4 Book Photography Tips For Your Poetry Collection

Sharing your writing in a post online is a wonderful way to spotlight your poems—but taking photographs of your poetry collection or typed poem is another great option to create engaging and beautiful content. Don’t have a poetry book yet? Don’t worry! You can still create beautiful pictures of your words in print all the same. While creating your social media masterpieces, here are a few tips to keep in mind. 

1. Choose an aesthetic.

Social media is full of different styles. Some creators use splashes of color, while others opt for sepia or classic black and white tones. Try and choose a style and color palette that ties in well with the overall theme of your work. Themes help make your social media feeds more organized and appealing and are a great tool to draw readers in. 

2. Tie in themes from the poem or collection. 

When you photograph your work, try and be intentional with props and backgrounds. Choose a setting that fits the message of your work. For example, if you are writing about renewal, you could surround your work with flowers or petals or use an outdoor scene as your background. Don’t overthink it: this can be a beautiful spot in your backyard or at your favorite park. Make the poetry feel personal—because it is. Bring your words to life through the images you curate. 

3. Get other people involved.

Ask a friend, family member, or fellow writer for help photographing your poems. Readers often take the best pictures of our poetry books. Make it fun for them and shout them out on your page, tagging their picture and thanking them for the support. This is also a great way to create more engagement around your work. Bringing in unique experiences and perspectives can help spread the word about your poetry even more!

4. Poetry in the wild.

Make photographing your poetry exciting for yourself as well. Try to consistently think of new and creative ways to showcase your work. One way to increase your opportunities for inspiration is to bring your poetry with you when you are out and about. That way, when you see a great backdrop or setting for your collection, you’ll be able to capture the moment in real-time. Think of all the possibilities: coffee shops, airplanes, beach days, end tables. Help people envision your work in their own daily lives.

Remember, a picture of your poetry collection or content is like its self-portrait. You want to present your work to the world, introducing it as the beautifully unique body of poetry that it is. Welcome people in with photos that create an experience for them.

You’ll likely find that the more you photograph your poetry, the more naturally it will come. Your mind will constantly be analyzing your environment, searching for the beauty in even the most seemingly ordinary landscapes. 

Be sure to tag us in your poetry collection photos. I can’t wait to see the world you’ll create with your book and content as the star!