Blogging for Photographers: Showcase Your Creativity & Build Your Audience

81 Pages·2013·16.076 MB·English

by  Jolie ODell

Jolie O’Dell
blogging for
photogr ph rs
Showcase your creativity
& build your audience
I L E X
Ilex Instant Ilex Instant
contents
6 InTROdUCTIOn
8-21 80-97
basics monetization
Hardware; Mobile photo blogging; Advertising; Working with brands;
First published in the UK in 2013 by
ILE X Photoshop & alternatives Selling your stuff; Hosting live events;
210 High Street Affiliate marketing
Lewes
East Sussex BN7 2NS
22-39 98-119
www.ilex-press.com
Copyright © 2013 The Ilex Press Ltd
blogging platforms inspiration
Publisher: Alastair Campbell
Associate Publisher: Adam Juniper Themes & templates; Photo-a-day challenges; Photo walks;
Creative Director: James Hollywell
Post layout, typography, & finishing touches; Create a project post; Inspiration from other arts;
Managing Editor: Natalia Price-Cabrera
Specialist Editor: Frank Gallaugher Sidebars, widgets, & pages; Create a themed challenge or competition;
Editor: Tara Gallagher
Choosing a URL & setting it up Photo-blogging muses; Taking a break
Editorial Assistant: Rachel Silverlight
Senior Designer: Ginny Zeal
Colour Origination: Ivy Press Reprographics 40-61 120-145
Any copy of this book issued by the publisher is sold subject
to the condition that it shall not by way of trade or otherwise content photoshop basics
be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the
publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other
than that in which it is published and without a similar condition How to write a blog post; Adjusting brightness; Adjusting color;
including these words being imposed on a subsequent purchaser. Blog about your work; Blog about your methods; Cropping & rotating; Photoshop actions;
Blog about your subjects; Blog about yourself; Watermarking; Batch processing; Special effects;
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Blog regularly & consistently Online tutorials
ISBN: 978-1-78157-997-8
62-79 146-160
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or used
in any form, or by any means – graphic, electronic or mechanical, including
community resources
photocopying, recording or information storage-and-retrieval systems
– without the prior permission of the publisher.
Creating a community in comments; Web hosting; Custom blog design; Software;
Blogger networking; Social media glossary; Glossary of blogging terms;
Social networking for your blog Index; Acknowledgements
Ilex Instant Ilex Instant
“it takes a special
F
irst, you have to be a multidisciplinary creative with the ability
and desire to create beautiful images and craft written words
to go along with them—be those words tutorials, stories, or
kind of person introspective musings.
And you can’t just be creative; you also have to be (or learn to be) Setting Goals for Your Blog
a little bit technical. You’ve got to master blogging software and figure
First things first, it is essential for you
out how to get your many megabytes of masterpieces onto the web.
to define your blogging goals. No one blogs
In some cases, you might even end up learning a bit about web servers just for the heck of it; those who do struggle
to maintain a
and basic coding skills. frequently and give up soon.
In addition to creative skills and basic technical know-how, you
3 Ask yourself: Why am I doing this?
have to be something of a marketing- or business-minded hustler. You
Is the purpose of your blog to build your
must get online to network with your peers, and you have to always photography business? Are you trying
photography blog” find new ways to find more readers for your blog. You might even think to tap into the huge online network of
about using your blog to build or start a business—or make the blog photographers to get better connections,
a business in itself. new ideas, and helpful advice? Are you
simply looking for an audience who will
Also, photo blogging is not for hermits or the antisocial. You
understand and appreciate your work?
should be prepared to come face-to-face, online and perhaps even
Or perhaps you’re trying to get your head
in person, with hundreds or thousands of people. The web has always
around this fast-paced new medium the
been a huge community, and social media is making that facet internet—and learn how to master it just
of the internet more apparent and more accessible than ever before. as you’ve mastered other skills in your life?
And since images and the stories behind them are such a captivating
3 Whatever your goals are, be sure to
part of the web, you can be assured that your work, when it is timely,
attune ever design element, every image,
relevant, interesting, and beautiful, will garner the attention and and every post to achieving those goals.
commentary of hordes of online viewers. Oversharing is all too easy in the digital
Photo blogging requires many skills, some learned and some world, and the internet is already full of
innate. But most of all, it requires time. If you have a good eye and are clutter and noise. If you must add your voice
to the fray, do so with conviction and
a proficient wordsmith—and can make the time for it—you can learn
purpose, and never post anything that
everything you need to know to be a popular, profitable photo blogger.
doesn’t take your one step closer to your
More important than that, I think, is the pride and contentment
ultimate objective.
that comes along with building a years-deep online portfolio—a living
testament to your many skills and your long-standing relationships, 3 And when you struggle, when life gets
busy, when blogging seems hard, when
a chronicle of your life’s stories, a totem of your own humanity that
readers aren’t coming yet, when no one
shows any willing reader your soul in all its depth and color.
is leaving comments, having your goals
Whatever your goals are, have a few of them clearly defined;
in mind will give you the strength to persist.
$ this will help you prioritize and make decisions as you go along. Because in blogging as in many other
Then, if you’re ready to exercise your creativity, hone your tech aspects of life, the greater part of success
and marketing skills, and bare your inner self to strangers who is always persistence!
Jolie O’Dell, your humble
narrator, stress-tests an will soon become friends, let’s begin.
Android phone.
1
basics
Before we can get into the niceties of creative self-expression, we
first have to tackle the not-so-niceties of technology.
The most basic part of blogging as a photographer is getting your
images off of your camera and onto the web. You may have some
experience with this already if you use sites like Facebook or Flickr.
However, new options are becoming available all the time.
And a lot of the time, you may want to do some simple edits to your
photos before you share them with the world. From heavy-duty
photo-editing software suites to lightweight, web-based touch-up
apps, you’ll have a plethora of options—and as your needs vary and
evolve, you may want to add more than just one to your arsenal.
One important note for anyone relatively new to the web: The images
you’re capturing are huge by the internet’s standards. In fact, they’re
far too big. To be a successful photo blogger, you’re going to have
to get used to cutting your pics down to size—and usually, that size
is going to be no wider than 1200 pixels for blogs and social media
sites. If your pics are much larger than that, you’re going to give
your blog’s readers long load times, potentially broken images,
and a frustrating experience overall. In this case, smaller is better.
hardware
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You’ve probably got one or two (or a half dozen) detail accurately. Once images are scanned, you’ll want
cameras with a lens or two (or a half dozen) to switch to resize them for the web. While film is becoming a
out depending on your mood and the occasion. And more antiquated method, its processes and end results
you’ve probably got your own guidelines and opinions are fascinating to internet audiences. Even if film is only
for selecting your cameras and lenses. This isn’t a book something you do on occasion, consider adding it
about photography in and of itself, so we’ll skirt the to your blogging activities as well.
relatively thorny issues of which cameras are best for If you’re new to photography, start out by investing
which tasks and simply state the obvious: A digital in a decent digital camera. Pick a device that’s in your
camera of any kind is going to be the easiest type own personal price range and that won’t overwhelm
of camera for photo blogging. you with settings and options, and get shooting!
If you’re working with film, you have fewer options. The rest of the hardware we’ll cover here will take
To get film images onto the web, you’ll have to use or your pics from your camera to a much wider audience
invest in a decent quality scanner that shows color and on the web.
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www.StuckInCustoms.com
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One option is taking pictures with a WiFi-enabled In some cases, this means you’ll have to use a login If a WiFi camera isn’t in your price range or of sufficient
camera. These bad boys shorten the line between Point and password to get online. A shaky web connection, image quality, but you still want the convenience, you
A (taking a picture) and Point B (blogging about a such as you might find at a hotel or a busy cafe, might might consider getting an SD card that has WiFi
picture) considerably by getting your images online mean longer or failed image uploads. capabilities. These cards will fit into most new camera’s
straightaway. The cameras themselves connect to the Some WiFi cameras will let you upload all your SD storage slot, but they bring WiFi radio capabilities
web the same way a laptop does—by connecting to a images automatically; with others, you can pick and that allow an ordinary camera to gain access to nearby
wireless network. choose from among your shots, then upload them with devices, including web networks.
StuckInCustoms.com
With these devices, you can send your snaps the click of a button. Photos can be uploaded with As with the WiFi cameras, you can send your
Trey Ratcliffe
directly to the social network(s), photo storage site(s), location data, date information, and even camera data. images to a computer, and you can choose to
or blog(s) of your choice. You can also choose to send You can also choose to delete photos as they’re automatically empty the card as images are uploaded. The internet’s premiere travel photography blog
your images from the WiFi camera directly to another uploaded, meaning your camera’s SD card will never fill And of course, these cards also allow you to choose (with a name to which everyone can relate), Stuck
device, such as your computer. up. Battery life can be a problem with these models. from among many websites and social networks when In Customs is packed with free software tutorials,
technical gear reviews, and compelling stories of
Samsung, Canon, and almost all other major camera you’re sharing your images with the web.
