How to take photos like a pro, even with just a cellphone

There's a common saying among photographers: 'The best camera is the one you have with you.'

While Gazette photojournalists have top-of-the-line cameras that can take 12 photos in one second and capture detail in the darkest environments, a cellphone or a point-and-shoot camera is all you need to make beautiful, storytelling images.

First thing's first: if you're using your cellphone camera, use a soft cloth to wipe the lens clean! Greasy fingerprints can make a photo look fuzzy.

Choosing your subject

What, or who, do you want to photograph? You can photograph your siblings playing, or your pets, or flowers in your garden, or anything you think is interesting.

Get down on the level of your subject. I will lay on the grass to photograph my garden, or set my camera at eye-level with my pets. This isn't the right approach all the time, but it's a good way to start.

Composition

To follow 'the rule of thirds,' divide your frame into thirds, vertically and horizontally. Place your subject where these imaginary lines intersect.

Leading lines — such as a road like in the photo above — help bring the eye into and through the image, and they can direct attention to the subject.

To capture details, get closer to your subject! Move your camera closer, or use the zoom function. Look for interesting textures, colors and shapes. At The Gazette, we look for details that help tell our readers more about the story. Look for monarch butterflies this season and photograph their life cycle.

Exposure

Your phone or point-and-shoot camera sets the exposure automatically, and it should make the photo look like the scene looks in real life. If you're using a smartphone, you might be able to change the exposure by tapping your screen and dragging your finger up (to lighten) or down (to darken). In this screengrab from my iPhone, I tapped the brightest area of the photo so my phone would know to expose that area correctly.

If it's dark outside, your camera may use a slower shutter speed, which can cause motion blur. Try this: squeeze your arms to your sides, then take a breath in. Hold your breath and take a photo, then exhale. You can also brace yourself against a wall or door frame or hold your phone on a solid surface for support.

Action

Portraits of smiling people are nice, but think about capturing the moment your sibling laughs at a joke or jumps in the air. You have to be ready for these quick moments, and you might have to take a lot of photos to get the right one.

Now it's your turn — pull out your camera and practice!