We all have smartphones now, right? AND we're all taking photos with them quite frequently. More than likely, if posting these images to Social Media, there is post-editing involved. What does post-editing look like? Here's an example:

1. Take a photo of something.

2. Import into VSCO cam, Snapseed, etc.

3. Apply filters to "fix" the image

The image looks a little dark, let's brighten it up
The images looks a little yellow, let's change the temperature
The image is a little blurry, let's sharpen in
The image is missing something...let's just throw a filter on it.

In reality, this is being approached the wrong way. When I was taking photography in college, my instructor drilled in us that we should be taking photos with the intent of minimizing post-photo edits. This not only saves time, but also keeps the image as pure to life as possible.

In order to minimize your post photo edits, start taking advantage of these three built in features on your mobile camera.

1. Exposure- you can adjust the brightness of the image before taking it which makes much more sense than adjusting it afterwards. If you do have to adjust it afterwards, it should be very minimal.

2. White Balance- If there is a tint of color on the screen, you should adjust the white balance to play nice with your light source. The image will generally have a tint of yellow if taking pictures indoors with artificial lighting. Adjust the white balance to offset the color or choose "Auto White Balance" and the camera will adjust automatically.

3. Selective Focus- Focus on your subject so that the image will be sharp from the start. You can generally do this by tapping the location on the screen that you want the focus to be on.

Using this approach, the steps for mobile photography should actually be the following:

1. Adjust settings on your phone to optimize the photo BEFORE taking it

Adjust the exposure if the lighting isn't ideal
Adjust the white balance if there is a tint visible
Choose the actual spot on the screen to focus on

2. Focus on the subject then take the photo

3. Apply last minute, MINIMAL tweaks to the photo using photo editing apps and preferably NOT using filters.

Bonus Tip: Be aware of your surroundings. Hold the phone up and look in the background to see if anything is potentially intrusive. If so, remove it before snapping any pictures.

Hopefully this approach to taking mobile photos will help to make your process flow better and your images will look more true to life!

Your business card says a lot about you and your company...in fact, it literally does just that :) When deciding on your business card, keep in mind what the most successful companies in the country would want for their business card and follow suit. There are various things to be aware of when choosing your business card, but these are my top 5 and what makes one legit.

1. Paper Thickness (AKA Stock weight)- This is what I look for first when it comes to my business cards. I have seen a business person take someone's card and immediately bend it to see how thick it was. Maybe this is a gut reflex, but it's real. My business card is a 28pt stock and I'm very pleased with it because it feels luxurious, professional and legit. I recommend using a stock of at least 16pt or 110 lb.

2. Cardstock/Finish- The cardstock is the type of paper that your card will be printed on. Choose a cardstock that is timeless. This means no gloss. Glossy business cards look more like club promotional flyers. Unless you are a club promoter, I recommend sticking with matte or uncoated finishes. Keep it simple.

3. Dimensions- The standard dimensions of business cards are 3.5x2 inches. I think it's best to stick with these dimensions because it's also the size of business card holders. I have seen smaller business cards using dimensions of 3.5x1 inches and 1.75x2 inches which cuts the card in half. This is creative and cute, but you loose valuable space and risk the card getting lost in a sea of other larger cards.

4. Design options/ no limitations- There are so many deals out there for inexpensive business cards, but a lot of these deals come with limitations. For example, you may get 100 business cards for $5, but the printing company's name and website will be listed on the cards. Also, it will just be printing on one side of the card, so valuable space on the other is being wasted. Lastly, you are limited to customization options, so if you have a specific font that is used in your logo, if it's not in the company's library, you won't be able to use it. It's best to go with a card that you can actually customize to fit your brand. In some cases it may be best to work with a Graphic Designer to create a unique business card for you. The cost of business cards vary, but they can be custom and professional while still being affordable.

Tip: Even if your card is a little more on the pricey side due to certain customizations/upgrades that you want, just remember that this is a business expense and can be included when filing your business taxes as a deduction!

5. Taking advantage of both sides of the card- A business card at minimum should include your name, title and at least one form of contact information. Why limit yourself though? There are two perfectly good sides of the card to be used and the cost to print double-sided isn't much more than single-sided. One side of my card is strictly my logo and the other side has my name, contact info, URL, social links and email. If I tried to squeeze this all onto one side, the card would look rather busy.

So tell me, if you have a business card (if you don't, you need one now), what were the key factors in your selection?