Compose, compose, compose
That camera grid setting on your phone isn’t just there to remind you of your old Maths exercise books. It’s there to cleverly divide the screen into thirds and four lines (2 horizontal lines and 2 vertical lines) so you can strategically place your subject at the intersections. Doing this perfectly frames your photo so everything is well balanced and in shot.
Switch up the POV
It’s very common to just whip out your phone, hold it up, snap a shot and move along – but a different angle can really give your photo an edge. And an interesting angle can even make less interesting shots more compelling and ‘artsy’. Get down low, climb up high, bury your body in the sand if needs be - do whatever it takes to get that out-of-the-box angle.
Light it up
When it comes to photography, lighting is everything. However that doesn’t mean you should use your flash for every shot. Always make sure your subject is well lit (the more natural light the better). It’s also worth double-checking that the lighting is even and that there aren’t any unwanted shadows in your shot.
Also, look at the colour of the light, and see if it works for your photo. Maybe there’s a cool shadow you could incorporate or if you’re sticking in one location for a while, why not wait until sunset to get that wow-inducing photo.
Add some depth
Taking a landscape or cityscape photo? Then creating depth is so important. Always try to include subjects in the background, foreground and middle group. This adds a more impactful scale of depth to your picture – and is more likely to grab the viewer’s attention.
What about close ups? Whether you’re taking a photo of your fancy artisan coffee or an adorable pooch, an out of focus background will give your photo that professional look. If you’re lucky enough to have a portrait mode option on your camera, stick that on. If not, you can have a play with the editing features on social media apps to help blur the background. Alternatively, go full blur with a ‘bokeh’ shot.
Think about your shot
A perfect shot requires patience. You might need to take 30 shots, switching angles, composing it differently, moving into different lighting, before you find ‘the one’. Also, be realistic about what subject has potential. If you have to think about whether something is photo-worthy for too long, chances are it isn’t. It doesn’t matter how many lenses your smartphone has, a well-lit photo of some overcooked porridge isn’t going to set your Insta on fire.
Any tips you’d like to add? Have you taken any game-changing photos lately? Let us know in the comments below.