On a feed, photos are seen small and fast. What separates a picture that looks deliberate from one that looks accidental is rarely the camera. It is a handful of choices you make before pressing the button.
Five habits
- 1One subject. Decide what the picture is of and let everything else support it or leave.
- 2A clean background. Move two steps, tilt the camera, or clear the table. A messy edge pulls the eye away from the subject.
- 3Straight lines. Check the horizon and the door frames. A crooked horizon looks like an error; a deliberate angle looks like a choice.
- 4Window light. Turn towards the light, not the lamp. Soft light from a window flatters nearly everything.
- 5Tap to focus. Touch the screen on the subject; the phone then sets sharpness and exposure for it.
Two things to stop doing
- Digital zoom. It only enlarges pixels. Step closer instead.
- Heavy filters. A strong filter dates a photo within months. A light correction of brightness and contrast is enough.
Wipe the lens
The cheapest upgrade is a clean lens. A phone lives in pockets, and a greasy lens turns every picture slightly hazy.
Take three pictures of the same thing from three places. You will choose the third more often than you expect.