Summertime is always a huge photo opportunity.

Family, friends, parties, reunions and more.

Time to take out your mobile phone and get snapping.

Photography may not seem complicated to the mobile phone user, however, there are simple pointers that can help you take and look better in pictures. I've compiled a few easy ways of making your pictures look terrific.

Of course, there's always the option to hire a professional photographer but that's a topic for another article!

😎 Light is everything.

• Arrange for the light to be on either shoulder to a 90-degree angle

• No light in the back or front (make squinty eyes)

• The front light is OK if it's filtered

• Use light/bright surfaces to reflect light in front of your subject

• What you use as a reflector will change the color of what you are shooting

Get familiar with your camera or phone

• Unless you are comfortable using all manual settings to manage ISOs, aperture, and shutter speed you can use the automatic settings for sun, shade, clouds, action, etc.

🥸 Shooting better selfies

• Please, no cutesy pouting (you'll get wrinkles on your lips later in life)

• Shoot from straight on or above (avoid above so high you fall backward)

It’s OK...

• Not to smile

• Not to look at the camera

• Not to stand in a soldier line

🤪 It’s great to...

• Be natural

• Pose in comfortable, angled positions

• Offset your subject, no need to always center the image

• Put the cocktail glass down and take off the name tag

Definitions:

• ISO Measures the sensitivity of the image sensor to light.

• Shutter speed (click time) determines the amount of light that reaches the sensor.

• Aperture is the opening of a lens through which light passes.

Enjoy your experience.

Linda