Over the year I have learned a lot about photography and getting comfortable with a camera in my hands. I hear people praising my photography skills and asking which camera I use. Actually it's kind of surprising when they ask that. Why, you might ask? Well I have never owned a proper camera, not a point & shoot neither a fancy DSLR. I used to take pictures with a somewhat ancient phone until I got a chance to try out Nokia Lumia 520(my mother's, I will be getting one in May, yippie!). That's all what you can possibly call my photography gear, consists of. But due to extensive use of an ordinary cell phone camera, I polished my skills. Although I am FAR from being a pro, here are a few of my very BASIC tips for better photos.

(Taken in natural light)

(Taken in ordinary room lighting)

1. DAYLIGHT VS. ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING
Simple yet a very important tip for better photographs especially for us beauty bloggers who want to capture all the detail they can. For us the text on the packaging, the colors and all those intricate details matter big time. To capture it all you can't do justice to the product unless you photograph in natural light(unless you've got a very hi-tech lighting gear). From the pictures above you can definitely tell how vivid the colors look in the photo taken in daylight and the other photo taken(using exactly the same camera settings but with the curtains drawn and a tube-light switched on) looks washed out and there is a noticeable amount of noise in it as well.

(Leather stool use as a backdrop)

(Fabrics make good backdrops)

2. PLAY WITH THE BACKDROPS
I say this to everyone. Figure out what works best for you. Experiment what looks better and what compliments the colors of your product. Fabrics make great backdrops but a good view of your garden or your carefully organized dresser won't look bad either.

(White Balance: Auto)

(White Balance: Daylight)

3. EXPLORE YOUR CAMERA SETTINGS
WHITE BALANCE: Something I consider extremely important when it comes to beauty photography or any kind of photography for that matter. You really need to show the true picture of a thing in particular lighting. This is especially crucial when it comes to swatches. White balance can help you set things right. Instead of sticking to the auto mode use other modes according to the lighting to get a better photo. The above example shows two pictures taken in daylight. The above using Auto setting and the other use Daylight setting.

GRIDS: I absolutely hate it when I see photos on someone else's blog awkwardly tilted(I've been there too). I feel it just triggers my OCD-self. Using grids make it a lot easier to take straight photos with your object in the center. I personally prefer the 'Golden Ratio' grid setting and it really helps, you know because it is the "golden" ratio.

(Plain old front view)

(Explore new angles)

4. ANGLES
If you want to do something new and want to add some interest, trying out new angles might be a good option for you. Instead of going with the plain old photos taken with your product facing directly your camera, why not take a shot or few from the side?

(Original)

(Edited)

5. PHOTOSHOP IS YOUR WEAPON
When I say Photoshop, I don't specify Photoshop. GIMP or easy-to-use PicMonkey are splendid options too. If you can't afford to buy Photoshop, GIMP might be your cup of tea. Use an editing software to enhance your photos and make them appear more vibrant. A lot of times photos are taken in unfavorable conditions and editing is your key for a quick fix. See the difference above?

I hope you liked the post and learned something new. Hopefully there will be a lot coming up this month. I just hope that I don't slack of because I know I will be MIA from May or June.

Lots and lots of love, Seemal.