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5 Simple Tips How to Take Better Pictures

Dynamic tension in Cindy’s hand. Also dynamic curve in background. Low perspective composition. Saigon, 2017
Dynamic tension in Cindy’s hand. Also dynamic curve in background.

Simple principles on how to make better pictures:

HAPTIC INDUSTRIES: Creative Tools to Empower Your Photographic Vision >

1. Look at the background, then your subject.

To take better pictures, first look at the background before your subject.

For example, let’s say you have a subject you’re trying to make a nice picture of. In my case, that is my partner Cindy.

Before I take a picture of her, I look at the background and I ask myself,

How can I integrate and incorporate the background is a visually interesting way, to make a more compelling and dynamic picture?

For example, I was walking with Cindy in the streets of Saigon, and I saw this interesting shaped building in the background. I asked if I could make a portrait of her there, and I crouched down very low, used a flash in “P” (Program mode) on my RICOH GR II, and integrated both her hand gesture (the hand gesture was her idea) and the interesting background:

Assignment 1: Simplify your background/crouch down

Before taking a picture of your subject, pause, and look at the background. Ask yourself,

How can I integrate the background to make a more compelling image?

As a general assignment, try to CROUCH DOWN low, to get a more dynamic angle and perspective. This also helps make a more simple background.

2. Don’t center your subjects

Cindy on escalator. Kyoto, 2017
Cindy on escalator. Kyoto, 2017

To make a more dynamic composition with your subject, don’t put them smack dab in the middle. Rather, try to place them off-center, a little to the right or the left. Ideally, look at the EDGES of the frame, to get leading lines to point directly to your subject.

Assignment 2: Place your subject off-center

Portrait of Cindy at Traveling Coffee. Kyoto, 2027
Portrait of Cindy at Traveling Coffee. Kyoto, 2017

For this assignment, try to make picture of someone, but without centering them in the middle of the frame.

Put them a little off to the left or the right, and try to get them to do a hand gesture to fill more of the frame.

Also, make sure to keep the background of the frame simple, and no distracting people or figures in the frame.

Note that this technique works best when you only have 1 person in the frame.

Woman going down escalator and flash. Tokyo, 2017
Off center composition of woman on far right of the frame.

This technique also works in street photography, with the subject placed off-center.

Simplified illustration of off-center street photography composition.
Simplified illustration of off-center street photography composition.

3. “The cherry on top”

When judging and choosing my pictures after the fact, I always look for a “cherry on top”— a small detail which I like, which adds drama and interest to the picture. In this picture of Cindy, it is the kiss in the mirror, on top of her eye:

Cindy with elbows flared outwards.
Selfie with Cindy in mirror, with kiss on her eye.

Assignment 3: Look for the “cherry on top”

A closeup shot of Cindy’s lipstick on the mirror.

When you’re making pictures, you don’t alwsys see the cherry on top. Often, you discover it afterwards, once you go home.

My suggestion: When you’re photographing your subject, simply pause— look around, and ask yourself:

What is the one detail I want to highlight about this person or scene? What is the one element which will allow this picture to “pop”?

4. Tilt your camera

NYC, 2017 #cindyproject
NYC, 2017 #cindyproject. Shot on RICOH GR II, tilted.

For an entire day, don’t keep the horizon of your camera straight and symmetrical. Aim for asymmetry — non-symmetry, which makes for more dynamic compositions.

Golden Triangle x Annette Kim
GOLDEN TRIANGLE composition guide: A good reminder to not just shoot the boring “rule of thirds”— better to tilt your camera.
Cindy by water. Madison, Wisconsin.
Tilting the horizon to make a more dynamic portrait of Cindy.

Assignment 4: No straight pictures

For this assignment, spend an entire day only tilting your camera.

Dancing suits. Tokyo, 2017
Dancing suits. Tokyo, 2017. Tilted camera, on the ground.

See how dynamic you can make your pictures, by tilting all the lines in your pictures to make them more diagonal:

Man walking up stairs, and looking nack. Dynamic diagonal lines and composition. Tokyo, 2017
Tilted picture of man walking up stairs.
Diagonal lines outlined.
Tilted street photograph in Tokyo, of a triangle composition (man in bottom left, man on top right, and advertisement in top left)

Also note, you can do simple tilted pictures. For example, photograph visual and graphical elements, while tilting your camera:

A picture of myself holding an umbrella. I shot this with my RICOH GR II while tilting my camera, to accentuate the diagonal lines in this picture.
Tilted camera to make a diagonal. A photo of my hand, umbrella, and yellow lines on the ground.

