Blogging Tools to Capture & Edit Photos Like a Pro Blogger
Alright, let’s cut straight to the chase. We’re bloggers, not photographers – at least the majority of us aren’t. However, there are many top blogging tools available to help us fake it till we make it.
And for some blog niches, taking our own photography is critical to our blogging business success. Just to name a few, these niches include travel, food, fashion and some others.
Disclaimer: Please note this post may contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a commission if clicked at no extra cost to you. Though the opinions remain my own
But in addition to taking our own photos, we also need to use these images to create graphics for our blog and promotional efforts. So all of this combined, along with blogging, can get pretty time consuming and stressful.
So to eliminate some of the extra effort, I will be sharing some tools to help us bloggers take our own professional and unique images along with the best photo editing tools for bloggers.
Benefits To Using Your Own Photos
Using your own photos sounds like a lot of work but in many cases, it’s worth it! There are tons of reasons why you should actually try to take as many pictures yourself, but here, we’re only going to focus on the main ones.
I mean don’t get me wrong, stock photo sites are a great option. In fact, for some niches, it might be an even better option! But then there are those who should gravitate more towards taking their own images.
I personally do both. Primarily because I cover a range of blog niches but either way, let’s dive into the benefits!
1) Your own unique style
We’ve seen it with all the different stock photo site options that each and every photographer has their own unique style. In some cases, your style may be so unique, that people may notice your pictures without it even needing your logo.
Having your own unique style can also help with landing more sponsored opportunities if it’s compatible with what the brand wants.
2) You will be the only person using them
If you’re taking your own pictures, then of course you’ll be the only person who has the authority to use them. This is especially great if you use Pinterest (or are interested in) as a way to generate blog traffic.
Why? Well because Pinterest has said that they want fresh content always. New images means fresh content. And if you’re the only one with access to these photos, then your pins could potentially ALWAYS be 100% fresh. And again, this also helps with sponsored opportunities.
3) Multiple angles decided by you
You know what you write about and what images to take that will fit your blog brand. And since you’re a blogger, you know that multiple angles of the same scene can make a huge difference. So if you are taking your own pictures, you can easily take multiple angles and then decide which ones to use later. Plus, knowing how to control and use your camera can really help with the angles you take.
4) You can take pictures to match your upcoming content
Very similarly to the point above, you know your content plan. This means, you can also plan out which images to use or take to promote your blog posts. You know what to keep your eye out for and understand the value of always having a camera with you (even if it’s just your phone camera).
You are also the visualizer and the photo taker. This means you have the liberty of trial and error to see which photo types appeal the most to you and your readers.
5) Your image options are endless
In my last post, we learned the value of using stock photo sites. So if you now combine your own personal gallery to the number of images these stock photo sites provide, your options are literally endless. Taking your own pictures has only added more image content for you to select and use.
Related Post: Best Stock Photo Sites for Successful Bloggers
Photo Capturing & Editing Like a Pro
I said it earlier but I’ll say it again. There’s only a handful of us that are born with the talents of both blogging and photography. Even if we think our own images look good, sometimes Pinterest or our readers may think differently.
So how can we ensure that all our photos appeal to the search engines, readers and brands?
The tools below will help you edit and make your images look like they were taken by a pro. And instead of working harder, you will learn how to work smarter.
Canva Pro
Okay so this one is my absolute favorite site to use. I’m seriously in Canva at least an hour each day. There are so many features and tools you can use to help your images and graphics stand out. And no, you don’t have to sign up to Canva Pro to use all of the features. It actually took me quite a few months to upgrade as I was able to get by without it.
However, there are many features that Canva Pro allows that are totally worth it if it’s within your budget. So once I was able to fit it in, I totally did and is now one of my favorite blogging tools.
Here are some of my favorite Canva Pro features:
– Multiple templates for just about anything (pins, Instagram posts, flyers etc.)
– Unlimited stock photo options and elements for any niche
– Easily resize any image or graphic to fit the recommend sizes for each platform
– Easy to edit graphic colors, filters and more to make each image unique
– Remove background, alter transparency, flip image and so much more!
If I went through everything they have, we would literally be here all day. Just know that it’s totally worth at least testing it out for yourself as it could do wonders for all the pictures you take.
Click here for your free trial to test out Canva Pro yourself.
Adobe Lightroom
Now this one is on a whole other level and will require lots of training to be able to navigate through this bad boy. Adobe Lightoom is the king of photo editing and has multiple features specifically to help you edit your image.
Unlike Canva, this editing software is exactly that, a high-tech editing software. It allows you to change the lighting, color, effects, detail, opics (whatever that is) and so much more! I’m not going to lie here, I hardly know what I’m doing in this yet LOL. The main reason why I chose to invest in Adobe Lightroom is for the simple reason of Presets and Instagram.
…I sense confusion. Perhaps you’re not familiar with what presets are and why I paired it up with Instagram so let me explain. Presets are pre-created “editing templates” with specific adjustments already made. For example, have you ever gone to an Instagram and noticed that their entire feed has the same color tone?
