I think we can all agree that the thing we want more of as photographers is additional time in a day. How exactly do we get more hours in a day? It's simple: we cheat. Over the last few years that I have been shooting, I have tried to hone my skills in photography while also learning any way I can to refine my process in shooting, editing, and eventually delivering my shots to either clients or posting them to social media. Here are a few hacks I have learned to use on my iPhone in a pinch.
Over the last few years, I have relied on my phone more than any other tool to get the job done, sometimes as my main camera. These next few tips are simply ways I have found ways to maximize what my phone does very well to add time and essentially more hours in the day to do other things. If you are an Android user, don't be mad; these tips can all apply to any flavor of your favorite device as well.
Planning Social Media Posts in Advance (Instagram)
Keeping organized is key in any job, especially photography. You have to be able to cull through thousands of photos per week, if not more, in order to choose the best of your work to share. Edit, deliver, and even post on social media to be sure to keep your following interested in what you are up to. Planning ahead is so important for a couple of reasons when posting to Instagram as it acts as a live update of your portfolio. You want to make sure you are keeping a running tally of your best work while also keeping a style and consistent look as when people check out your page, they see a minimum of nine photos stacked together.
A fun and easy way for me to keep tabs on my photos as they look as a whole, as well as what will come next, is this simple trick. In Photos on your iPhone, when you create a new folder, you can then fill that folder with photos and then organize them by clicking "select" and holding and dragging the photos into place. To emulate the three-image-wide feed of my Instagram page, I screenshot a white image to use as a buffer on the right side.
It's a simple, yet effective way for me to stay organized and know that my photos will look great together in my feed as well as continue to fit within my style.
Wi-Fi Capabilities Will Impress Any Client Guaranteed
This might be well known, but it's a great tip for any shooter. For as long as I have been shooting, I have always had the ability to shoot, edit, and then post my work on the web from both my phone and my DSLR. First, I worked with Eyefi cards. If you are not familiar with them, they are simpy SD cards that create a Wi-Fi connection in your camera to then transfer shots straight to your phone.
This has come in handy at so many shoots that I've lost count. Many are based around social media, and one way I can impress clients is by shooting, editing, and finally posting all while still on location. It never gets old and always seems to blow their mind that it can be done so quickly. In many cases, competing shooters are afraid to gamble in doing this, but I'm more than happy to adapt to the situation, and over time, I have learned this is almost necessary to give a good impression. It's something I can offer that not many others can.
The Perfect Reflection Trick
This is a fun trick my friend, Joe Magers, taught me a few years ago, and still to this day, I will use my phone over my DSLR on shoots, because it does a better job of creating the perfect reflection shot. Weddings, portrait sessions, architectural: it works in so many different situations. The trick is all due to the build of mobile devices today: the camera is built at the edge of the phone. By flipping the phone upside down and kissing the edge of the device to the water, you can create a flawless reflection shot in a puddle or shiny surface.
It's easily one of my favorite tricks when out and about on a shoot, and I am not afraid to use my phone with a client if it means I will get the best shot in the situation.
In the end, I will always look for ways to cut the hours in my day with tricks like these to gain precious time later. Hopefully, you found one or more of these helpful and can add them to your process going forward to help you on your next shoot. Don't forget, your phone is easily the one tool you will use more than any other piece of gear in your bag, and it's got more to offer than you might think.
ALso, using social media in todays world is almost a must, it is everywhere. The fact that I putting valuable time into an app that could disappear tomorrow doesn't show that I am wasting time but I am building a network. This network has helped me bring on real friendships, clients, and experiences I could have never have gotten in my personal or professional life otherwise. I am incredibly greatful for that. Just remember if you are not willing to adapt be ready to be left behind the rush of the world very quickly in this industry.
If you have more questions about my process or want to learn more specifics about my work, hit me up in the comments below or on Instagram!
I have some questions in your "social media" process and specifically instagram (which i LOATHE as well as almost ALL social media, I avoid it at all costs...) that said, I constantly see people (professionals mind you) posting to Instagram images that could not possibly have been taken on a phone. I am not fully versed on the amazing wonders of Instagram, but if you shoot a photo in RAW on a DSLR ....I understand how you send that image to your phone via wi-fi....but what good editing apps (if any) edit RAW files on the phone? Or are you editing JPEGS? And then do you have to crop all your images to be "instagramm-ized" .....that would drive me INSANE. Not to mention, how do you compose a shot that won't conform to instagram? Or have we all bowed to social media and now the only way we take pictures is if they are good for instagram??
The idea of photographers using thousand dollar cameras to then smash their image down to a portrait (and small) size to me just seems silly. But that seems to be that way of the world these days...silly (token Trump reference inserted here..)
I like your tips (though I would never see me using them except for the last one) and I really like your work, the images look amazing. I really like your use of the iPhone in the lead shots it has created a cool little brand for you. I recognize your posts right away.
I guess Im a little baffled by the whole workflow when it comes to instagram, and since I KNOW it won't be around in five years I have no reason to figure it out, I would just go absolutely bonkers if I edited an image in LR or PS and then had to send it to my phone just upload it to the internet (not to mention crop the shit out of it).
They say the best way to make money in photography is to sell your camera! So that is what I am doing, since my family is more important. I am going to go from shooting on only DSLRS to only iPhone. So i keep trying to find people that use the phone as a primary camera but too often when you look behind the scenes at their images you find, they didn't simply use an iPhone and VSCOcam....indeed there was A LOT more involved as Lee Morris has shown.
