6 Steps to Better Photos

1. Zoom in. Do not include unnecessary surroundings that distract the viewer from the main object. By using a longer focal length you can also reduce the depth of field (DoF) and blur the background, thus making the object more outstanding. An open aperture (small f-number) and/or short distance to the object also cause a narrow DoF.

2. Apply the rule of thirds/the Golden Mean. Do not place your main object right in the middle of the image unless you want your image to look static or symmetrical. Divide the image into thirds and place your subject where the lines cross to make it more dynamic. Example:


Source: photoshopnerds.com


3. Make sure the horizon is really a horizontal line. If you do not have a good reason to break this rule, a (landscape) shot with a crooked horizon will always make your photo look like a snapshot. So, take that extra second to align your camera or fix the crooked horizon with Photoshop.

4. Use the self-timer more often. Even if you take a picture with a tripod, your photo can sometimes be blurry because of the vibration when the shutter button is pressed. To avoid this, you could use a remote control or simply use the self-timer. Pro-tip for (D)SLR users: Enable mirror lock-up before the shot to eliminate vibration completely. If your shot is still blurry, just wait until the wind is gone.

5. "Orbit" your object. Just like an electron orbits an atomic nucleus you have to orbit your object and explore different perspectives. It's a simple equation: The more original the perspective, the more interesting your photo. This one goes hand in hand with step...

...6. Be creative. Do not take the same shot that hundreds of people took before you (recent trends seem to be people jumping on the beach or someone in a field with red balloons). If you just copy another image your own image does not have any impact anymore.