How to Take Good Pictures of Everything

Writing by Rob Cavenagh

This is a user participation article. Before you read the rest of this story, please take out your phone – we’re sure it is within reach. Go to your photos app and view the last fifty pictures you took. Don’t worry, we’ll wait. What did you find? Did you find five or ten shots of the exact same thing? Were any of them good? Would you print and frame even one of the last fifty pictures you took?

With cameras right at our fingertips and the ability to capture every moment, why is it that many of us still can’t seem to take a good picture? The answer is pretty simple: no one taught us how to take a good picture. 

All that is about to change. Today is the day you’ll learn how to compose and take a great picture – all with your phone. It matters not whether you are using an iPhone or Android, as long as it has a camera. For the purposes of this article, many specifics will involve the iPhone, but the techniques and concepts can be applied to any camera phone. 

Our experts are professional photographers and have a choice in the equipment they use. But most people (even some professionals) don’t carry a big professional camera around in everyday life, yet almost everyone has their phone with them at all times. So let’s dive into how to take photos with that phone. 

How to hold the camera

Modern cameras are designed ergonomically for comfort while holding and using them. Most smartphones are rectangular with rounded edges and are not particularly comfortable as a phone, much less as a camera. 

Taking a photo with the camera on the back of your phone is probably what you are used to – using the screen to frame the subject as you take the shot. You can also take photos by flipping the phone so the screen is taking the photo – often called selfie mode. (Typically, the lens on the back of your camera is of higher quality.) However you choose to hold it, one of the most important things to keep in mind is holding the phone steady, even when taking the photo; just tapping the button on the screen can create movement. And a tiny bit of motion could mean a blurry or out-of-focus shot, or even missing the subject entirely. Luckily, today’s phones come with image stabilization to help prevent that. While it may not compensate for a photo taken in a moving car on a bouncy road, stabilization is super helpful.

“I use the volume down button (as the shutter),” suggests Gil Vaknin, a photographer who specializes in events. “It allows you to grip the phone a lot stronger, and it’s a more stable way to take the picture.” 

Another option is to use a tripod with a phone adapter. It will keep the camera level and still, and it also allows you, the photographer, to be in the shot if the self-timer is used. Tripods can also be useful when it comes to landscape photography or shooting an object to sell on 

“If you can use the level feature, it really helps you get the horizon, or whatever you’re photographing, level,” Elena Wolfe, a wedding photographer, explains.

No tripod? Vaknin suggests you get creative. 

“If you’re shooting in low light, I always try to find something to brace the phone on, like a railing, desk or table,” he says.

Composing the shot

“When you’re using your iPhone, simplicity is key when composing,” says Amy Drucker, a family and portrait photographer. “It is important to think about what you’re trying to get a picture of. It seems like such a simple thing, but you should stop and take a beat before you shoot. I think your end result is likely to be much more dramatic when you pay attention to the goal.”

One important thing to consider in any shot is what photographers call the rule of thirds. This is a visual composition rule – divide what you see into three horizontal and three vertical sections. The intersections of those areas are where you place your subject or what you want viewers to focus on. The good news is that your phone has a built-in grid that shows you where to place your subject (you may need to change this in your camera settings). Even better: you will probably find the grid is already active the next time you use your camera phone. 

Individual people

A photo taken while held vertically is known as portrait orientation. Professionally, these are often referred to as headshots, but you can also photograph head-to-toe this way. Whatever you choose, the grid and the rule of thirds can help here too. 

Place your subject between the middle lines of the grid and take a few shots. Is your subject in focus? Is the light to your satisfaction? (More on that below.) Try having them face forward and taking the photo slightly to one side or the other; does that improve the image? 

But what about getting people to smile? That can be challenging, so making a connection with your subjects is important. 

“People laugh when you’re silly,” says Wolfe. “I’ll pretend to trip sometimes.” 

Or, tell a joke. 

“Of course, there’s poop jokes,” says Drucker. “You say poop, and little kids laugh. It never fails.”

Group shots

Organize your subjects by height whenever possible; put the tallest people in the back and center. Then, check the background: a trashcan or a post in the middle of someone’s head can ruin a memorable shot. 

Wolfe likes to use stairs for group shots.

“Kids can stand behind their parents to get the same height,” she explains. “It’s a great trick to get everyone to the same level and get everyone close.”

When photographing groups, these professionals recommend using burst mode, which is also known as “live mode” on the iPhone. With this feature, you can take several photos in quick succession with a single push of the shutter button. 

“Live mode could be your friend, especially with kids moving around really quickly,” says Wolfe. “And sometimes, it’s hard getting everyone to look at you unless you can take photos really fast.”  

After, you can delete the photos where your aunt is blinking or your nephew is sneezing and only keep the best shot.

Action shots

Capturing the perfect moment when your kid is playing soccer is almost impossible if you only take one shot. So burst or live mode is also very helpful for these situations.  Ten shots taken nearly simultaneously could be the difference between capturing a memorable photo and missing it forever.

Pet photos

We all want pictures of our pets, but they don’t seem to take direction well. Your best bet? You guessed it: burst or live mode. Odds are, you’ll get one decent shot out of it.

