visually appealing, confronting or unique?
The grid lines that appear when taking a photo can be a helpful tool in this regard. By aligning the subject of your photo with one of the grid lines, you can create a more balanced and aesthetically pleasing composition. Additionally, the grid lines can be used to create the illusion of leading lines. So, next time you're taking a picture with your phone, take a moment to consider the composition and make use of the grid lines.
4. Utilise apps to help you edit your photos + videos
These days, there are editing apps for just about everything- from photos to videos to graphic design. And while some people prefer to use traditional desktop editing software, others find that apps are more convenient and user-friendly. So, what are some of the best editing apps out there?
For starters, there's Adobe Photoshop Express. This app is beloved by amateur and professional photographers alike for its wide range of features and easy-to-use interface. Lightroom is another popular app for photo editing, offering a range of features such as colour correction.
For video editing, Adobe Premiere Pro is a widely used program that offers a variety of features such as cropping, trimming, and adding transitions. Another popular video editing app is Lumafusion. The app includes a wide range of tools for editing audio and video, such as timeline editing. And if you're looking for a video editing app on a budget, check out Splice. It's perfect for creating short films or clips for social media- and it's free! We have outlined some of the best free apps that can help you elevate your social media game in a previous blog here . There are many apps available, so it is worth exploring different options to see what best suits your needs.
5. Consider your content workflow
As a business owner, you know that social media is a powerful tool to reach new customers and grow your brand. But with so many platforms and so much content to create, it can be tough to stay organized and on schedule. Luckily, there are a few simple steps you can take to streamline your social media workflow on your phone.
First, create a content calendar and make sure to populate it with posts for each of your platforms. This will help you keep track of what needs to go where and when. A great app for this is Later which we have discussed in greater depth here.
Next, set up separate folders on your phone for each social media platform. This will help you quickly find the images and videos you need when it's time to post. If you're planning on sharing the photo on more than one social media platform, take the time to create separate versions for each one. That way, you won't have to do unnecessary crops or edits later on.
Finally, make use of social media scheduling tools like Hootsuite, Buffer or Later to automate your postings. This way, you can set your content in advance and free up your time for other tasks. By following these simple tips, you can make sure your social media presence is as strong as it can be - without driving yourself crazy in the process.
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These were unbelievably easy ways to elevate your phone content creation game. Let us know if you have any questions as we are happy to answer them at michael@wolfewisecreative.com.au. Did any of these resources catch your fancy? Let us know if there is any area of photography or social media marketing you would love us to cover.
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