Here’s an example:
See how somehow, the color scheme seems to be the same? To get their images and Instagram feed to all look well coordinated, she used a preset to get it that way.
But don’t worry, this is the easy part of Adobe Lightroom and just this alone made it worth it for me as one of the much needed blogging tools.
Presets can be either made or purchased (I prefer purchased because I’m not about to figure out how to create my own 藍). Plus, they are extremely affordable and many times come in bundles or special seals. My favorite place to purchase presets is from Etsy. Take a look at some here.
Click here for your Adobe Lightroom free trial.
Now Go Take Those Awesome Shots!
Whoa, you’ll be a pro blogger and photographer with these photography blogging tools in no time! So go put those new skills to work and capture some amazing shots. I myself am looking forward to my next travel adventure where I can practice my landscaping images. But for now, pictures on my mom blog and Instagram will do haha!
Have you used any of these photography blogging tools? Which resource are you most excited to try next? Do you have any other benefits to share? Please comment below as i would love to hear from you!
And remember, there is always something to be happy for… Cheers to blogging! What are you cheering to today?
Lucy
I love these tips! I just tried Lightroom, and it’s intimidating!
I’ve also been thinking for a while to take my own photos, but I have zeeeerrrrooooo artistic talents, so I’m just postponing and postponing even more!
lol yeah Lightroom definitely looks intimidating but love the easy to use presets option! hopefully the photography super bundle will help you improve your photo taking skills 🙂
I use some of the same tools for my blog and Instagram too! Definitely great information! Thanks for sharing!
Great post and ideas! I will definitely have to try these!
This is really great!! Thank you so much for sharing!!
Looking forward to trialling some of the options. I use the free version of Canva but will trial the Pro. Thanks for the insights.
This is really thorough and helpful. I’ve used Canva before but am now thinking of using it in a new way. Thanks for sharing this! I’m going to check out some of your other posts.
I love Canva but I need to breakdown and get Lightroom. Maybe this will be the push to finally do it!
Love all these! Thanks so much for sharing. I personally take my own photos (or get my boyfriend to take them) and Canva is my JAM! <3
haha don’t you just love supportive boyfriends?? haha
Beautifully written post with photos and great explanations! Thanks for sharing! I plan to share this post with a few other blogger buddies!
aw thanks so much, glad you found it helpful!
This was such a great help! Adobe often does sales and email discounts for their bundles! I’m a Lightroom and photoshop addict. I struggled with Canva a bit but this really makes me want to try again!
Thanks for all the tips, I’m bookmarking this page!
Lexi
haha well if you’re great at using Lightroom, you’ll learn Canva in no time! I feel like it’s actually much simpler lol
This was exactly what I was looking for! I am thinking on starting with adobe lightroom to get my Instagram in shape!
I am so glad I came here to read this post! I am trying to get my blogging lifted off and I feel like all of these resources will get in in the right direction!
so happy to hear that! and welcome to the blogging world
This!!! I needed to read this like yesterday! I am trying to make myself more photogenic for my posts that I feel I should be captured in but its so hard, mainly because I always find something that I don’t like in it! But with these tools, apps, and great advice maybe I’ll begin to feel more comfortable! I won’t know until I try right?
Exactly! I’m the same way, I don’t like to be in pictures unless my son is in them but researching and figuring out the best lighting and angles using these tools has definitely been helping!
Amazing tips! I love Canva Pro! I also use PicMonkey occasionally. Thanks for sharing!
Hey Lucy.
Thanks for bringing it out that bloggers really ought to make their own photos and graphics. I totally agree. This conveys more of the individuality of the blogger and better expresses the way she (or he) styles her (his) brand. As you say, it makes their Pinterest pins recognizable at first glance. I appreciate your research. I like Ipiccy and have an ancient version of Photoshop Elements, which, presently, suits me fine.
Blessings,
Cindy
Yes for sure! You can easily add elements to Canva too, I’ve never used Photoshop so am curious if there’s anything it has that Canva Pro or Lightroom doesn’t
I’ve never used canva but it seems so easy! I use Photoshop for editing and creating my blog graphics.
I love Canva and I love to take pictures. I just need to be a little more disciplined to put them together!
I have always thought about taking my own pictures for my blog but this has for sure peaked my interest a little more. I always hated my photos because they didn’t look as good as the stock photos but I guess as u said its more unique.
haha I totally get that! I used to think my pictures were good until I started seeing other blogger’s images haha so I use a mix of both but definitely want to expand and take better pictures myself. It’s all a learning process! Don’t give up on it just yet 🙂
I have been looking for a great tutorial like this forever. Great read!
awesome, so happy you enjoyed the read!
This is so great and you’ve certainly done your research! Great reminders about Pinterest as I always forget to pin my blog photos! Thanks!!
I’ve been wanting to dive into Canva and can’t wait to get started! Always hear great things about Adobe LR – will have to check that one out again, too!
