This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Cincinnati chapter.
I’ve always been a photography nerd. When I was thirteen and had my first summer job, I saved up all summer long to buy my first DSLR camera – the big, chunky, professional ones. I spent awhile having absolutely no idea what to do with it, but eventually I learned the ins and outs; from aperture to shutter speed to photocomposition. It took a lot of practice and reading through various photo magazines, but I eventually got the knack of it, and turned photography into something that I love.
Becoming a photographer is easier than you think, and it doesn’t require dishing out the money for an expensive camera or spending hours taking an online class. Here are some easy tips to up your photography game, even with your smart phone.
- Never totally center your object. In photographers’ terms, we call this the “rule of thirds,” but simply put, try to off center your subjects, either a little to the right or a little to the left. It’s an easy way to make your photos look more professional.
- Use your smart phone’s built in editing options. All smart phones come with the ability to edit photos. Feel free to use it to crop photos or adjust lighting and color to your liking. You don’t need Photoshop to get great photo edits!
- But you can always get an editing app. There are amazing apps out there that will do editing beyond what comes on your phone’s built in photo app. Adobe Photoshop – and the whole of the Creative Cloud – come in app form and can improve your editing ability. There’s a whole world of editing apps out there, so choose one that suits your needs and ability best!
- Choose a focus point. Most smart phones have the capability to choose a focus point by simply tapping the object. This will create a nice blur in the background for portrait and close up photos.
- Choose your time of day wisely. Early morning and evening are always prime times when it comes to natural lighting, so take pictures at this time if you want great outdoor pictures. Photography is a great way to capture moments and memories, and these tips can turn these moments into beautiful photos, too.