If you love the golf as much as we do, you’re always eager to snap a pic out on the course to post to your social media or text to friends and family. A humble brag.
Taking a great photo on your smartphone is not as easy as pointing and shooting. So what’s the secret to taking great pictures so you look less like an amateur photographer and more like a pro?
Follow these three tips from photographers and you’ll be taking better photos on the course in no time.
- TELL A STORY
There’s a reason why there are more than 20 million photos tagged “golf” on Instagram– the sport lends itself perfectly to photography.
“There are aspects of the course design and architecture that make it interesting to also look at as a golf photo. If you like the view from the tee, or the view from behind the green, that means it’s most likely going to be a good photo,” says Ginella.
But you don’t have to be a pro in order to take shareable imagery.
Sure, you can invest in a drone or a high-resolution camera, but lots of great golf photography comes from what you’re carrying around in your pocket.
“The thing about golf (photography) is that you get to tell a different story every time you snap a picture,” says Fry. “The story you tell of a golf hole on an overcast, moody day in October will be much different than the story you tell of the same hole on an evening in June when the place glows in golden light. I love that.”
- FIND THE RIGHT LIGHT
If you’ve secured a tee-time first thing in the morning or in the evening, then you’ve hit the golden hours.
“Those couple hours just after sunrise and just before sunset are magic, so get shooting during those times,” says award-winning golf photographer Chris Fry of Albatross Images.
Fry says while lighting is ‘super’ important, it’s only one piece of the puzzle for a great photo.
Matt Ginella, who got his career started in the photo department of Sports Illustrated before becoming the world’s foremost expert in golf travel, says there are two keys to a good golf photo: height and light.
“Find the highest point possible surrounding the point of interest, and shoot the picture in the best light possible…use the sun as your light source, but use it in the first or last hour of the day,” says Ginella. “The height creates dimension to the image. The soft light makes adds depth, shadows, and a softness that makes it easier to look at.”
But make sure to use the sun to your advantage – and be careful where you’re shooting.
“The biggest mistake most folks make while talking shots on their phone of a golf course is shooting directly into the sun,” says Fry. “Don’t do that. You’ll end up with pictures that have way too much contrast, weird looking lens flare, and blown out highlights.”
- USE EDITING APPS TO ENHANCE YOUR PHOTO
Most smartphones have some built-in editing software which is easy for beginners, and the phones themselves are so good these days, Ginella says, it’s “hard to screw it up.”
But there are still a good handful of editing applications to make your photos that much better.
Fry specifically says Darkroom, VSCO, and Adobe Lightroom for Mobile are ones to check out. Ginella has, in a past Golf Channel segment, promoted the virtues of Snapseed as well.
The applications are meant for users to be able to adjust light, contrast, and colour and make your favourite photo look even better.
Put your skills to work for a chance to win!
Now it’s time to put some of these skills into action! Click here to see how sharing your golf photos could enter you for a chance to win a $500 Golf Town gift card!
So next time you tee it up, remember some of these tips – like lighting, editing (if you need to!) and good storytelling – and both your score and your photos will be the things you’ll talk about shooting after a round!