You may have heard the term aesthetic photography used in the world of photography, even more so when it comes to Instagram. But what does it mean? How can you take aesthetic photos?
What is aesthetic photography?
Everyone has different tastes and opinions when it comes to aesthetics. I would describe aesthetic photography as a style that uses each element of the photo to work cohesively to stir emotion and create a mood for your audience.
I love using small moments that may seem common to create stylized compositions. Whether it’s using the shadow of my hand holding an actual teacup, or a unique-yet-small feature of a building that would otherwise go unrecognized. In this blog, I will share my top tips for capturing aesthetic photography so you can go into the world and find your personal style.
Aesthetic Photography Guide: Things to Remember
All About Composition
If you are a beginner, or self-taught, you may not be familiar with leading lines or the rule of thirds. If you are unfamiliar, I recommend reading up on the different elements of composition. You can start with the video below:
Once you know the rules, you will know how to break the rules! Aesthetic photography is all about finding unique angles, aspects, and compositions. Sometimes the rule of thirds will give you the results you are looking for, other times you’ll want to push boundaries. You’ll feel more comfortable doing this once you know the basics.
Pick a Color Palette
Have you ever visited someone’s Instagram feed and not only do their photos look beautiful on their own, but together too?
When you are putting a collection together — whether it’s for Instagram or a gallery — always have a color palette in mind. You want your photos to work cohesively.
This will also challenge you to find subjects and themes that might contrast with each other, but work seamlessly together when you take a step back to admire them. Editing can help enhance colors that the naked eye might see, but the camera doesn’t pick up strongly enough.
If you need some help getting started, check out 10 Photo Editing Basics to Master in Lightroom.
Editing isn’t Cheating
Editing is necessary, especially when taking aesthetic photography. If you are truly a beginner in this area, then Lightroom presets are a great place to start. You can find them on Etsy or many photographers’ websites. Presets are effectively a set of rules you can upload to Lightroom. When selected, they automatically apply to your photo.
If you are more experienced, experiment with shadows and contrast. You’re allowed to take artistic liberties with this style of photography, so let your imagination run wild!
Use Natural Light
Aesthetic photography has a cool, effortless look that is enhanced with natural lighting. Over-lighting an image with studio lights can take away from this look, so try to shoot at the golden hour to get the perfect lighting.
If your composition requires you to shoot at night, then make sure you know your camera settings and how you are going to use the darkness to your advantage.
Check out Tips for Street Photography at Night for more information.
Depth, Perception and Symmetry
When looking at an aesthetic photograph, it just works, doesn’t it? Instead of looking at all the small things, you can also take a step back — or a huge step back — with a drone.
Imagine you are standing in the countryside surrounded by lush green grass. In the next field, a farmer is plowing his crops and, opposite you, lavender is growing. How amazing would a bird’s eye view look compared to what you see from the ground? Play around with these three elements until you get that truly satisfied feeling.
Find Your Style
The amazing thing about aesthetic photography is that each photographer has their own style. As I mentioned earlier, aesthetic photography is subjective. If you are trying to appeal to others, you aren’t going to please everyone.
Instead, focus on what you want. Start by thinking about what you like, who you want to be, and how you want to communicate this to your audience. Developing a signature style takes time. Once you get there, you’ll be able to look back over your work and see your development.
Don’t Copy Others
How many times have you seen the same photo recreated by multiple people on Instagram? Don’t be one of those people who joins queues for hours to take the same photo as everyone else.
Beauty can be found everywhere, especially where you least expect it. Be original and spend that extra hour finding somewhere or something different. Think of it like a trend on social media. Those who do well are the ones who put their own spin on it.
Create an Inspiration Board
While it’s bad practice to copy other photographers’ work, it’s important to be inspired!
Create an inspiration board using your favorite photos from different photographers. Make sure you are taking inspiration from different photographers, as this will expose you to different styles, compositions, and editing.
When putting images on a board, you’ll probably find themes and elements from each of them that work together. Next, go for a walk and take a lot of photos. Try some crazy angles and different perspectives, and notice everything. Once you’re done, you will have a beautiful inspiration board to draw from.
Look around the blog for more resources on lighting, editing, and composition. Make sure to read up on different types of photography and research equipment and find courses to improve your skills. Here are some more article to help you get started:
