If you’re a blogger, then a simple photo can set the scene for a post before you even begin to write. This image seems simple enough but I had to think about it to get a sharp image. There wasn’t enough light to get a good image so I tried increasing the ISO but still didn’t get a fast enough shutter speed and of course, setting the ISO high introduces a little noise. So I had to use the flash, I didn’t bother fitting the Speedlight on, the popup flash was good enough. My Nikon D750 won’t shoot above 1/60 of a second on Aperture Priority so I had to use manual. Using the flash I would have lots of light so I decided to set the aperture at f/8 and the shutter speed at 1/200 of a second. I want the background included in the shot hence the narrower aperture. A wide aperture would have been fine for a shot of just the elf alone with a blurred background.
Social Media
A link to this post will be automatically posted on LinkedIn and on Twitter and the picture will attract attention. I post a link on Facebook manually. There is a reason why I do it manually but I forget what it is! On Facebook, pictures also attract attention and of course, I do many other posts on Facebook and it is the pictures that interest people.
Topical
My image is topical because we have snow and it’s nearly Christmas and so it will attract attention. I bought Eddy the Elf at the local Post Office for £3.99 and he has come in useful every Christmas ever since! You could pile up some Christmas gifts for an image with a Christmas feel or even photograph your Christmas tree. I prefer to be more creative with my photography so I try for an unusual shot. Eddy the Elf looking out of the window is a little bit creative. Things that you use in shots like these are usually called props and I have started collecting suitable props. In the summer I use my lawnmower and wheelbarrow as props signifying gardening. You can look around the house and garden for things to use as props. They just need to suggest something in the mind of the viewer and be a loose connection to something. In the case of my image today it is snow and Christmas!
A Zillion Ideas 
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