Every year people snap tons of photos. Scroll through your phone’s camera roll or grab your digital camera to see just how many you take. If your photos are out of control, it’s time to set aside an hour or two to clean them up. Tap or click for Kim’s three-step process.
As looking through your pictures, you’ll probably realize taking the same old shots can get stale. We have five tips to help you one-up your photography game, whether you’re shooting with your smartphone or a fancy DSLR camera.
This tip is brought to you by IDrive, Kim’s cloud storage pick. Securely store all your photos, videos and other important documents, with a great deal just for Komando listeners and readers. Save a whopping 90% when you sign up at IDrive.com and use the promo code “Kim” at checkout.
1. Fill your frame
Too often, people try to put too much content into their pictures and the eye isn’t sure where to go. For more interesting, focused photos, tightly crop your shots and fill the frame. Edit your photographs to eliminate extraneous, distracting stuff and keep the focus on your subject. Remember, less is more.
Most cameras let you show a grid when you’re taking a photo. Turn it on in your Settings menu.
RELATED: 6 simple photo editing tricks to make you seem like a pro
2. Find a unique perspective
How often do you find yourself gravitating to the same pretty scene as everyone else holding a camera? Much of the time, though, you’ll find better shots off the beaten path.
This may not always be possible and, you can always make adjustments from obvious locations. Bracket your photos by taking multiple shots and varying your camera settings. Experiment with under-exposures and over-exposures. These minor adjustments can add interest to run-of-the-mill photographs.
Change the perspective by getting high or low in the sightline, too. This can be tons of fun!
3. Use people to show scale in your photographs
How many photos of the sunset do you have on your phone? We’re willing to bet most don’t include people. Placing people into your photos adds perspective and can take your shot from blah to interesting.
Also, experiment with different angles and perspectives. Hold your phone up high and see what you can get!
RELATED: How to convert any photo to 3D with one click
Not everyone chooses to put people in, say, a landscape photograph. But, at the very least, people can be used to show scale in the landscape.
I prefer to make people distant, unrecognizable figures in a picture. By doing this, I feel less intrusive as a photographer and respect the privacy of all involved.
Need some inspiration for your own photography goals? Check out Dreamstime for thousands of amazing pro images and start getting inspired now!
4. Never leave a shooting location until you are satisfied with the results
There’s nothing worse than looking back through your photos from an important event or special location and realizing you missed the shot you were looking for. Don’t leave wondering, “What if I had done this or that?”
Take enough shots at any given location to make sure you leave with at least a handful of photos you’ll love looking back on or sharing. Try to capture emotions.
You may also like: How to hide photos from your camera roll
5. Talk to fellow photographers
What better source of tips and techniques than the wealth of knowledge from photographers operating in the real world? Don’t be afraid to strike up conversations with fellow hobbyists and glean the valuable tidbits that will add to your craft.
While it’s not polite to interrupt a professional photographer mid-shoot with a question about mentoring, it is helpful to connect with photography enthusiasts you know or reach out to someone whose work you admire. A friendly message on social media or an email might net you a new source of knowledge and information.
For real inspiration, look at professional photographers and image sites.
Have a photo tip to share? Tweet it out to me @KimKomando.