Anyone can take a photo.  A monkey could technically pick up a camera and be taught to press the trigger to capture an image and I’m sure in some cases it might be considered a great photo especially considering the photographer.  But what many don’t know is that it isn’t always the gear involved with the process that makes a photo great.   There are many things to consider when taking a photo.  I am going to give you an abridged version of those points to consider. There is way too much to learn about photography especially once you dive into the realms of today’s advanced digital cameras.  First and probably most important thing to consider when taking a photo is your lighting.  Is there an available light source that you can use to help better light your subject?   Secondly would be composition.  Composition would be described as framing and setting up your shot while determining what needs to be in the shot.  Lastly I will touch on timing and its importance in taking a better photo.Lighting is one of the most important things to consider when taking a photo.  Without light there would be nothing to photograph.  Light is what will paint the picture you’re trying to create.  You should attempt to find the greatest amount of light available to set up your shot unless you’re trying to set a mood with your lighting and wish to only have certain amount of light in your shot.  You can light just a part of your scene to help bring out a subject in a photo and you can also help steer the eye to the focus point of your image with the use of proper lighting.  If controlled light such as a flash or other light source is not available, work with what you are given.  Turn on all the lights in a room and move your subject near the focus points of those lights.  If there is a window with sunlight shining through then bring your subject to the light source and let the sun shine.  One thing you should be careful of is back-lighting a subject without the ability to provide enough light to bring them out of the light.  Use a flash to properly expose your subject when you have more light behind them and cannot control the exposure of your shot to adjust for such a scenario.  One other thing to consider with lighting is the difference between hard and soft light.  Hard light will tend to cast shadows and create harsh looking images.  Soft light or diffused light will tend to be more pleasing and will help control shadows.  You can use just about anything to diffuse light.  Sometimes just holding a piece of paper up in front of a flash or pulling a light curtain across a window will offer enough diffusion to properly cast the light on your subject.

Composition is an important factor in taking a good photograph.  Without composition your shots would look off balanced and confusing to the eye.  Some things to consider when composing a shot is the use of the Rule of Thirds.   Imagine your image split into three horizontal and three vertical lines on the image.   Where those lines intersect are the focus points you want to have your most important items placed in your image.   Just keeping things centered doesn’t always make for the most appealing photograph.  Sometimes placing the image off to the side slightly in one of these Rule of Thirds focus point will create a much more interesting photo.   Viewpoint can change an image instantly.  Straight on may not always provide the best looking shot.  Simply lowering or raising your viewpoint can create a totally different image and perspective on a subject.  Try sitting on the ground or holding your camera up over your head to achieve a different look to your shot.   The background of your image can help encapsulate your subject.  Keep your background simple and not distracting from the main focus point.  Lots of contrasting colors and movement in your background will draw attention away from the main subject.  Symmetry and Patterns will help create a work of art in your photos.  Try to find natural patterns in whether it be a line of trees or a pattern of bricks on a building side.  Use these patterns to help frame in your shot and offer symmetry to your photograph.  One major note to consider in composition especially on a smart phone where your tendency is to hold your camera vertically is to turn it sideways or horizontally. This will allow your images to have the correct aspect ratio to be displayed on computer screens or televisions.  This is especially important if you are capturing video with using a camera.   Your video will have the incorrect aspect ratio when displayed on a screen and will get cropped out providing for a poor composition of your shot.

Timing is something that can mean many different things when trying to take a photograph.   My main point about timing doesn’t necessarily mean anything technical about capturing a great image.  Sometimes just being in the right place at the right time and being ready to take a shot can offer the best means of capturing an amazing image.  Knowing when to open the shutter and grab the moment has a lot to do with great photography.   Higher end cameras with faster frames per second capturing capabilities make this easier than a regular point n shoot camera.  But having your camera out and turned on is probably your best defense against missing a great moment.  If your camera has the ability to adjust your shutter speed and exposure times then you can also use a different meaning of timing to provide a great photo.  When taking images in lower light situations your camera will have to hold open it’s shutter for a longer time to properly expose your image and capture enough light to do so.  With that being said you will need to use a tripod or any stable flat surface you can find to help hold your camera still.  Without doing so your images will come out blurry since your shutter stays open longer it will continuously capture the movement it sees causing motion blur to your image.  You can however use this as effect in an image and if you have the ability to manually trigger a flash you can stop multiple points of motion in its place thus freezing your subject in time.

These are just some small tips in helping you take a better photograph.  There is much more to be learned but for the person just getting started this will greatly improve your photo qualities.  Remember that lighting is the key to painting your image and without light you would not have a photograph.  Composition will help you correctly frame your image and make for a much more interesting photo by keeping the attention on the subject you’re capturing as the main focus.  Timing will help keep you ready and can also be considered something to use as a creative control of your photos.   Always be ready to capture an amazing photo.  As the great landscape photographer Ansel Adams once said “You don’t take a photograph, you make it. “.