Whether you're a photographer, a blogger, an influencer, or simply someone who loves capturing moments, there's no denying the benefit of having visually appealing photos. But the myth that achieving professional-looking photos requires expensive equipment and high-end cameras is still a pretty common one. It couldn't be further from the truth. With tasteful combination of the tricks below, you 're good to go even with just the phone in your pocket.
So without further ado, let's share eight easy to understand tips to help you elevate your photography into the realm of the professional -- without buying tons of expensive equipment.
Shoot when light is most dramatic
If you are shooting outdoors, there are certain times when light is better than others. If the day isn’t overcast (these conditions can also be good by the way, so don’t avoid going out on these days for photos) you will want to avoid the middle afternoon hours. During these times the sun is it at its brightest and highest point, washing out shadow, and color.
For optimum saturation, lighting and shadows (contrast), aim to shoot in the early AM or late afternoon as the sun is at a far steeper angle, colors will be better and drama will be easier to achieve in your shots with deeper, longer shadows and gentle highlights. Shooting at these times will definitely improve your photographs.
Avoid horizons in the middle (rule of thirds)
You may have heard of the Rule of Thirds, so consider where your horizon line falls and avoid having them split your frame in the middle. Remembering to not do this will instantly make your photos vastly more professional; this is one of the more common mistakes made by those new to photography and art.
Try to keep the sun behind you
One key tip to keep in mind is to position yourself so that the sun is behind you when you take a photo. This way your subject will be well-lit and the colors will be vibrant. Shooting directly into the sun can be challenging and often results in an overexposed image. If you do decide to take a photo with the sun in the background, make sure you have the proper equipment, such as filters or reflectors, to control the light and prevent lens flare.
Don't be afraid to get creative with shadows in your photos. Like reflections, cast shadows can add depth and interest to your composition.
Simplify
Simple compositions are often more desirable than complex ones. Try to eliminate (if at all possible) background or surrounding elements that may interfere with your subject.
The idea behind simplifying your compositions is to create a more cohesive and focused image. By removing extraneous elements, you draw the viewer's attention to your subject and allow them to fully appreciate its details and nuances. This can be especially effective when working with subjects that have intricate or delicate features, such as a flower or a person's face.
Of course, it's not always possible to completely eliminate background elements, especially if you're shooting in a crowded or busy environment. However, there are several techniques you can use to simplify your composition even in these situations. One is to use a wide aperture to create a shallow depth of field, which can blur out distracting elements and bring your subject into sharper focus. Another is to experiment with different angles and perspectives to find the one that best highlights your subject while minimizing distractions in the background.
Examine every angle
Don’t just take one shot of your butt, move around it, all around it, up, down, etc. If you want to improve your photographs, examine your body from as many different angles as possible, these explorations often produce unique abstractions and exciting photos for your fans.
Action!
A bit of motion blur can tell so much, nearly bridging that gap between picture and video. Play with your shutter speed (we're assuming you've invested in proper photography equipment if you're reading influencer field literature) settings to create blurs in things that may be barely noticeable or use it to exaggerate movement. Consider also panning the camera to capture a moving object and keeping the background in a motion blur.
Use framing for more interesting compositions
The camera view-finder is a frame of sorts, but using a frame within a scene to frame the subject, can take a normal shot to something really intriguing. This technique can really help focus attention toward your body and take out background distractions as well. Use windows, tunnels, archways, or anything you can imagine to frame your body in interesting ways.
Reflections
There are some truly amazing and clever photographs of reflections that create surreal compositions, either through tricky distortions, or illusory depth, etc. Practice with this, it will become a powerful tool in your photographic composition toolbox that will set you apart from all the other influencers. Reach the next level!
