Okay, I want to start off this ~photography post by saying that I’m totally not a photographer. I really don’t have any technical knowledge to share. And even if I did, there are plenty of people out there with way more knowledge and way more experience who you should listen to about this kind of stuff before me.

But! I sort of think that inexperience is what makes me qualified to write a post like this – one that’s specifically for beginners and doesn’t include any technical stuff. You know I’m not going to share anything that’s over your head – because I am one of you! I’ve struggled through basically every aspect of photography for years. And I’m definitely still learning, but I do think that I’ve learned some stuff already. Definitely not enough to regularly write about photography. But I do have some small props/investments that I think have really helped along the way, whether you’re taking your own blog photos or just want to improve your Instagram feed a bit. So I wanted to share!

So anyway, this list includes some of the things that I’ve included in photos over the years that I think would work well for people in a lot of different creative niches. Obviously, the actual subjects of your photos will vary. But these are just some things that might be able to make your blog or business photos a little better looking or more interesting.

The best photo props for beginners

white foam boards

You can use these as simple, clean backgrounds AND to bounce the light if you’ve got some harsh shadows going on. Just hold them on the other side of your light source and it should make it look a little more subtle. They’re super affordable and you can get them at pretty much any craft store (and in different colors if you want!)

tissue paper

You can use tissue paper in various colors as your background if you want something a little more textured. You can also use white tissue paper as a sort of light diffuser to soften the harshness of your light source. You can hold it up in front of your light source or make your own light box with tissue paper and a cardboard box. (That link uses white fabric, which also works)

paper in your brand colors

If you want more colorful backgrounds for your photos but can’t find foam boards in the colors you want, the solution can be really simple – paper! I use these for pretty much all of my photos for this blog. I just printed out pages in each of my brand colors. And then I use them alone if I’m photographing something small. But you can also sort of layer them to make a geometric pattern in all of your preferred colors (that’s what I did in the photos for this post).

a simple notepad

This works for so many different situations. You can even write a short message on it if there’s something you want your photos to say.

tea towels

These make awesome, seamless backgrounds. You can get cheap sets at Ikea or any home store. Try looking for some colors and patterns that match your branding and then just mix them up. You can also fold them up and use them as actual props in your photos, especially if you ever photograph food or drinks.

little plants

Plants just make everything look happier.

abstract paintings

Want a more interesting background for your photos but don’t want it to be too distracting or confusing? Boom.

letter magnets

These can work really well if you want to spell out anything. I don’t use them too much, but there are definitely plenty of situations where they can come in handy. See also: Scrabble tiles.

pretty mugs

If you’re doing any kind of flat lay photo, I love adding a cup of coffee or tea. You can just hold it off in the corner or the bottom of the frame. It lets you sort of inject yourself into the photo without it just being a picture Of You. But you have to have some cute mugs or at least ones that don’t look gross.

a good tripod

Okay, so this isn’t a prop per se. But it’s still important! A good tripod can make your photos more crisp, since you don’t have to worry about your hands moving the camera. It also lets you include yourself or your hands in photos. And it lets you get photos from weird or difficult angles too. You can find tripods that fit with basically any camera you might have. Or you can even get one for your smartphone!

So now it’s your turn! Do you have any favorite props or tools that you think would make a good addition to the list?