2. 3.

Find Someone Who Inspires You

Find someone who does what you want to do and learn from them. Take what they do best and emulate their style while developing your techniques on your phone. This includes finding out what kind of pictures you want to take. Better yet, try reaching out to them to see if you can get a first-hand look at their process. More people than you can imagine take your favorite Instagram shots on phones just like yours. The more you interact with others who have similar pursuits—no matter how much more advanced they are at it—the better you will become.

Find Even Lighting

Shade is your best friend when taking pictures. Find even lighting with nice shadowing. If you’re looking for a great beginner’s shot, try taking portraits near sunrise or sunset—often referred to as “golden hour” by photographers. Don’t shoot specifically with harsh lighting, which is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. during this time of the year. It’s also true that the better your equipment is, the greater flexibility you will have to work with different lighting—so if you can splurge on a newer, more advanced phone, your results are likely to improve. Newer phones are built to accommodate portraits and some include the “bokeh” effect that enables a photo to pop out for a 3D-like effect.

Control Colors and Background 4.

It might sound obvious, but the better you plan, usually the better you will shoot. These factors come down to the aesthetic of the picture, from what the scene or the people are wearing. It’s all about what the focus is in the picture. Don’t wear or include sharp lines or patterns. Solid colors and minimal patterns look clearer in pictures. Also, finding a good background to be your backdrop, especially for portraits, is essential to create images that pop.