How To Take The Right Photo The First Time

Do you take every photo you see? Every moment, every angle, every item? Snap snap snap. 

Maybe you're the opposite and your fingers are frozen and you take NO photos. 

I've swung back and forth between both of these extremes and, at times, I can strike a really great balance. I can see the perfect shot, snap it, and move on with enjoying my day. 

On a hike recently I took two photos. One at the top with the view of the mountains and one of these ferns. That’s it. I was present and enjoyed my hike with family and came home with a show stopper of a photo that I still can't stop thinking about. 

It's easier than you think and you can do it too.

Creative Challenge:

Make a list of the things that are important to you, that are worthy of your time, attention, and captures and remind yourself to take only those photos and take them once so you can get back to enjoying the moment.

The 3 Things That Make Me Take a Photo

Below are the things I look for when deciding to take a photo. The things that grab me and make my artists brain light up and know that this needs to be captured. 

1. Unique Colors!

First up, color! Sometimes a color is just screaming at me that it’s the perfect shade. Sometimes it's about the combination of the colors. There are things that are just striking that I want to document, sometimes it’s what I think is interesting and would want to use in my art. Sometimes it's just lovely. 

Photography Tip:

Make sure to find the best, most natural light to get the truest version of the color. Be sure to tap around on your phone screen to get the light and exposure correct also. 

Editing Tip: 

Edit the photo as naturally as possible (focus on light and contrast) as our phones tend to capture a more muted version of the scene vs our naked eye. And edit asap so you can get the color correct because if you wait too long your brain will trick you into thinking it was a totally different shade! 

2. Patterns/lines/shapes

These beauties are what make me stop and tilt my head as I study every line, angle, curve, shape, and how it all intersects. If I find myself spending more than a few seconds stopped and staring, looking closer and studying - I know I should snap a pic because later when I'm painting I'll want to pull the photo back out as reference! Look for the things that are interesting to you, that you would want to recreate, that are a little abnormal. 

Photo tip:

Fill the frame with your pattern! If you zoom out too much then you may get distracted or forget what you were trying to capture. Get in close and let that pattern shine through and wow your photo! 

Editing tip:

Focus on contrast! This will exaggerate the lines of the patterns so you can see them more clearly. 

3. A moment in action:

I love taking people who come to visit on this particular hike up to Frying Pan Gap. It's pretty easy to hike and the view is just insane as you can see mountains for 360 degrees. But, the photo I always tend to take is our guest walking up or down the tower you have to climb. The scene is like something out of an old 80’s movie. This old tower, the harsh geometric industrial lines, the sky so blue it makes them look like they're floating in a metal jungle gym. 

Those little moments that you want to remember, the baby snuggles, the celebration after scoring a basket, the sleeping pup. Those make me grab my phone but you have to be quick!! The moment will pass, your subject will see you and get shy, or you will be distracted by notifications or getting the just right angle and not be as present to enjoy it. That’s why improving your photography skills is so important - for those moments when you need to snap a quick shot and move on without having to think about the technical skills needed. 

Photo tip:

Be as still as possible. Your subject may likely be moving but your phone can take a really clear photo if you are still but when you both are moving that's when you get a blur. Use your elbows to create a tripod on your hips if you need some stability. Plus, know when to use live photo or not. Read the full article here. 

Editing tip:

If the photo does come out blurry or not great quality because maybe you’re inside in bad lighting, add a black and white filter! It will work magic! 

Want more tips for taking better photos? 

Watch this free video sharing 3 creative photography prompts to inspire your shots!