Tips for More Creative Photography

Photographs document our lives and give us the physical reminders that can often surprise and delight us at the most unexpected moments. Who hasn’t opened a forgotten box and looked through some old photos only to be reminded of events, people, and experiences completely forgotten?

What’s really amazing about photos is that they have this power despite the fact that most of them are so similar, because we all tend to take photos the same way, especially when we’re photographing our friends. Everyone poses exactly the same way, and the end result are photos that might still bring us joy or bring a tear to our eyes, but also tend to blur together.

The secret to creative photography doesn’t require a university diploma or years of practice – it just requires a change in perspective. Here are a few simple tips that will make your photos stand out.

Tip One: Forget the Background, Think Foreground

Depth is usually the one thing missing from an amateur’s photographs. People concentrate on the subject and getting them into the frame and in focus, but they don’t think about the three-dimensional aspects of the photo. This is easily solved by adding some layering to your photo.

If you can, have one person stand closer to the camera than the other, thus giving the composition effortless depth. Another easy trick is to have something between the camera and the subject – confetti, tossed in the air the moment before you click the shutter, or if the weather allows: rain or snow falling. The extra dimension that this will add to the photo will make it feel rich and real, no matter how posed everyone is.

Tip Two: Elevate

Another effective way to give your photos a creative edge that will charm future you as well as anyone else who sees them is to stop taking your photos straight-on at the same level as your subjects. Get up over them – even standing on a chair is a quick way of dramatically altering the way your photos appeal to people. Or get low – lie down on the floor and shoot upwards.

Think of it this way: Everyone lives their lives at eye level. By changing your altitude even slightly when snapping a photo of people, you’re offering viewers a chance to see the world in a way they normally can’t manage, and that’s a very powerful way to attract attention in your photographs. The end result is more creative photography that grabs the eye.

Tip Three: Photo-in-Photo

Often the unrelenting sameness of our photos are because we’re taking pictures of the same activities over and over again. Make this into an asset by including past photos of the same events in your new photos, creating a layering of experience that immediately adds depth (physically, because the photo is fore-fronted, and emotionally because it calls back to the links between you and your subjects) and visual interest.

Making your photos stand out a little more isn’t just about entertaining others, it’s about holding your own interest years from now when you look back over your memories. And the more creative you are, the more likely you’ll have some photos you’ll want to hang on your wall as canvas art – and if you do, click here and we’d be happy to create those for you!