Tips EVERYONE Can Use to Take Better Photos

Sunlight

Don’t be afraid to have the subject of your photo face the sun (as pictures above) as long as the light is not harsh, meaning the sun isn’t causing weird shadows (like the hollowed eye effect) or causing your subject to squint. Take photos during “golden hour” which happens at sun rise and sun set.

Get in close

Many times people try to photograph the “whole picture” to capture the subject, the background and other non-essential items. Sometimes getting close to what you are photographing can feel more intimate and genuine. Figure out a way to make sure your subject is the most important part of you photo, and frame everything else around that.

Look for hidden gems

I’m particularly proud of this photo because I had spotted these plants while wandering around with my subject and looking for new locations to photograph in. I loved the look of these plants because they reminded me of a wheat field. Unfortunately, the plants only stretched three feet in either direction of the subject. I was determined to make it work, so I got in close, used the sunlight to my advantage and shot the photo from a crouched position to make the plants look taller and like they went on further than they actually did.

If you see a cool background but it doesn’t seem big enough, think of this as a challenge to get yourself to find creative ways of using them to get your shot even if it doesn’t seem like it’d work. The only way you’ll know if something works or not is if you start photographing it. Don’t give up if it doesn’t come out how you planned it initially. Adapt to your new circumstances and get that photo.

Look for inspiration everywhere

You’re the one with the camera, you’re the one with the control of what you photograph and how you do it. One of the things that helped me grow as a photographer is making myself find inspiration in everything, whether it be a scene from a movie, a candid moment you witness at a park, or a song that speaks to you through the story within it. Figure out how to get what you’re envisioning into the real world.