Are you looking to improve your tattoo photos? If yes, then these tips can help you to get the best pictures.
1. Use a DSLR/Mirrorless Camera
Don’t go for a point-and-shoot camera if you are looking to capture the best tattoo pictures. Go for a DSLR camera or a mirrorless camera. Even an entry-level interchangeable lens camera does a better job than a regular point-and-shoot camera.
It gives you the flexibility to change the lens. So, you can upgrade your glass at a later stage also.
2. Shoot in RAW format
RAW is the digital negative. It allows you to do minor photo edits. If you have any issue with burnt highlights, which generally occur in the case of tattoo photography, the RAW file will help you to recover the lost details.
RAW also helps you edit the image in a better way without losing details. You can also fix the correct color temperature, camera correction, and other adjustments quickly if the image is shot in RAW format.
Don’t go for the JPEG format, if your camera supports RAW. You can use any of the free photo editing tools which come with your camera to process the RAW files or invest in software like Lightroom for post-processing.
3. Apply Filters/Presets
It is a good idea to apply filters/presets to the image to give it a different look. If you see many of the popular tattoo images on Instagram, most of them come with special effects like color toning.
You can get many filters for your photo editing software for free. You can try out these filters on the final images. If you are uploading the pictures to sites like Instagram, then you can use the filters on Instagram.
4. Get it Right in Camera
It is always good to get the image right in the camera itself. It will save a good amount of your photo editing time.
So, try some test shots initially to get the right exposure and color temperature settings. Once you have the correct camera settings, start the actual shoot.
5. Focus on Image Composition
Don’t just go for the close-up tattoo images. You should focus on the image composition part also. It is what makes an ordinary image an extraordinary one.
Make use of the environment/background to compose your image. You can ask the person to pose for you to make the image look more attractive. Make sure that he/she is comfortable with you.
6. Use an External Light source
Most of the time, you will be doing tattoo photography indoors. So, you may not have the luxury of good lighting. So, it is good to invest in a good lighting system.
You can either go for an external flash or a continuous light system. External flash would be a cost-effective option. It helps you to capture images at low ISO settings. So, you will have less noise in your image.
The inbuilt camera flash is not the right choice for serious tattoo photography.
Conclusion
So, make use of these useful tattoo photography tips and create fantastic tattoo images. Don’t focus too much on your camera gear; focus on photography aspects like Image composition and exposure
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