Why You Need Quality Photography
This was from one of my favorite shoots with Maryatt Photograpy
ONE OF MY FAVORITE OUTDOOR PHOTOSHOOTS
Emily Maryatt from Maryatt Photography did a shoot downtown Seattle at The Old Rainier Brewery for an urban city vibe and LOVED the shots she got.
As an indie artist, it’s easy to get caught up in the process of writing, rehearsing, performing, and repeat. But with social media dominating the world these days, documenting these steps in a QUALITY way is imperative to keep people engaged and legitimize you as an artist/brand. Here are tips to get started investing in your online image…
My husband took this. We spent about an hour cruising around our neighborhood and got some great shots! Photo edited in Lightroom.
IG: @legaloutwest (Jake George)
FIND A FEW LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHERS:
Don’t know any? Ask around, post on facebook, take note of other artists/band pictures you like, find the photographer (usually credited in the photo) and reach out for rates! If your budget is tight, and your roommate or college friend is a photography hobbyist, go do practice shoots and help each other get better. You always want to have at least 1-2 people to call up to shoot shows, promo shots for new music coming out, or to just do candids of whatever project you’re working on.
Triple Door Show
This pic and most of the promo ones I used from this show are by the amazing Sunny Martini.
IG: @sunnymartini
In-house photo shoot: I grabbed Stephanie Severance and stylist Nikki Cloud to do a shoot at my house. We had a great time playing with light and outfits to get a ton of great content.
GO DO A SHOOT…LIKE NOW:
Not sure where to start? Grab a local photographer you like and schedule a shoot. This is the perfect place to begin collecting good content and thinking about where you’d like to use it. Your website, Instagram, anything that promotes you and your music will always need current and quality photos. There’s no such thing as having too many options. So even if you have nothing coming out or revamping your image seems daunting, a good photoshoot is great way to get motivated and start somewhere.
Playing with color: Jake and I wanted to try out some photo props that were teetering on corny but were surprised how fun the final product looked.
PLAN OUT THE PICTURE:
How many times have you gone through your phone or other people’s posts after a show trying to find one that captures the evening? Instead of leaving it up to chance, plan out a couple good shots and have someone be intentional in taking them. Getting a better angle, lighting, etc. can make all the difference. Putting some thought into what you want to convey from the event or show should be automatically part of putting the show together.
Here’s a picture I took of myself with my iPhone 7 before and after editing it on Lightroom…
USE EDITING SOFTWARE:
If your budget is tight and all you have is a phone – no problem! Luckily, we have lots of apps and programs that can help a good photo become a great one. Lightroom is my favorite and super easy to use. Lightroom has presets, not unlike Instagram but were designed by professional photographers. Use one of those presents to make your pic pop or create your own by adjusting the settings to your liking. Even a little editing can go a long way!
So do what you can to get out there and amp up your pictures! I can’t stress enough the difference it makes to your followers, image, and business!
Much love,
Susan G