With the invention of smartphones, taking photos has become something so easy and accessible for all. You no longer need a fancy camera or extensive knowledge of editing to produce quality photos for sharing on social media.

Here are a few things to keep in mind as you navigate using your mobile device to take photos at your school or department:

1. Use the built-in grid lines to balance your photo. In your smartphone’s camera settings, turn on the gridlines and remember the “rule of thirds” when snapping photos. This rule tells you to place your subject in any of the spots where the vertical and horizontal lines cross in order to keep your photo more balanced.
2. Focus on one subject if you can. We know that life is busy on a school campus and that there are often be many moving pieces you are trying to capture in a single photo. Try to focus on one aspect at a time to make storytelling easier.
3. Embrace negative space. It’s okay to have a lot of space between or around your photo subject. Often this will make your subject stand out more.
4. Find a different perspective before you take the shot. Think about taking your photo from a unique angle. An example of this could be simply taking a photo from above a student sitting at their desk to capture something they are working on.
5. Avoid zooming in. If you are farther away from a subject than you’d like, don’t be tempted to zoom in with your camera app. Instead, take the photo and crop it after the fact.
6. Use natural light as much as possible. Open the blinds and let the light in instead of reverting to your camera’s flash. Natural light is much more flattering than taking a photo with the flash turned on.
7. Get creative and have fun!