With nearly all of us owning a smartphone, it has become easier than ever to take photos. We might wake up and notice out of the window a rather impressive early morning sky. It is then a simple case of picking up our phone, which is usually, for the majority of people, close to hand, and then taking a snap to show our friends and family later, or to share the image on social media. It could be that we are attending our child's or grandchild's birthday party. On this type of occasion, of course, there are many fantastic photo opportunities, such as the child opening their presents, being presented with the birthday cake, or playing with their friends, to name just three of many. Again, having our smartphones makes it simple to record and remember these special moments by taking a few photos at the event.
There are certain photographs that, when you view them, just feel that extra bit more special than the rest. They kind of pull at the heartstrings. I am sure you know the ones I mean.
They may well not be the best photo that you have ever taken. In fact, there may well be many flaws to them, but it is the ones you keep going back to. There is something about them that keeps drawing us in.
It is actually rather interesting in reality. With the technology that is now available to us, such as smartphones that have top-notch cameras, you would think that it is simple to take a near-perfect photo. And it kind of is. But perfect does not always translate to something magical or meaningful. These things are found in feelings and emotions.
You can't beat the natural photo. A quick snap of someone laughing when they are watching their favourite TV program, when they aren't aware you are taking the photo. The fact that you had to be quick is likely to have meant that the photo was rushed and therefore does not turn out to be the best technically. It might come out blurry, for example. But it's one that will likely be treasured, as it feels real.
One thing people sometimes do is to apologise for the photos they have taken when they take them to get them framed. “It’s not the best quality,” or “I wish I’d taken it properly.” And yet, those are often the images they care about the most. They are not choosing them because they are perfect — they are choosing them because they mean something.
And that’s really the point.
If you are trying to capture better photos — and by “better”, I don’t mean sharper or brighter — it’s worth shifting your mindset slightly. Instead of thinking about settings or angles straight away, think about what you are actually trying to capture. Is it the place? Or is it how the place felt? Is it the person? Or is it their personality?
That small shift makes a big difference.
A simple example: instead of asking someone to pose, just let them be. Take a few shots while they are talking, laughing, or even just looking away. Nine times out of ten, one of those will feel more natural than anything staged.
The same goes for timing. The moment just before or just after what you think is the “main” shot is often where the magic happens. It’s less guarded. Less forced.
And here is another thing people don’t always think about — what happens to the photo afterwards matters too.
A photo on your phone is easy to forget. It gets buried under hundreds of others, rarely looked at again. But print it, frame it, give it a place in your home… and suddenly it carries a bit more weight. You notice it. Other people notice it. It becomes part of your everyday surroundings rather than just something you scroll past.
We have seen it time and time again — someone displays a photo in a picture frame they nearly didn’t bother keeping, and it ends up being one of their favourites.
So maybe that is the takeaway.
Don’t chase perfection too much. Take the photo anyway. Keep the slightly messy ones. The unplanned ones. The ones that remind you of something, even if you can’t quite explain why.
Because in the end, those are usually the ones that matter.