Taking pictures has never been easier; nearly everyone has a camera that can take high-quality photos. However, making your photos high-quality is not as easy as it sounds. Often pictures have bad lighting, too much empty space, or are too busy. So here are three simple ways to improve your images.
1. Make Sure the Light is Right
When you take a photo, the thing that will impact quality the most is lighting. First, when you are shooting outside, avoid harsh lighting. If it’s a sunny day, you’ll want to take your picture in the shade. Next, avoid shooting directly into the sun by having the sun at your back or to your side. One way to ensure good lighting outside is by taking pictures during the “magic hour” of the day, right before sunset or just after sunrise.
If you are shooting inside, remember that natural light always improves a shot, so try to take the picture by a window. Then, look for three point lighting – meaning that your subject has light hitting it from three sides. Ideally, this means light coming from above and both sides. Having light coming from only one side will create hard shadows which will distract the focus from your subject.
Lastly, we recommend that you avoid using your flash. If that is your only option for available light, try bouncing the light off a nearby wall or ceiling. If that isn’t possible, you can always try to diffuse it by using a napkin or piece of tissue paper over the flash. The softer the light the better.
2. Follow the Rule of Thirds
One method to ensure better photos is to follow the “rule of thirds”. This helps you take more balanced and interesting photos.
The easiest way to put this advice into practice is to turn on your gridlines in your phone’s settings, if available. Imagine your image divided into nine equal parts. The most important subjects of your image should be placed along the gridline or at the intersection where the lines meet. This helps you avoid having too much blank space above, below, or to the side of your subject.
Keeping the rule of thirds in mind when framing your shots is essential for creating photos that have a professional look and feel. Try to keep the main focus of your photos in one of the thirds.
To Turn on Gridlines:
For an iOS phone, go to Settings > “Camera” > “Grid” . Toggle to green to turn the feature on in your camera.
Gridlines are available for some Android phones; the bst way to find out is to check your Camera Settings.
3. Know Your Scene & Subject
While you may be focused on shooting one person or image, it is essential to pay attention to your background. Try to remove as many distractions from behind your subject as you can. When thinking about the background, remember that less is more – keep it simple. If you are photographing people, make sure there are not elements that stick out behind people’s heads, such as tree branches or telephone poles, that will distract the viewer.
In any shot, try to minimize wording in the background. That can make it hard for your viewer to focus on the subject and can detract from the the image.
Using these tips will help you create professional and compelling photos for your posts!