Regarding DSLR images being posted, the app lets you post photos from cloud storage such as Dropbox or Google Drive. I process my images as usual, export them to my Dropbox folder, and grab them from there when I post to IG. The phone is only involved at the last step.
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When i was in school studying photography I interned for a week with a photographer. His biggest advice that he stressed was "evolve or die".
It sounds like you are not willing to do that for a client at all. If you are just a hobbyist thats totally cool do what makes you happy but if you aren't willing to try new things and do things outside your comfort zone I feel kind of bad for you. It certainly won't result in more client work thats for sure.
Social media is a part of life whether you like it or not and with younger people getting into more important marketing positions within companies it should be something a photographer is at least willing to try out. I've landed a few jobs doing documentary work for a couple companies who saw me on instagram. Getting paid to do what I do for pleasure is the best thing in the world. Instagram gave me that chance.
workflow wise if it's just for my instagram i usually send it over wifi from my fuji, do a few quick edits in snapseed and send it out to the world. Im mostly shooting documentary or street so I'm not doing any crazy edits. I'll do a full edit in LR/PS and send those to the client if its a job. Often though they want something quickly for social media so Ill send them an edit from my phone. Like Andrew said in the article they are often amazed how quickly it can be done.
People said Facebook would be gone in a few years but it's still going. I don't think instagram is going anywhere for a while.
I mean do what you want but if you want to get more work and appeal to companies at least make social media some part of your business.
I personally shoot on my 5D, do whatever post is necessary and then Airdrop it to my phone for instagram :)
I disagree that Instagram will be gone in 5 years. I have a feeling Instagram and similar platforms are going to be around for a very long time. Web and digital media are growing massively in popularity and conversion rate in the advertising and fashion worlds. We need to adapt to this or we won't be relevant... and if we aren't relevant we won't get paid.
In regards to the advice here by Kayzar and T C...."Evolve or Die"....I am a firm FIRM believer that good work is all that matters.
BTW, thanks for replying, I do appreciate the advice and the main reason of my initial post was the curiosity of the workflow from a DSLR to instagram without a desktop presence. I really do like the discussion. that said....
If I a client tells me "The only way I will hire you is if you take the picture right now, send it to a phone, edit it in your phone and then post a square of it to instagram in less then 10 min." We most likely wouldn't have made it this far. Since the main reason I assume they are considering me is for my work... how does any of this relate to my portfolio? and I guarantee you, (and I know this because I have seen it happen A LOT) if they REALLY want your work, they will accept whatever work flow you have. I want people to hire me for my art, not for my expertise in social media. If their main goal is turn it around on instagram, then they are not concerned with the best possible photo... since the first thing is their no.1 concern...exposure. My goal is to make art first, money second.
So I am probably not the photographer for them, that is OK. I am also not the musician for a cover band. To me, its a waste that I spent thousands on a camera that shoots RAW, then added a thousand dollar lens, only to send it to a phone to do the edit?? REALLY? on at best a 12" screen if you have an iPad?? Next you will tell me that the Foo Fighters are going to record their next record on an iPad instead of their decades old analog recording console they just made a documentary about, "cus that is the future, evolve or die!"....Huh?
American Idol has taught a generation of musicians that the only way to "make it" is to play and perform on American Idol. Kind of sounds a little self fulfilling huh? Then lets look at how many winners of this platform actually "make it"...go ahead and name the last american idol winner....I'll wait.....
"Social Media is a part of life like it or not..." is just the kind of thing good ole' Zuckerberg wants you to think. It may even get you a client or two. But the saturation of the platforms alone won't allow you to stand out. And the guys who are getting paid THE MOST money in the world of photography right now....do you think their workflow involves going from a medium format camera to an iPhone edit to instagram? and if they had a client that asked for that how long do you think they would laugh in their face?
Every time I have this talk with someone I get the old "you sound like a dinosaur" mantra. But the fact is, just like with the american idol example, there are no shortcuts in the world of creative arts. Musicians, Artists, Photographers, writers, whatever... can still make a name for themselves without adding another logo of another company to promote your stuff. And every person that swears by social media and calls me a dinosaur for not using it, doesn't seem to be THAT much more successful or separating themselves from me. We are all on here posting comments to blog articles so we certainly aren't setting the world ablaze via instagram.
Automating posts takes the social out of social media.
I totally agree with you. I think I left out the part that I usually post a shot no later than 24 hours after taking it, unless its Thursday and I do a throw back Thursday shot. This organization is really just to make sure the shot fits my feed and also I have it ready to go in a folder without going back through and finding it later in a camera roll filled with random shots.
Slightly related question. Can anyone point me to an Android app that will let me resize images on the fly, but specify the resolution? They all seem to have a crop function, but I need to crop to a specific height and width. That would put me one step closer to not requiring a computer to update my website on the go.
Have to admit your instagram marketing game is strong, but your followers to like ratio don't add up.
does it really ever add up though? I like about half the photos on my feed from about half the people I follow. some people just fly through their feed without liking anything.
Sadly the larger the following the harder it is to retain a solid engagement ratio. I do know that 300-500 likes per photos currently may not seem like much with a following of 68k but those followers are all different depending on time of day and content which is key. The difference is when someone has 500 followers and gets 500 likes, they might only be getting those same 500 people over and over again. Just a game, trying to do what I can with what I got.