Look forward to reading more and searching through your links – thanks for sharing! I have a hard time getting photos of myself – especially since I live alone and the world just shut down! Hopefully, I can find new tips & tricks on how to best take images to introduce ME to my followers.
ALSO – still trying to find the best organizer for my photos. I have so many good ones and it keeps getting harder to find what I want as the numbers grow! Excited to follow your posts and continue to learn more! All the best – Cheers!
Aw thank you, so happy to hear you say this! ♥
Canva is for sure a great place to start especially since it’s super affordable. Plus, with their Pro option, you now get access to all their stock photos for free so if you’re needing pictures for your content without having to spend lots of money, I definitely recommend starting here 🙂
Hey Andi Kephart.
Just a thought… I, too, am forced to take pix of myself. I really do need to get a tripod. But, this is the way I do it…might help you: I set my camera to the timer. I auto focus on an object (with big depth of field f-stop), then set it to single shot, carefully rest the camera on the fence post, depress the shutter button and step out to a spot where I have focused the camera. Only thing is, it’s a guessing game. I have to take a bunch of shots! Then, I have to cut myself out (remove background). Gotta get a tripod!
Blessings,
Cindy
I think taking your own pictures is a great idea! I’ve never used any of the Adobe products so I’m looking at them but for now I have Canva Pro and LOVE it! At the very least people should try to mix a few photos from paid stock photos sites if they are just beginning. It really makes your pictures stand out.
I love it too! I’ve only had Pro for a month now but it has been totally worth it (especially now with the unlimited stock photo options LOL). And yes, a variety is definitely a great place to start!
Wow, this is a ton of information! Very valuable post here.
I have 3 questions and a comment. First, sometimes my photos are apparently gigantic. I’ve been editing them on Google with 3D (which comes up automatically when I open a photo). Sometimes, the photos are displayed at, eg, 16%, and if I put the display to 100%, I only see a tiny portion of the photo. Other times, they are normal sizes. I do not understand how this occurs, or how to adjust them downward.
Secondly, I read about optimizing for say, Instagram, where the desired aspect ratio is 1080 x 1350. What are these numbers? Pixels?
Last question: what makes a photo “pinnable”?
Thanks for any help you can give me on this.
My comment is, that I believe there is a typo in your post. Under the “Editing” paragraph toward the end of the post, I think you typed “presents” rather than “presets”.
Thanks again!
So first, thank you for letting me know on my little error lol sometimes my eyes misses these things so it’s helpful to have someone point it out to me 🙂
Now to answer your questions as best as I can lol
1) I use Canva to compress the size of my images. It allows you to easily ad your image and then download it to a smaller file size. This can even be done in the free version!
2) Yes, pixels. (Again) Canva LOL, it has all the recommended sizes already listed. Let’s say you want to post a picture on Facebook.. all you have to do is click on “Facebook Post” and it’ll bring up the size you need. Same thing for Instagram (also included in the free version)
3) There are several different components to this. All which are listed in the free Pinterest courses found in this post and should help answer 🙂
https://cheerstoproductivity.com/free-blogging-courses
Hope that helps! 😀
Thank you for this! I go through phases of using stock and taking my own — it really depends on how much work my kids let me get done. But your own is always, always, always best.
I agree, I also use a mix and depending on which blog it’s for also lol eventually it would be nice to take my own stock images but for now, I primarily use my own for my travel and sometimes my niche blog – just like you, depends how much my son lets me get done haha
I love Canva! I use it for everything! I’ve never used Adobe Lightroom, but it looks worth checking out- thanks!
OMG me too! LOL it’s so helpful even just to resize pictures lol
Thanks for this post! I’m not a great photographer myself, but I sure do love to take photos! Saving this for my next big trip… whenever that may be lol
haha hopefully soon! My travel blog is looking a bit sad also without all this traveling but it’ll happen ♥
I love this post!! Alot of helpful tips and great programs! I love taking my own pictures, but I definitely want to step up my game!!
Photography is the aspect of blogging which most intimidates me so thank you so much for breaking it down! These are great resources which definitely make it a little less intimidating. I’m definitely going to look into a few of these options to improve my skills in this area. Again – thank you so much for sharing! 🙂
Aw I’m happy I was able to help make it less intimidating for you! It can definitely be challenging to do it all but start slow lol. Don’t think you have to use ONLY your own photos, do a mix of both and then gradually increase 😉
Love this post! Great tips and resources!
thank you!
I don’t shoot my own photos for my blog because I just don’t have time, but I absolutely love Lightroom for my ig photos. Nice tips
Yeah I agree that it can be very time consuming and that’s why is not for all niches. I have a mix of both on my sites and thank you! 🙂
That’s a good post! I’ve never thought of Photography Super Bundle cause I always thought it’s expensive. But this one is really awesome with the price under $50!!
Yeah it’s totally an amazing price for everything that comes included in it. I am sooo happy I bought it lol