5 tips for better instant photography
1. Work that light
Light is one of the most crucial aspects of photography - it can literally make or break your photo! Shoot directly against the sun with in instant camera and you will end up with a black spot on your image. Shoot with harsh sun and shadow contrasts and your photo will end up plain up unflattering. Instead, use natural light as much as possible, cloudy days are great for photos. Shoot next to a big window. Keep the sun behind you when the weather is sunny. Use the flash when you’re inside and there is not enough light. Always be aware of the light, paying attention to it will help you create appealing images.
2. Vary your angles
It’s all great if you shoot head on - it’s a safe angle that just works in most instances. However, getting out of your box and getting on a chair or on your knees instead can get you really interesting shots! Think about when you take a photo of a building, if you shoot it from below, your photo will have so much more depth and funk to it. Taking a photo of your kid on a beach or in a grass? Get on the subject's level and lie on your stomach to shoot the pic.
3. Frame it!
There are a lot of things to consider when you it comes to framing. One is the size of instax film you’re using. Are you shooting with rectangular film? Look for a subject that fits the frame, think for example about a cool alley in a city or tall buildings. Another aspect to consider is where in the frame you will position your subject. You can always go for a central position but you can also use the rule of thirds that divides each photo into 9 squares and put your subject within the third of the frame (leaving space to side / above your subject).
4. Make your subject stand out
Avoiding busy compositions will help you make your subject stand out and make your images more visually appealing. If your model is wearing colourful clothes, make sure your background is calm - think a plain wall, a white building. Alternatively, if you are shooting in a busy environment like a city, make sure your model is wearing light and minimalistic attire.
5. Experiment!
Instant photography is not just fun, it has a great potential for creativity but it’s easy to get stuck on ‘not wanting to waste the film’ and forgetting to experiment! Go out there, shoot, try new things, use different types of film, try double exposure setting, make mistakes but most of all - enjoy the whole process! That’s part of the magic and beauty of instant photography. Allow yourself to be creative and allow yourself to make imperfect photos (that might just turn out to be perfect).
