Taking Photographs For Social Media Marketing - Lynne Garner

In my post last month (planning ahead with social media marketing) I shared that I was returning to social media marketing after a long break. I also shared that I’d learnt images are now ‘the’ thing to include in your Tweets and Facebook updates. 

The issue with having to find new images all the time is I worry about stealing a photographers copyright. I know not everyone does but as a writer I'm protective of my copyright and understand what it means to have it stolen. So I decided I’d create my own library of photographs I can use. I’ll admit I do have a little background in photography and have a reasonable camera. However, I’m not the best photographer there is and let’s be honest a picture appearing on Twitter or Facebook only has to be reasonable. It’ll be quite small and you’ll be lucky if someone looks at it for more than a few seconds. So out I went snapping. However, it wasn’t until I returned home and downloaded the photographs I’d taken that I realised I hadn't thought  about leaving space for the text. 

As you can see not that much room for text

I also realised I had to get out of the habit of also taking photographs in portrait format (an overhang from taking photographs for magazines, you just never know what format an editor will want).  Photographs in portrait format don't work when you're working to the sizes and shapes used on social media.  

So over the last couple of weeks I've been taking my camera out on each dog walk and as I took each photograph I looked for space. I had to think about placing the name of the celebration day/date and then another space for the quote. After a few attempts I started to see space everywhere and now I’m having a little more luck with the photographs I’m taking.

Two lovely spaces for text 

As you can see lots and lots of space 
So to cut a long blog post shot, if you're thinking about creating your own library of photographs for social media use then think 'space.' It’s working for me.

Regards

Lynne 


Now for a blatant plug - don't say I didn't warn you:

My latest short story collection Coyote Tales Retold is available on Amazon in ebook format. Also available 
Meet The Tricksters a collection of 18 short stories featuring Anansi the Trickster Spider, Brer Rabbit and Coyote is available as a paper back and an ebook. 

I run the following online courses for Women On Writing:

Comments

Wendy H. Jones said…
This has been so helpful. Thank you. I'm going to start taking photo's immediately. You've inspired me
Umberto Tosi said…
Thanks, Lynne, this is very helpful - actually, encouraging because I've been taking and collecting images both for content and marketing rather haphazardly for quite a while, but sometimes wondering if I'm just being an image hoarder. Sometimes even strange bits come in handy later. For instance, I snapped a photo of a puddle behind in a parking lot behind an old factory in the rain because a thin film of automobile oil or fuel reflected a rainbow spectrum. Later I realized that I'd also caught a fascinating reflection of a building and power lines in the picture as well. I still don't know to what use I'll put this image, if any -- perhaps an e-book cover image. Anyway, thanks.
Chris Longmuir said…
Thanks, Lynne, some really good tips here. I'm a compulsive snapper when I'm out and about and have my camera with me. So now, I need to focus on space as well as subject.
Lynne Garner said…
Wendy - would love to see what you create.

Umberto - There's nothing wrong with being an image hoarder. It's got me out of trouble a number of times.

Chris - My pleasure.

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