Before smartphones and DSLR cameras, being a photographer meant you had to own a washing line and have a basic understanding of chemistry to get your photos.
Nowadays, technology has developed to the point where smartphones that are available on the market now have better cameras than DSLRs from five years ago. Even during the London Olympics, an iPhone was used for many of the press photos of the games.
Anyone and everyone can take good quality pictures, and you don’t have to fork out for the expensive equipment to do so. So how do you improve your photography skills to take better photos?
Don’t spend too much money
You can start working on your photography skills without having to pay hundreds or thousands for a professional-level camera. Your smartphone will work perfectly well for taking good-quality images to share on social media. Social media has allowed the general public a place to share content and connect with others, and 61% of the UK felt that social media and smartphones have improved their photography skills.
Using a good quality smartphone camera can often be enough to improve your photographs. You can also buy attachable flashes, ring lights, and tripods to help you develop your hobby at a relatively low cost.
Then spend some time learning about the settings on your camera to make the most of what you already have.
Master your composition
Don’t just point and click when you want to take a good picture, part of what makes a photo high quality is the composition of the subject. Working on composition in every image will immediately heighten the look of the photographs you take.
First, choose one point of interest. Try to remove any distractions near the focus, and from around the edges of the image. Then make sure any other items in the photo are balanced. Your subject and the background should not distract from each other but be balanced so the viewer’s eye is drawn to where you want. One example is an Aura Photography using an aura camera that captures the aura of a person in a beautiful array of colors.
You can also use the rule of thirds for your composition. Divide the view into three equal parts, and then position your subject in either the left or right third of the image. This leaves the center and opposite third empty. This method is a quick way to make your photos look more professional.
Find the light
The goal is to find a balance between light areas of a photo and dark. You could take an amazing sunset photo, but the foreground may be dark and shadowy in comparison. Ensure your highlight areas are balanced by shade that is not too dark, or you could find the contrast takes away from the detail.
The trick here to is move your subject where there is better light, use soft light to enhance your image (using flash or an attachable light), or wait until there is better light (most applicable when you are photographing outdoors).
Don’t forget to move. If the light isn’t great where you are standing, then move your feet and keep taking pictures. Standing in the same position will only result in several pictures of the same quality, so keep moving and trying to get the best shot possible.
Learn how to edit like a pro
Using filters on Instagram can enhance images to a certain extent but you might want to try other editing apps or software to improve your photographs.
Clever editing will allow you to play with alignment, vignettes, and different lights and shades, to make your pictures look more professional.
A tip from the professionals is to be subtle. Keep it simple and think about the mood you are trying to create – or else you could end up going overboard and your photos could look over-processed.
In conclusion, it doesn’t have to cost the Earth to take amazing pictures of it. Use what you have in your pocket because a smartphone can create great quality images for an amateur photographer.
