Photography Tips That Actually Helped Me Improve
- John Fernando
- Mar 29, 2025
- 6 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Photography is one of those things where you can learn all the technical stuff and still feel like there is always something else to improve.
I have definitely learned that over time.
You can understand aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, but then you start paying more attention to lighting, composition, editing, or even how you interact with the person you're photographing.
And honestly, a lot of getting better at photography just comes from going out, taking photos, making mistakes, and figuring out what you would do differently next time.
So instead of trying to make this a list of photography "rules," I want to share a few things that have helped me improve and that I think are useful if you're still learning too.
Understand Your Camera
You don't need to know every single setting buried inside your camera's menu.
I definitely don't think that's necessary.
But you should understand the settings that actually affect the photos you're taking.
Aperture, shutter speed, and ISO are the big three.
A wider aperture, like f/1.8, can give you a shallow depth of field and that blurred background people usually want for portraits. A smaller aperture can keep more of the scene in focus, which can be useful for things like landscapes or city photography.
Shutter speed controls how long your camera captures light and movement, while ISO helps control how sensitive your camera is to the available light.
They all work together.
The best way I found to understand them isn't just reading what each setting does. Change the settings yourself and look at what happens.
Take the same photo with different apertures.
Change the shutter speed.
Raise and lower the ISO.
Once you actually see the difference, everything starts making a lot more sense.
Master the Basics of Composition
Composition is basically deciding what you want inside your photo and where you want everything to sit in the frame.
The rule of thirds is a good place to start.
Imagine your photo divided into a 3x3 grid. Instead of putting your subject directly in the middle every time, try placing it along one of those lines or intersections.
For landscapes, even moving the horizon from the center to the upper or lower third can completely change how the image feels.
But I also don't think you should get too caught up in following composition rules perfectly.
Try leading lines.
Look for symmetry.
Move your subject off-center.
Get lower.
Move closer.
Sometimes I take a photo one way, look at it, and realize I don't really like the composition. So I move around and try something else.
That's part of photography too.
The rules are useful because they give you somewhere to start, but eventually you start figuring out what looks good to you.
Play with Lighting
Lighting can completely change a photo.
You can photograph the exact same place at noon and again around sunset and end up with two completely different images.
Golden hour, which happens shortly after sunrise and before sunset, is popular for a reason. The light is usually softer and warmer, and you don't have the same harsh shadows you might get in the middle of the day.
But good lighting doesn't only mean golden hour.
Cloudy days can give you really soft, even light.
If you're indoors, look for windows. Natural window light can work really well for portraits because you can use the direction of the light to create highlights and shadows without needing a complicated lighting setup.
I've learned to pay more attention to where the light is coming from instead of only thinking about whether there is enough light.
Sometimes moving yourself or your subject just a few feet can make a much bigger difference than changing a camera setting.
Get to Know Your Subjects
When you're photographing people, your camera settings are only part of the job.
You also have to make the person in front of the camera comfortable.
Not everyone naturally knows what to do when someone points a camera at them. Some people immediately become awkward or start thinking too much about how they're standing.
That's normal.
Talk to them.
Give them some direction.
And sometimes, instead of trying to force a perfect pose, just keep shooting while they're moving or talking.
Those more natural moments can end up being some of the better photos.
The same idea applies when you're photographing places, landscapes, or anything else.
Don't automatically take the photo from wherever you happen to be standing.
Walk around.
Try a lower angle.
Move farther back.
Get closer.
Sometimes the best angle isn't the first one you see.
Invest Time in Post-Processing
Editing is a big part of my photography process, but I don't think the goal should be to completely change every photo.
For me, editing is more about finishing what I started in the camera.
Programs like Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop give you a lot of control over exposure, white balance, shadows, highlights, colors, cropping, and other parts of the image.
But you don't have to move every slider just because it's there.
Start simple.
Fix the exposure if it needs it.
Check the white balance.
Adjust the highlights and shadows.
Crop the photo if something around the edge is distracting.
Then see what the photo actually needs.
I would rather have an edit that looks clean and intentional than push everything so far that the image doesn't look natural anymore.
And just like taking photos, editing gets easier the more you do it.
Eventually, you start developing your own preferences and figuring out what you want your photos to look like.
Practice, Practice, Practice
This is probably the most obvious advice on the list, but it's also probably the most important.
You have to actually use your camera.
You can watch tutorials, read about photography, and learn every setting, but at some point you need to go outside and take photos.
And it doesn't always need to be a planned photoshoot.
Take your camera when you're traveling.
Walk around downtown.
Go to a park.
Photograph your pets.
Try taking photos around your own neighborhood.
Give yourself something specific to work on too.
Maybe one day you focus on composition.
Another day, try shooting at night.
Try street photography if you normally shoot portraits.
Try portraits if you normally photograph landscapes.
Not every photo needs to be good.
You're practicing.
Some of my favorite learning moments have come from looking at a photo afterward and realizing exactly what I should have done differently.
Then the next time I'm in a similar situation, I remember it.
Analyze and Learn from Others
Looking at other photographers' work can teach you a lot.
And I don't mean copying everything someone else does.
When I see a photo I really like, I think it's useful to actually look at why I like it.
Is it the lighting?
The colors?
The composition?
The pose?
Maybe it's how the photographer used shadows or how they framed the subject.
Instagram, Pinterest, photography websites, books, and even movies can all give you ideas.
Save photos that catch your attention and look for patterns in what you keep saving.
Over time, you might realize that you're consistently drawn to a certain editing style, type of lighting, focal length, or composition.
That's useful because it helps you understand your own photography too.
Use other people's work for inspiration, but then figure out how to make those ideas your own.
Stay Inspired
There are definitely times when I don't feel like taking photos.
I think that's pretty normal.
You don't need to constantly be creating something just because photography is something you enjoy.
Sometimes taking a break actually helps.
Travel usually gives me new things to photograph, but inspiration can come from pretty much anywhere. It could be a new location, a different type of photography, another photographer's work, a movie, music, or just seeing interesting light somewhere.
I also think trying something different helps when photography starts feeling repetitive.
Use a lens you haven't used in a while.
Shoot somewhere new.
Try a different style.
Give yourself a small project.
You don't always need some huge creative idea.
Sometimes you just need something that makes you want to pick the camera up again.
Embrace Your Photography Journey
I don't think photography is something you ever completely finish learning.
I'm still learning too.
There is always another technique to try, another type of lighting to figure out, or something I look back at and realize I would photograph differently today.
And I actually think that's one of the things I enjoy about it.
You don't need the most expensive camera.
You don't need to know every technical term.
And you definitely don't need every photo you take to be perfect.
Learn how your camera works.
Pay attention to your composition and lighting.
Edit your photos with a purpose.
Look at other people's work.
Most importantly, keep taking pictures.
Over time, you'll start noticing things that you didn't notice before. You'll get faster at choosing your settings, you'll start developing your own style, and you'll probably look back at some of your older photos and see how much has changed.
That's part of the process.
I'm still figuring things out every time I pick up my camera, and honestly, I don't think I'd want that to stop.
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