5. Honor thy selfie

Selfie with RICOH GR II. Saigon, 2017
Selfie with RICOH GR II. Saigon, 2017

Don’t just take pictures of others, take pictures of yourself.

The best way to become a better, more confident, and bold photogrspher is to feel comfortable photographing yourself.

Or in other words,

Honor thy selfie.

White ERIC KIM FACE. Selfie, Saigon 2017
White ERIC KIM FACE. Selfie, Saigon 2017

The more comfortable you are photographing yourself, the more comfortable you will to photograph others. Why? You will overcome your own self-consciousness, feel more confidence in photographing yourself, and therefore transmit that confidence to your subjects:

Saigon selfie. 2017.
Saigon selfie. 2017.
Selfie in Kyoto with Necus 6P and HDR+. Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
Selfie in Kyoto with Necus 6P and HDR+. Processed with VSCO with a6 preset

Shoot selfies everywhere. In the bathroom. In the streets with broken glass reflections, mirrors, and shadows.

ERIC KIM SELFIE in broken mirror. Kyoto, 2017.
ERIC KIM SELFIE in broken mirror. Kyoto, 2017.
Selfie in Uji, Kyoto 2017
Selfie in Uji, Kyoto 2017

To take selfies is to keep your eye sharp, and also document yourself, and your own mortality (photography memento mori).

ERICKIM x ERICKIMSTRAP
ERICKIM x RICOH GR II x ERICKIMSTRAP
ERICKIM x RICOH GR II x ERICKIMSTRAP
Selfie near my Berkeley apartment. Trix pushed to 1600.
Selfie near my Berkeley apartment. Trix pushed to 1600.
Selfie with Ricoh GR II
eric kim street photography portrait
Dalat, 2016. Selfie with Olympus Pen F.

Assignment 5: Shoot a selfie of yourself, everyday, for a week.

Selfie in the mirror. Saigon, 2017
Selfie in the mirror. Saigon, 2017

You are the best subject. Photograph your own shadow, reflection, and face. Use the front facing camera, the back camera, and any camera. Use your “normal” digital camera, use your phone, and the purpose is to build more self-confidence of your own face, and image.

Selfie with Cindy in car. Berkeley, 2016.
Selfie with Cindy in car. Berkeley, 2016.

Once you honor your selfie, you will be able to honor your subjects.

BE STRONG,
ERIC

HAPTIC INDUSTRIES: Creative Tools to Empower Your Photographic Vision >

Photography 101

Seoul, 2009

Dear friend,

If you’re new to photography, start here:

  1. Free Photography Bootcamp
  2. The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Photography
  3. 100 Photography Tips for Beginners

Color Photography 101

  • The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Color Photography
  • Opponent Process Color Theory For Photographers
  • Color Theory For Photographers

New Photography Articles

Mad men. NYC, 2017. Pentax 645Z

  • 10 Tips How to Shoot Better Architecture Photography
  • 7 Reasons Why I Love Digital Medium-Format Photography
  • My Experience Shooting Digital Medium Format in Street Photography
  • My Experience Shooting my Friend’s Wedding on Digital Medium Format

Photography Philosophy

Cindy white face. Saigon, 2017

  • How to Delete Your Pictures
  • Your Camera is a Blessing
  • Reality vs. Perception in Photography

Photography Inspiration

  • How to Become a Self-Confident Photographer
  • The Spirit of Becoming a Photographer
  • How to Make Better Pictures
  • 10 Tips How to Take Better Photos of People
  • How to Avoid Boredom in Photography
  • How to Master Photography
  • A Photographer’s Guide to Seeing
  • PRETENTIOUS PHOTOGRAPHY
  • Photography Energy Management
  • How to Unlock Your Potential in Photography
  • There Are No Good or Bad Photos
  • The 5 Minute Photographer
  • A-Z: PHOTOGRAPHY DICTIONARY by ERIC KIM
  • Why I Want to Be a Photography Newbie Forever
  • PHOTOGRAPHY FLUX.
  • 10 Creative Photography Assignments to Re-Inspire You
  • 50 Photography Tips by ERIC KIM

The Fundamentals of Photography

  • Make Simple Pictures
  • The Art of Reading a Picture
  • How to Choose Your Best Photos
  • GET CLOSER.
  • Keep or Ditch?
  • What Makes a Good Photo?
  • Why Photography?
  • Everyone is a Photographer
  • How to take better pictures
  • How to take better selfies
  • How to Paint With Light
  • Why Bokeh is Overrated