blogger Trey Ratcliffe’s travels around the world. But
manufacturers sell WiFi cameras in a reasonable range WiFi SD cards bring along the same pitfalls as WiFi the centerpiece of Stuck In Customs is something
of prices, from a couple hundred dollars to thousands cameras: possible failed uploads, network login hurdles, very simple: The Daily Photo—an evergreen feature
of dollars, with varying quality both of the product and etc. Also, since the cameras themselves don’t have the that both shows off Trey’s stunning photographic eye
The difference between a phone and, more importantly, represents a promise to his
of the resulting images. same inputs and menu options as a WiFi camera, you’ll
and a compact camera gets less readership: Every day you can reliably check in on Stuck
meaningful every day. Indeed, with have to set up the WiFi SD card’s internet access In Customs and see a new image. Sometimes the image
the Samsung galaxy phone you even options yourself, including network names and is part of a larger post, describing the circumstances
get 3 and 4G connectivity, along with
passwords for a limited number of networks. of the shot and the techniques employed; but more
an optical zoom lens.
often it’s simply a beautiful image that speaks for itself,
The more traditional (and supported by a straightforward caption describing
bigger) camera models WiFi SD Cards are clearly a stopgap what the subject is and where it was shot. Producing
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to offer either bluebooth directly to the internet. enjoy the vicarious thrill of great travel photography.
(for Olympus) or WiFi hint: you probably hardly
12 (for Nikon) connectivity. ever need to do this! 13
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If you’re not taking your images directly from your be very large. If speed is a concern, look into hardware the bulkier the bag you’ll be lugging around with you to your computer directly through a USB cable. Or, you
camera to the web, you’ll need to get your pics off the and connection upgrades and save yourself hours of to various locations—that is, if you plan on photo might be able to remove your SD card and pop it into
camera and onto another web-connected device. Given desk-banging and frustrated muttering to yourself. blogging while you travel. your laptop’s SD card reader. If your computer doesn’t
image sizes and device connectivity options, a tablet is The same rule applies to laptops: If your machine These days, laptops are getting thinner, lighter, and have an SD card slot, you can purchase an SD-to-USB
probably not your best bet for getting your images onto is slow and you plan on taking your digital photography more energy efficient all the time. Newer “ultrabooks” adapter from any computer or camera store.
the web. and photo blogging seriously, look into an upgrade and their ilk—15- to 13-inch laptops with astoundingly Once you’ve dragged and dropped your pics from
If you’re using an old-school desktop computer sooner rather than later. long battery life and display quality, such as the your SD card to the folder of your choice, delete them
with a hard-wired web connection, you may have all As far as laptops are concerned, there’s a balance MacBook Air—often also have SD card-reading slots from the SD card and get it back into your camera.
the horsepower you need to transfer, edit, and upload between large-size screens (truly wonderful for and can be a boon to the on-the-go photo blogger. Make sure you keep your photo-holding file folders on
your images. If your machine or connection are slow, examining and editing your work) and battery life and You’ve got several options for getting your pics your computer well-organized and thoroughly pruned;
however, you might be facing some extra obstacles, if portability. The bigger the screen, the less time you’ll from a camera to a computer. Depending on your those big images can eat up space on your hard drive
only due to the fact that high-quality digital images can have to work unplugged. And the bigger the screen, hardware, your camera might be able to connect fast, and need to be backed up in at least one location.
Unless you make the effort to establish
a reliable workflow for yourself, the simple task
of transferring images from your camera to your
computer (and the web beyond) can quickly
become a mess. And it doesn’t stop in the
physical world—you also need to organize
your virtual desktop!
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mobile photo blogging
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lo With very few exceptions, even The trick is to make the most stunning with a mobile phone. Landscapes, on the
gg high-end cameraphones have of the camera, and to learn other hand, are much more difficult.
in fixed-focal-length lenses (usually to exploit its quirks for what
g
wide angle), and very small they are, rather than scoff 3 E ase up on the Instagram! Overly filtered, hipster-
sensors (not good in low light). at their relative inferiority. ized photos don’t look artistic; they look amateurish.
Use a light hand when editing, and use specialty
effects such as tilt-shift conservatively.
ideal tool. Still, it can be a very handy appliance to have If you’re into the idea of mobile photography, you’ll
around, whether you’re just taking pics for fun or want to start out with a smartphone—Android, iPhone, 3 U se only high-quality photo apps. Avoid free
apps—in mobile photography as in life, you get
capturing a moment of photojournalistic significance. or Windows Phone—that has a decent camera. Check
what you pay for. Try Camera+ on iPhone and
As a side note, in my day job as a journalist, I am out online reviews, and don’t be fooled into thinking
Vignette on Android.
