Healthy Living Blogs invited me to be a Live Blogger for one of the sessions during the conference today.  This means that I will be tweeting updates, key points, quotations from presenters, etc. throughout the session.  This blog post will be updated as we go, so be sure to stay tuned and check back!  (Twitter follow: @ItzLinz)

I’m pumped to be live blogging for the session Blog Photog Basics with Gretchen Powell of Honey, I Shrunk The Gretchen.  Gretchen will be talking about how to master a few essential photography basics to help enhance blog photos.  She will also cover some tricks to step up your everyday camera, whether it’s a point and shoot or camera phone. 

The session begins at 10:45 am Eastern Time, so be sure to check back here often as I’ll be updating this post as the conversation continues.  The hashtag for the session is #HLSblogphotog.  I’m certain that everyone, blogger or not, will learn a new photography trick or two!

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10:45 – Ready to go!

10:50 – “Having crisp, clean photos does not have to be time consuming!” @shrinkinggretch #HLSblogphotog

10:52 – Why should you consider investing in a DSLR if you don’t have one?

10:54 – Consider purchasing a 50 mm camera. It doesn’t zoom, but it’s perfect for taking pictures of food for your blog.

10:55 – The quality of photos between a DSLR and a camera phone is VERY noticeable! (example shown on screen)

10:56 – You’re wasting your time if you always shoot on auto. At the same time, shooting on manual all the time can be a pain.

10:58 – “Using flash washes out your photos. Photos look harsh and unappealing. (highlights oil & moisture, causes reflections)”

11:00 – Utilize natural light whenever possible. @shrinkinggretch [sometimes] takes her food to her bedroom to shoot!

11:04 – Stability = no blur, which means cleaner, crisper photos. Our hands are ALWAYS moving. Invest in a tripod! (Gorillapod)

11:07 – Invest in an app for your smart phone to get a 2-second delay.

11:11 – High ISO = more light, but more noise (grainy)

11:13 – Aperture: how to get that “pro” look – background blurry, focus is on one thing

11:14 – Wide aperture = low number = lots of light = shallow depth of field

11:16 – Shallow aperture = high number = less light = broad depth of field (less blurry background) 

11:18 – @shrinkinggretch’s favorite online photo editing site is PicMonkey!

11:21 – Students and teachers can get huge discounts on photo editing software!

11:23 – Besides Instagram, what are other apps for iPhones to take good pictures if I don’t have a DSLR? Camera Plus! ($0.99!)

11:25 – White dishware makes your food look best! Muted colors (placemats, napkins) make your food stand out (and look good!).

11:28 – When plating a whole meal, use a rectangular plate and line up the dishes to showcase.

11:30 – One last tip: Always hold your camera (iPhone) horizonal vs. vertical!

11:32 – Thank you, @shrinkinggretch! Great session, very informative!

I need to put Gretchen’s advice to good use and get myself a good camera!

What kind of camera do you use?  What are your best blog photog tips?