Photography Equipment »

  • What is the Perfect Camera For You?
  • What to Consider When Buying a Camera
  • More Megapixels, More Problems

How to Take Better Photos »

  • How to Take Better Photos
  • How to Capture Emotion in Your Photos
  • How to Create a “Curiosity Gap” in Your Photos

Composition Lessons »

  • Composition Lesson #1: Triangles
  • Composition Lesson #2: Figure-to-ground
  • Composition Lesson #3: Diagonals

Photography Assignments »

  • 40 Practical Photography Assignments
  • 15 Street Photography Assignments
  • 25 Photography New Year’s Resolutions

Contact Sheets »

laughing lady contact sheet NYC eric kim

  • Street Photography Contact Sheets
  • Street Photography Contact Sheets Volume II
  • Debunking the “Myth of the Decisive Moment”

Editing (Image Selection) »

eric kim laughing lady nyc

  • How to Choose Your Best Photos
  • Be Your Own Harshest Critic
  • Nobody Wants to Look at Your Photos

Creativity »

eric kim Cindy project reflection flash

  • The Beauty of “Creative Constraints”
  • Beginner’s Mind
  • Follow Your Intuition

Motivation »

eric kim portrait by Cindy nguyen

  • Each Photo You Take is an “Attempt”
  • How to Overcome Photographer’s Block
  • Why Do You Need “Inspiration” to Shoot?

Post-Processing

dark skies over Tokyo eric kim

  • How to Edit Your Photos
  • Grain is Beautiful
  • Are Filters “Cheating” in Photography?
  • Video: Introduction to Editing, Processing, and Workflow in Lightroom

How to Create a Body of Work

AMERICA - ERIC KIM16 eric kim woman popsicle

  • Don’t Work on Too Many Projects

Technical Photography Settings

eric kim mom glasses

  • DSLR Photography 101

Learn From the Masters of Photography

MASTERS PROTOTYPE by HAPTIC

“He without a past has no future.”

Start here:

  1. Why Study the Masters of Photography?
  2. Great Female Master Photographers
  3. Cheat Sheet of the Masters of Photography
  4. 100 Lessons From the Masters of Street Photography
  5. Beginner’s Guide to the Masters of Street Photography
  6. Download All Articles >

The Masters of Photography

Prague, 1968. Josef Koudelka / Magnum Photos
Prague, 1968. Josef Koudelka / Magnum Photos

Classics never die:

  • Alfred Stieglitz
  • Alec Soth
  • Alex Webb
  • Alexey Brodovitch
  • Anders Petersen
  • Andre Kertesz
  • Ansel Adams
  • Araki
  • Blake Andrews
  • Bruce Davidson
  • Bruce Gilden
  • Constantine Manos
  • Daido Moriyama
  • Dan Winters
  • David Alan Harvey
  • David Hurn
  • Diane Arbus
  • Dorothea Lange
  • Elliott Erwitt
  • Eugene Atget
  • Eugene Smith
  • Fan Ho
  • Garry Winogrand
  • Gordon Parks
  • Helen Levitt
  • Henri Cartier-Bresson
  • Irving Penn
  • Jacob Aue Sobol
  • Jeff Mermelstein
  • Joel Meyerowitz
  • Joel Sternfeld
  • Josef Koudelka / Part 2
  • Josh White
  • Lee Friedlander
  • Lisette Model
  • Magnum Contact Sheets
  • Magnum Photographers
  • Mark Cohen
  • Martin Parr
  • Martine Franck
  • Mary Ellen Mark
  • Rene Burri
  • Richard Avedon
  • Richard Kalvar
  • Robert Capa
  • Robert Frank
  • Saul Leiter
  • Sergio Larrain
  • Sebastião Salgado
  • Shomei Tomatsu
  • Stephen Shore
  • The History of Street Photography
  • Todd Hido
  • Tony Ray-Jones
  • Trent Parke
  • Vivian Maier
  • Walker Evans
  • Weegee
  • William Eggleston
  • William Klein
  • Zoe Strauss

ERIC KIM WORKSHOPS

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Unleash your creative potential:

2021:

  • April 10-11th, 2021: BOSTON / Discover Your Unique Voice in Photography Workshop [Register Intent Here]
  • May 1-2nd, 2021: CHICAGO / Street Photography Composition Masterclass [Register Intent Here]
  • May 22-22nd, 2021: NEW YORK CITY / STREET PHOTOGRAPHY MASTERCLASS by ERIC KIM [Register Intent Here]

Be notified of when new workshops are live here.


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