seeing more and more powerful smartphone-generated that a higher megapixel count automatically means
images in the news these days, simply because the you’ll get better photos. Search around on the web for 3 U se social media apps to share out your mobile
snaps. Even if these quick pics aren’t worthy of a full
people who are making and seeing the news happen to side-by-side comparisons of photos taken using the
blog post, on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+, your
be carrying smartphones with them at the time. same scenery and the same lighting and two different “work of a moment” will shine and be appreciated by
I recently wrote a whole book on the art and smartphones. Most importantly, always make your friends and fans.
science of Android smartphone photography, and I got decisions based on data and facts, not marketing and 3 T he web is flooded with mediocre snaps of fancy
The above quote from Chase Jarvis is especially to work with skilled, professional photographers around hype. The right camera phone for you may not come dishes and drinks. Before you shoot and share, ask
applicable to photo bloggers. No matter where you the world who chose to put a little time and effort into in the package you expect, so keep an open mind. yourself what your food shot brings to the table.
go or what you’re doing, it is quite conceivable that smartphone photography, as well. What I learned Once you’ve got the smartphone/minicamera 3 T hink twice before you share images on a location-
you might come upon something beautiful, unusual, from them is that if you use the basic principles of of your dreams, if you plan on making mobile based service or add location information to a photo
interesting, or poignant, whether or not your have your composition, exploit the high-quality photo apps, and photography a significant part of your online work, you’re sharing in real time. Particularly if you’re
photographing other people, giving a public
state-of-the-art DSLR on hand. In those moments, edit with a light hand, you can actually turn out some you can invest a little here and there in accessories.
audience information about where you are right now
do not hesitate to whip out your iPhone, Android, lovely results that, especially to an internet audience, Smartphone-specific tripods will allow your mobile
might not be the safest or most private option.
Windows Phone, or BlackBerry, and snap away. can carry just as much weight as the “real” thing. device to get a grip on whatever immobile object is
ant Mobile photography carries its own set of If you get really into mobile photography, you can most convenient (and is especially useful for shooting 3 D on’t overshare! Try to limit your photo-shares ant
nst limitations. You’ll be working with an underpowered look into higher megapixel cameraphones, high-end movies). You’ll also find clip-on lenses for shooting on social media sites to one per day. nst
x I camera and lens, and your images won’t have the same camera apps, quirky techniques and photo-sharing fisheye and wide-angle shots, filters for lending more 3 Y ou are your own most available model, but keep x I
Ile sense of perspective. The way a mobile phone camera sites specifically for that medium, and even hardware authentic effects to your shots, cases to give you your ego (or appearance of ego) in check by limiting Ile
your self-portraiture to a bare minimum.
captures light is a lot more limiting than we’d like. All accessories to perfect your mobile photography, a better grip, and even shutter hardware options.
16 things considered, a smartphone’s camera is not an including lens add-ons and miniature tripods. 17
photoshop
and all kinds of tutorials and help are available online everything from cropping and brightening to adding
free of charge. Whatever you do, don’t pirate this or any complex filters and retouching facial blemishes and
& alternatives
other software. Especially if you’re a professional, it’s yellow teeth.
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lte Even the best photographers need a little help on the But the most common complaint anyone has about community of enthusiasts. Its interface is quite different opportunities to use available technology to ensure tiv
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n software side, whether it’s a simple crop or brightness Photoshop is its expense. from Photoshop, and its learning curve is significant. your images are as beautiful and accurate as possible. s
a
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iv adjustment, or more serious corrections to fix busted This software will cost you hundreds of dollars— However, you can’t beat the low, low price of free. My only caution about photo-editing software is this:
e
s
hues and exposures. and you’ll have to pay a couple hundred more each Because software evolves so rapidly these days, Don’t forget there’s often a big difference between
It goes without saying these days that Adobe time Adobe issues a new release and you want to you should do a web search to find out what the a highly edited photograph and a good photograph—
Photoshop is hands-down the best photo-editing tool upgrade. Adobe knows it’s the absolute best software best-quality free Photoshop alternatives are. New and don’t ask your blog readers to believe an edited
for the photo blogger. While it does take some practice on the market for this kind of image-editing, and prices programs are made available every year, and these photo is necessarily a good photo, either.
to learn to use Photoshop correctly, the results are well it accordingly. products get better and better all the time. No matter what tools you choose to use, be sure
worth every ounce of effort. Still, Photoshop has its If you can afford Photoshop and are serious about Some photo websites will have their own built-in to search the web for tips, help, and tutorials to make
downsides: It’s a huge piece of software that, along photo blogging or photography in general, make the tools for simple editing. For example, on Flickr, you can your final products as professional as possible and to
with the files it creates, can cramp smaller hard drives. investment. You can try the software free for 30 days, use robust photo-editing tools from Aviary to do avoid any rookie mistakes.
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18 have to learn its workflow. edits to uploaded photos. 19