6 Ways To Take Better Photographs

Whether you take random photos on a smartphone or own a thousand dollar camera, it's fun to capture our favorite things in a lasting image. It might be an animal, a loved one or even a well-plated meal. Our society thrives on sharing our personal lives, so why not make sure your photos really pop?

• Frame the Subject

This simple tip can make your photographs look like high quality, professional ones with little work. By framing your main subject, it draws attention to them and leads the viewer's eye to the focus point. Take this example:

The window is framing the subject, leading the view to them. This small trick can be useful in all photographs. Especially for photos of children, pets, or couples.

• The Background Is Just As Important

Check before you take the photo. Is there something back there you didn't notice at first? You wouldn't take a family photo with a garbage bin in the background, so make sure the setting is perfect for your subject.

• Limit The Color Spectrum

One way to make your photography better is to limit the number of different colors crowding the image. It sounds silly, but the more colors the harder it is for the viewer to focus on it for longer. A great example of this is nature photography, it's range in colors slim but absolutely stunning. Try limiting your photos to keep vastly different colors out.

• Take A Step Back

Seriously. Sometimes you might want to be up close, but stepping back and observing the subject helps you capture the entire scene. A photo of a little girl in front of Cinderella's castle is much more memorable if you can actually see the said castle.

• Don't Zoom In

It's tempting to zoom in on that beautiful bird perched on your back fence, but sadly zooming in often leads to a lack of quality in the finished product. Unless you have a professional camera, avoiding the zoom feature at all costs.

• Know Your Light Source

May sure you can see your subject! It might be sunlight or overhead light fixtures, either way position the subject while thinking about what light sources you could use. A well lit photo looks better than than something taken in the shadows.

Do you have any good tips for photography?