July Update: Want Better Photos? Try These 8 Tips!
Welcome to this month's update! Here's what you'll find in this update (click a section to go directly there):
Want Better Photos? Try these 8 Tips
When you think of a good photo, what percent do you think is the photographer’s skills and what percent do you think is the camera equipment they are using?
I don’t know the answer to this question, but the older I get, the more I find myself giving a larger percentage to the “photographer’s skills” area.
It reminds me of a story:
A lady was oohing over a friend’s photos and said, “Wow, these photos are incredible. You must have an amazing camera!”
Later, when the friend came to her house for dinner, he told her, “Wow, this food is amazing. You must have a top-tier oven!”
We all know having a good camera or oven doesn't automatically make you a great photographer or cook; it's knowing how to use the tools.
The good news is that no matter your photography skills, you can always get better, especially with today's smartphone cameras.
So whether you are updating social media, taking photos of a recent project, or just snapping a few pics of your children or grandkids, here are 8 tips to taking better pictures:
- Make sure your finger/thumb is not covering part of the lens! And yes, I’ve been guilty of this too 🤦♂️
- If the photos are being used for marketing or your website, horizontal/landscape is usually preferred over vertical/portrait.
- Avoid clutter in the background. For example: on job site photos, remove buckets, tools, and vehicles from the photo.
- Use natural lighting and try to avoid direct sunlight. Overcast weather produces some of the best lighting.
- Keep the landscape and object level. No one wants to tilt their head to see a level photo!
- When including people in your photos, ensure their limbs are fully visible. Even though the focus isn’t their hands/feet, we want to see them as whole people.
- Take a slight downward-angle photo when possible, which may require you to stand or raise your hands. This is especially true with selfies - no one likes to see a double chin!
- Use the “rule of thirds” to help place objects. This requires more detail than I can provide in a sentence, so I recommend checking out this comprehensive guide.
What’s Your Perspective Of Change?
We all know our world is constantly changing. No matter your industry, new technology, practices, materials, and competitors are changing the landscape.
But here’s the question: how do you view these changes?
Do you try to ignore it and hope it goes away? Or do you learn as much as possible about the new things coming to your industry?
Here is what I find helpful: when I stay updated on changes in any given industry, it's easier to make educated decisions on which changes are beneficial and which are not.
An example at LifeX: our team is learning a lot about AI and how it helps us get wins for our clients. Through trainings, articles, and experimentation, we have learned a lot in the past 2 years since ChatGPT first came out. However, there is a lot of AI advice out there we don’t pay much attention to - especially in regards to spamming content or completely removing humans from the process!
So here’s the challenge to myself and your team: don’t shy away from new technology, new products, or new competition. Instead, view them as opportunities to make your company better and more efficient.
P.S. A book with a refreshing view of change is Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson. Buy a copy here, or leave a comment on this update to be entered into a drawing for a free copy.
P.S.S. I know this illustration doesn’t perfectly fit this section, but it gives a new perspective on perspective 😉
Meet Josh Blank - Web Developer
Meet one of our newest team members, Josh Blank (farthest on the right in this photo)!
Josh is a Website and Dev Assistant at LifeX Marketing. He has enjoyed messing around with computers from a young age and started getting into programming in high school. He's a problem solver and enjoys helping others with website issues they have. Some of Josh’s most fulfilling moments on the job have been helping someone take an idea they had in their head, clarifying it, and making it into a reality.
Besides computers, Josh’s other interests include playing guitar, fishing, camping, and discussing interesting ideas.
Despite living in cities for most of his life, Josh often romanticizes living in a cabin in the woods. Whenever he can, he enjoys taking life slowly and enjoying God’s creation.
Monthly Meme
As a human, I’m sure you’ve had your share of face-palm moments. However, hopefully they weren’t as simple as this one!
How Can We Pray For You Or Rejoice With You?
Thank you to those who provide prayer requests - our team appreciates the opportunity to bring your requests to God in prayer in our Monday morning meetings and throughout the week.
It’s part of our mission at LifeX Marketing: Multiplying wholeness in the lives of our team, clients, and communities by living like Jesus.
If you have a way we can pray with your team or rejoice with you, please leave it here.
Thoughts or Comments?
We always love hearing from people; please leave your comment or feedback below!
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