You don’t have to be a professional photographer to take great photographs; all it takes is some time, patience, and practice to get some great candid shots. Follow these six tips for boosting your photography game.
Get Close
Our tendency is to take a step back when taking a picture, which can create a lot of wasted space and cause the subjects to get lost in the background. Next time you’re taking a picture, take a step or two closer to your subject, letting them fill the frame. Not only will this make your pictures “pop,” but it’ll make it easier to capture facial expressions.
Use Your Lighting
Before taking the shot, see where the light is coming from and use it to your advantage by noticing if it’s highlighting a specific area or casting an interesting shadow. And remember, if you’re photographing people outdoors on a sunny day, make sure everyone is facing away from the sun. Taking a photograph with the sun directly behind you creates flat, boring lines, not to mention the fact that you’ll probably end up with squinty-eyed smiles. Instead, take the shot with the light source either beside or behind your subject.
Keep It Simple
Especially when you’re surrounded by beautiful scenery, the temptation is to try to capture the moment by packing as many elements into your photo as possible. Unfortunately, this generally just creates a confusing, messy photograph. Avoid this by focusing on just one or two elements in a photograph.
Pay Attention to the Background
How many photos have you taken, only later to wonder how you missed the dumpster (or the 12-year-old intentionally photo-bombing your moment) in the background? The background is just as important as the subject or object that you’re shooting, so take a look at the frame and adjust as necessary to avoid regret.
Honor the Rule of Thirds
If there was a single rule for photographic composition, the rule of thirds would be it. Basically, you mentally break your image down into thirds both vertically and horizontally, so that you see your frame in nine parts. You then position your subject over the cross sections of the grid.
Invest in Knowledge, Not Gear
Every photographer is going to have their favorite cameras and lenses, but expensive gear doesn’t necessarily guarantee good photographs. In fact, armed with the right knowledge, you can take beautiful pictures with nothing more than your smartphone. By perusing photography books and studying how the greats use color and lighting, you can get inspired and get a few ideas on how to boost your own photography game.
Want to take your photographs to the next level? Use the Soundwave Art app to enhance your photograph and bring it to life! Simply upload your photograph to our website, decide whether you want to have it printed on canvas, a framed print, or metal, and choose the audio or video file you’d like to have linked to it. When you scan your artwork with the Soundwave Art app, the app will automatically play your recording. or even a video! Want to turn your best shot into a piece of art that comes to life? Check it out!
