Photography has grown in popularity as taking pictures has become more accessible. With most people carrying a camera in their pocket everywhere they go, amateur photographers are taking pictures on a daily basis.
With so much opportunity for creating images, I wanted to share a mini blog series highlighting simple cell phone photography tips that are easy to implement.
When compared to DSLRs, cell phone cameras tend to restrict a photographer’s creativity. Their inability to allow the user to make decisions about depth of field and limited exposure options can keep the image from reaching its full potential. These limitations force us to be more creative with composition to create a better image. Composing the photo is my favorite part of the entire photography process, so I was excited to think through the best composition-based tips for cellphone photography.
Use Leading Lines
AON Center Chicago, IL
Creating depth in an image is one factor that can transform an ok picture into a great picture. Earlier I mentioned that current cell phone technology doesn’t allow users to control depth of field when taking pictures. So how can we create a 3D feel in a 2D medium that lacks the aperture to assist us? The easiest solution is to utilize natural leading lines in a scene.
Leading lines is a well-known composition technique where the viewer’s attention gravitates to lines that lead to the main subject of the image. This line gives the viewer an easy road to follow the elements of the image. The simple geometry of shapes and lines in pictures are what inspired me to pursue photography as a career, so it makes sense that leading lines is one of my favorite techniques.
Lost in Minnesota
The above image has great depth for multiple reasons. First, the grass line that cuts through the middle of the road leads us deep into the woods. The second is even more simple: this picture contains a road which leads our subconscious to naturally take our eyes down it because we spend so much time in cars doing that exact thing. Even though in reality, you’re viewing a totally flat image from a flat computer screen, the leading lines in the road create depth and immersion.
The same goes for the image below.
Midwest Winter in Illinois
Leading lines are not always obvious and it takes practice and patience to recognize the lines in your surroundings. When composing the image below, I had to wait all day for my leading lines to reveal themselves. Our first morning on vacation a couple years ago, I woke up to relax with coffee on the porch, enjoying the view of the trees bordering the water. Although I couldn’t see them yet, I knew that if I came back at sunset, the trees and water would create some amazing shadows and lines. To this day, it is one of my favorite cell phone shots I’ve taken.
Lake House in Minnesota
Lastly, if you’re still not convinced, leading lines can help you control the viewer’s eyes. When looking at the image below, I would bet that your eye started at the bottom right of the frame before moving up, back down, and ending at the bottom left. Because of the very specific composition I chose, I made your eyes move through the image the way I wanted. Although this image is the most obvious illustration I could find, many great images do the same thing.
St. Louis Arch
So, say goodbye to boring, flat, uninteresting photos; use leading lines to create interesting cell phone pictures with depth and diversity!
I would love to see some of your images using this technique. You can email them to me at aj@ajbrownimaging or use the #abiphotochallenge hashtag on instagram