When it comes to taking great photos, you don’t need the most expensive, high-quality camera. Today, most of us can take beautiful, quality photos with equipment that can fit in our pockets!
In the past few years, smartphone cameras have come a long way. Today, iPhones and most Androids can take pictures that rival professional quality cameras. Gone are the days of fuzzy, pixelated cell phone photos. With a little education and editing magic, you can take photos that will look great on your website and social media!
Here’s how:
Focus on a single subject
A loud background and multiple different objects stuffed in one image can make for a crowded and confusing photo. Instead, try making a single thing the star of each picture. Crop out distractions, shoot against a simple background and focus your lens on the star of your photo. Remember, you can always take and post more than one shot if you have multiple items to shoot!
Use the rule of thirds
The rule of thirds is a technique used by photographers and artists to create balanced and eye-catching shots. To use this technique, turn on the grid in your camera. In iPhones, you can do this by going to Settings > Photos & Camera and enabling the Grid switch. You should place the most important things in the photo along the lines or on the corners where the lines intersect so that your photo is naturally balanced.
Utilize white space
White space (or negative space) is the empty space around your image. Leaving plenty of white space will draw attention to your subject and leave your photo feeling clean and focused. Tip: If you know your image will be used in conjunction with text (for example: on a flyer, website graphic, Instagram story etc.) plan to leave plenty of white space on the sides or top of your image to ensure that there will be a readable place for your text.
Find good lighting
Good lighting is the foundation of any great photo. We recommend using soft natural light whenever possible. Standard overhead lights can create harsh shadows and unnatural yellow hints. To combat this, take photos outside (just before sunset is best!), in a well-lit room or next to a window.
Consider Final Layout
If possible, it’s a good idea to consider the final placement of your image before you even take the photo. This will help you decide photo dimensions and orientation – should it be square? Landscape? Will it be a long photo used for Instagram photos?
Depending on the type of photo this can also help you decide on any extra camera features that might be useful. Blast mode will help you take great action shots and portrait mode is always recommended when taking pictures of people.
Experiment with apps
When you have your photo, it’s time to create some editing magic. There are a lot of different apps to help you edit your photos, but we recommend Facetune, VSCO and the Photoshop app to help you get your photo just right!
We know if you follow a few of these tips, you’ll be shooting pro photos in no time! Do you have another favorite app or tool that gets your photos just right? Send us a note and let us know what photo magic you can’t live without!