5 Simple Tricks for More Interesting Photos



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If you find yourself in a rut where you are struggling to get the quality of photos that you want, think about different ways that you can change things up to make your photos more interesting or unique. A lot of times you’ll just need a small tweak to really change the results. While there are a lot of different possibilities, here is a look at five different things you can do right away to get more interesting photos.

1. Capture the Details

Photo by Susanne Nilsson

Interesting details are all around us, and they can make excellent subjects for your photographs. Get close and capture the details like textures and patterns, or simply bring a smaller detail to life by making it the focal point of a photo. This can relate to nature photography (like the photo above) or for photographing objects.

2. Angle the Camera

Photo by Kenny Louie

Most photos are taken with camera being held parallel to the horizon, especially in landscapes. If you want something different that will stand out, one approach is to simply tilt the camera to photograph the subject on an angle. This is an approach that you will want to use in moderation, but it can be used from time to time to add a little extra intrigue to your photos.

3. Crop Your Subject

Photo by Daniel M Viero

While cropping can be done in post processing, framing your shots in the camera with part of the subject being cut off can sometimes make a shot more interesting. This can be done with portraits. like the one above, as well as with other types of objects like architecture.

4. Use Blur Intentionally

Photo by Alex

Blur is something that you will generally want to avoid in your photos (see 10 Tips for Sharper Photos), but it can also be used creatively to create interesting images. Of course, bokeh (a blurred background) is commonly used in portraits and a shallow depth of field can be used creatively with just about any type of photo. But another option is to intentionally blur the entire photo, like the one above. In the right situation it can create a really interesting photo.

5. Experiment with Lighting

Photo by Mike Kniec

Lighting is, of course, one of the most critical elements of photography. Experimenting with different types of lighting can lead to interesting photos. You could use backlighting before sunset for an outdoor portrait, capture a silhouette at sunset, use studio lighting for a high key portrait, or any number of other techniques. Think about how different types of light, and different angles of light, would impact your subject and find interesting ways to use light.