Many people I speak with wish they were better at taking photos. Specifically, with their phones. Or at least, that’s what I hear when I tell people I’m a visual storyteller! As it turns out there are five different aspects of phone photography you need to know in order to take better photos with your phone.
Light: Learning how to use light in your photos is the most important thing you can do for yourself as a photographer. There are actually multiple types of light to be used when photographing your subject—be it a person, place, or thing—and knowing which one will work best can have a huge impact on your final photos.
Composition: Where do you want your viewer’s eye to go? Many times when we’re photographing, we snap the shot that comes easily. But there are multiple ways to compose a photo and all of them will cause the eye to fall somewhere differently. Learning how to compose your photos and practicing your composition preference regularly, is key to improving your phone photos this year.
Seeing: When was the last time you went people watching? Or simply sat on a bench and observed people walking by or animals as they foraged for food or the nature that surrounded you? If you can’t remember, I encourage you to practice leaning into these types of moments. They often lead to some of the best, most spontaneous images.
Storytelling: There is a difference between a photographer and a visual storyteller. As a Visual Storyteller, it is my job to not only photograph something, but to share the story behind it. Think about the important aspects of a story. What, for instance, is the most important story to tell at a wedding? At a family reunion? At a concert? Sometimes, the most obvious story is not the most interesting one. So learning to think about photos in terms of storytelling is critical to coming up with fresh ideas and better photos.
Editing: Every good visual storyteller keeps a few tricks up their sleeve when they want their photos to have something a little extra. From a favorite filter to a favorite editing app, it’s important to practice a variety of edits so that you can find something that works for your style of photography. It will make a huge difference in the final outcome of your photos.
There are many ways that you can improve your skills as a photographer—particularly if you want to take better photos with your phone.