09.03.2015

5 photography tips I’ve learnt from Instagram.

09.03.2015

5 photography tips I’ve learnt from Instagram.

Hold onto your seats. This gets a little scary. This was my very first photo on Instagram.

BEANSPHOTO

It’s really really really bad. In fact it’s beyond terrible. I’m sorry to have to subject you to this but I want to try and illustrate a point by showing you it. I don’t have aspirations to be a professional photographer. I don’t own an expensive camera. And I don’t fully understand what aperture and backlighting is. But, since starting an Instagram account and more importantly, following super talented individuals, it’s taught me some of the basics of photography. Basic skills which have improved my gallery no end. I’ve moved from an awful shot of beans on toast to the minimalist gallery I have today. Therefore, what I’d like to do with this blog is share those individuals I follow who’s galleries have taught me and inspired me, without wanting to sound big headed, to take and create better photographs.

One of the first people I followed on Instagram is Sydney based @poeticwordvomit. Samah’s pictures are beautifully and flawlessly composed. From her super precise architectural shots through to her more free-form landscape shots, every picture is so carefully considered. It’s nerdy I know, but I analyse Samah’s gallery and I’ve picked up lots of ideas and tips from her work. Samah’s work has taught me COMPOSITION. (Photo courtesy of @poeticwordvomit)

POETICPHOTO

There’s lots of fancy words for colour usage in photography. Hue, saturation, brightness etc and all enhance your photography in different ways. Personally I’ve found colour most useful to create mood and atmosphere. I use bright colours for impact and fun photos and the more mellow colours for subtlety and more atmospheric photos. An amazing colourful account to follow is @huxsterised. His photos pop right out of the account. Huxsters photo’s have taught me to EXPERIMENT AND USE COLOUR EFFECTIVELY. (Photo courtesy of @huxsterized).

HUXSTERPHOTO

If you haven’t come across @jasonmpeterson I’d be very surprised. His account is so iconically themed and deeply effective. He predominantly posts black and white shots with the occasional splash of colour for impact. Until I found this account I was desperately searching for an individual  style that I enjoyed and thought would work. Jason’s account has taught me how important CONSISTENCY is. (Photo courtesy of @jasonmpeterson)

JASONPHOTO

For me Instagram is all about creativity. I enjoy the whole process from taking the intial photo through to carefully editing it through to posting and receiving feedback on it. An account I’ve learnt so much from is @charlie_davoli. This account has awe-inspiring and mindboggling images. Charlie experiments a lot with his pictures, clearly manipulating and blending images to create thought provoking and surreal compositions. Charlie’s work has definitely taught me to THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX when considering a photo. (Photo courtesy of @charlie_davoli).

CHARLIEPHOTO

A recently found account that I enjoy following is by @smcmennamy. It’s a brilliantly witty series of photos that are ultra creative. The photographer has created a special hashtag which you need to check out too – #combophoto. I’m working on my own version of this idea at the moment as it’s so clever. The photographer has an amazing talent of taking great photos and combining them with witty insightful captions which make you smile. This account has taught me EXPERIMENT AND HAVE FUN. (Photo courtesy of @smcmennamy).

SMCMPHOTO

Thanks for reading this and I hope it’s inspired you to check out some of the accounts I’ve mentioned. And if you pop by my account please don’t hold my first ever photo against me! I hope I’ve improved a little bit! Maybe.

TONYPHOTO

 Tony Hammond

I’m Tony Hammond. I’m UK based. I’m a total Instagram-addict. I love tomato ketchup but I hate tomatoes. Find me on Instagram at @iamtonyhammond and say hey! 

Top
Our Brands