Snapped For Social

Mindset is everything when it comes to being visible on social media and selling your services. I remember how difficult it was for me to even speak on video. Now it's easy and fun! But I had to do the work to shift how I viewed myself.

Phototherapy is something that can change the way you see yourself. If you struggle with self-image and self-worth, then you can heal yourself with photography.

In this module, I will walk you through the different tools you need to take your photos with.

You can also use a USB photo SD card reader for mobile phones where you take the memory card from your camera and upload it to your phone so you can quickly edit the photo and post it on social.

THE BEST CAMERA FOR CONTENT CREATORS IS:

Canon g7x - quality is good, it's lightweight, and has a flip screen that allows you to see yourself if you are creating video content or taking self-portraits. It also has Bluetooth which allows you to drop your photos and videos to your phone. 

I use the Fuji X-T30 camera that has Bluetooth which allows me to drop my photos to my phone and then I can quickly edit the photos on my phone. 

MICROPHONES:

Microphones will significantly enhance your video continent. There are many microphones on the market but having a wireless mic will make things easier for you. One new mic that I have been using is Magic Mic.

Get the discount code for your wireless mic here:

https://therave.co/ref/PCOUGGHI2PDZCXBI

I have a few apps that I love using in my business.

The Tezza app is great for fun photo presets

Uplens is a photo and video editor with presets. 

Inshot is great for editing video. I can create voiceovers in this app and make my videos more interesting with transitions.

Lightroom Mobile is great for editing your photos and you can create your own presets and save them for future use to keep your images looking consistent.

Canva: I'm recording this in Canva, where I download the video after recording and upload it to Podia. You can even host live webinars through Canva, create templates, create IG posts.

In this video, I walk you through how to use your camera from auto mode to manual mode.

If your camera has Bluetooth or wireless features you can use your phone to help you take your photos. This is a total lifesaver and will make taking your own photos of yourself so much easier because you can control the camera while seeing what you look like live.

Lighting is everything when it comes to taking photos with your fancy camera or your mobile phone.

If you can nail this part then taking photos with any medium will be a breeze. 

So look for the light everywhere and see how it hits the areas where you will take your photos or video.

Think of Instagram Reels as a way to expand your brand reach to new people. Think of your IG stories to go deep with your audience.

Watch me shoot my own photos and get the behind the scenes look of what it looks like to take your own photos.

Set up your scene

Make sure you are dressed and have your makeup done the way you want it

Set up your timer

Take the photo

Go take a look and see if you like it

Keep snapping until you feel happy with the photo.

When it comes to posing, I look at the way I'm sitting. Am I slouching? Do I like the way my face looks?

Do I need to add a ring light to fill in the shadows?

If it's not working you can find a new spot to take your photos.

Lay flats are usually photographed from a top-view perspective and are a great way to create interesting visuals for your brand. You can use lay flats to create imagery of the products that you sell or even interesting visuals for your website. These visuals can be products that you use for your business from your laptop, ear pods, mouse, flowers, jewelry, books, or your camera. The options are endless!

Basically, you are arranging your props on a flat surface in a way that can tell a story or show your products in an interesting way. You can go on Pinterest and look up ideas for these as inspiration.

First, you need to find the right backdrop for this kind of image. Usually, you will see people with a simple white background or a tablecloth. Or if your kitchen countertop does the trick and gets good light then go ahead and use that space. It just depends on the look and feel that you are going for.  

You can purchase whiteboards from office depot, office max, art supply stores, or from the amazing Replica Surfaces. I have also found some at the local åhlens store here in Stockholm.

Step 1- Know the purpose of your lay flat. What do you want to do? What story are you conveying? Where will the image be used? Shoot for the format of where the image will be used.

Step  2 - Get your whiteboards or tablecloth and think about where you will take the photos. Is there enough light? Be sure to think about this before setting up your image. You can also use a ring light to light your images. If you watch the video with the iPhone ring light then you can see how I set up the right light to light up my image.

Step 3 - Gather your props. Your props can be anything that shows the tools of your trade, books, jewelry, food, and anything that you can visualize for your business.

Step 4 - Arrange your props in an interesting way that leads the eye around. Also, think about if you will be using text overlays on the image. Think about where that will go. Having items that are higher than each other will also bring more depth to the image.

Step 5 - Take a bunch of photos. I like to take tons of images so that I can have a variety to choose from. Different vantage points can be used on social media too. So don’t snap 5 photos and think you’re done. Really play around so that you get a variety for your content library.

Step 6 - Edit the photos in Lightroom or Lightroom mobile to make the photo look brighter and crisper for that extra punch.