4 minute read
Take Great Photographs, Even if You're Not a Photographer for Landscape Companies
by Nicole Marsiglia, Borst Landscape and Design
If you have a professional grade camera or if you hire an expert photographer, that’s great! But if you don’t, that’s perfectly okay. You don’t have to be a professional to capture stunning photos of your team’s impressive landscape design work. These days, the iPhone’s photo and video capabilities are top-notch, making it possible for you to take excellent shots on site. Just consider the tips below your rule of thumb!
1. Avoid the Sunniest Part of the Day
But why wouldn’t you want a beautiful, blue-sky day, you wonder? Because… shadows. Harsh sunlight = harsh shadows. There will be very dark and overly bright parts throughout your photo. While it’s salvageable in certain Adobe programs, avoiding harsh light will save you from a lot of editing. If the forecast is calling for a sunny day, try to head out to the property in the early morning or late afternoon around sunset.
If there’s ever a time to spend all day taking photos without a lighting worry, it’s on an overcast day. While this weather isn’t the most aesthetically pleasing to our eyes, the camera loves it. When it’s flat light – in other words, no shadows or intense bright light – every part of your landscape will stand out.
2. Capture a Variety of Shots
Always have options! You never know what you might need to diversify a social media feed, blog post, or client presentation. Be sure to grab shots from different angles. You can start with the basics.
• Wide-angle – If you’re photographing a garden, for example, capture every detail! Flowers, plants, statues, water features, and more.
• Medium – Zoom in or move closer to emphasize a certain area.
• Close-ups – Think a bumble bee resting on a flower or colored & textured details of the blue stone making up a patio. Remember: They’re small details, but they’re what create the big picture.
3. Focus on More Than the Finished Product
Capture the “before” and “progress” moments, too! This will help you make an even greater impact when it comes to your marketing as the total transformation side-byside demonstrates the distance your team can go.
It also doesn’t hurt to photograph your experts in action. From design to execution to completion, your team makes it all happen… so capture those moments!
Those in the landscape industry know how much time, physical effort, and deep thought goes into every project we take on. From start to finish, it deserves to be showcased in the best light.
4. Remember The “Rule of Thirds”
Unfamiliar? Picture two vertical lines and two horizontal lines, creating nine equal boxes, across your image. These lines could be invisible or visible, depending on if your camera has a grid setting.
This “rule” is simply to keep your photo interesting. In the world of photography, when the main subject is in the direct center of the image or video, it’s considered visually boring. This “rule” helps you place the most important part of the photo off-center, on one of the lines or where they intersect.
Of course, rules are also meant to be broken. Photography is subjective to whoever is taking or viewing the photo. If there’s a symmetric garden design along a walkway, feel free to center your shot!
Professional photographers deserve major kudos as it’s a skill to be honed and an art to be appreciated. For those who didn’t land on that career path or simply lack the time & interest to learn, it’s very much possible to get the photos you need. With the pressure for companies to be on social media, produce beautiful content, and in general, actively market their products or services, it’s more important now than ever to have photos that impress. By following most or all the tips above, you’ll be a better photographer than you were yesterday.
Borst Landscape & Design is an award-winning, full-service landscape design firm specializing in large-scale residential & commercial projects across design/ build, garden design & maintenance, organic lawn care, and landscape maintenance services. Founded in 1989, the company has received recognition from many national & industry organizations.