Focusing

Camera phones will automatically focus when you point them at something, selecting whatever is in the middle of the frame. But distance matters. While your phone camera likely has a zoom (or telephoto) feature, beyond a certain point, it’s useless. On a phone, the zoom is rendered by software (not a lens), which can result in grainy or pixelated images. So walking as close to your subject(s) as possible will improve the sharpness. 

Drucker, who also teaches an iPhone photography course, uses a phrase she calls “focus with your feet,” meaning you should walk up to the item or get as close as you can instead of relying on the zoom. 

When taking group shots, AI will actually improve your skills. The phone’s software will help you focus on multiple faces in a group. 

“When you hold the phone up, it will automatically find a face,” Drucker explains. “That little yellow square can find up to ten faces. So in group photography, it’s nice to let the iPhone find the people.”

Lighting

Lighting, whether indoors or out, can be a challenge. The goal is (usually) to have light on your subject(s). Too little light can result in soft focus or grainy images. Too much or too bright, and it will blow out your images, washing out the color and definition. The flash can help, but it comes at a price. Using auto flash means slower response to the shutter and potentially missing a shot. 

Where to place your subject in relation to the light depends on your goals. Do you want a flat image with little depth? Your subject should face the light. Would you like a dramatic shot with lots of shadows and depth? Then the light should be behind your subject. Or, if you’re seeking some shadows and texture, position the subject so they’re lit from the side. 

“People are surprised to find that the flash is most useful on a very sunny day for a portrait of someone when they’re in their own shadow,” says Drucker.

Inside lighting

The best indoor lighting is actually the sun. That means windows, doorways or even skylights. Don’t be afraid to adjust the scene based on your light sources. Which, according to Vaknin, usually means moving your subjects. 

“First, I’m going to look around the space that I’m in and try to evaluate where my light sources are coming from,” he explains. “Are there lamps? Are there sconces? If I have the ability to move a person to a place where it’s going to be better, I’m going to do that. I’m going to look for it first in the environment.” 

To avoid shadows indoors, have your subject face the light. Or, if you’re hoping to create more of a silhouette shot, place your subject next to a window full of sunshine and turn off the lights.

If there isn’t a sun-filled spot, then opt for floor or table lamps versus overhead lighting. And consider turning your flash off, especially for people; you’ll usually achieve a softer, more flattering photo without the harsh flash shining in their face. 

With a phone, you can also lock the exposure so you can capture multiple angles without having to adjust the lighting with each one. 

“If you put your finger on the screen and hold it, it then locks your exposure so you can move the phone around,” Drucker explains.

Wolfe says she aims for an “evenly-diffused neutral sidelight, focusing more on southerly exposure.” 

Outdoor lighting

Outdoors, the sun is your primary light source. (Hint: It’s always coming from the south when you’re in the northern hemisphere.) 

The experts agree that one of the best times to shoot outdoors is the golden (or magic) hour –  that period when the sun is about to rise or dip below the horizon and the light is warm and somewhat flat. The angle of the sun at this time, combined with vapor and dust in the atmosphere, creates a diffused, natural golden-hued glow that makes photos very pleasing to the eye. 

But be warned, they call that time “magical” for a reason – it doesn’t last long. Shooting a portrait or group photo with a lovely setting sun in the background will result in a beautiful shot of the sun and a bunch of shadowed people. If sunset is your only choice, move your subjects so the sun is next to them, not behind them.

Believe it or not, an overcast day is often preferred for photographing people outdoors. It softens shadows and typically creates a more flattering image. While a bright, sunny day does the opposite. The “hard light” creates stronger shadows and a more concentrated spot of light. But hard light isn’t always bad; it depends on your goals.

Practice makes… almost perfect

The more you practice, and the more you make mistakes, the better you’ll get. Try taking a shot of someone in portrait mode and then in normal mode. What do you notice? Take a nature shot from far away, and then get as close as you can? Is there a difference? Play with the rule of thirds every way you can. Once you’re comfortable with the basics, try exploring some of your phone’s camera settings. 

And while there’s no such thing as perfect, when you have a virtually unlimited capacity for photos, you can practice, evaluate and practice some more. 

And finally, whether you have a professional-grade camera or an eight-year-old iPhone, all three experts agree: the best camera is the one that’s with you (that’s a direct quote from renowned photographer Chase Jarvis). 

This article was published in the November/December 2023 print edition of Connect to Northern Westchester

Resources to help and/or inspire you

The Apple website, according to Drucker, has “some solid learning resources,” such as the iPhone user guide. 

Online classes through LinkedIn Learning  (formerly Lynda.com) are available with a paid membership. (Pro tip: You can also access these classes using the library card of a participating library — check to see if yours participates.)

Find photographers or organizations whose work you admire and visit their websites or social media regularly to get ideas and inspiration. Vaknin recommends Magnum Photos and the International Center for Photography. 

Head to YouTube  for video how-tos, especially if you’re struggling to understand a certain concept. Wolfe recommends using specific search terms because “photos on your phone” will be too vague.