Better Photos
From beginners to pros, I'm taking you from photography basics to creative challenges to find your unique passion for photography.
Better Photos
12 | Why Do My Photos Feel Flat? 3 Easy Ways to Fix Composition Without Buying Anything New
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Photography often falls flat not because of equipment limitations, but due to composition choices that lack depth and visual interest. We're exploring three simple, no-cost techniques to transform ordinary photos into captivating images with professional-level depth and storytelling ability.
• Use foreground elements like grass, branches, or architectural features to instantly create depth and transform flat images into three-dimensional scenes
• Change your perspective by getting low, standing higher, or finding unusual angles to make ordinary moments look extraordinary
• Create frames within frames using doorways, windows, arches, or even people's arms to guide viewers' eyes directly to your subject
• Try photographing the same subject three different ways: with foreground layering, from a new angle, and using natural framing
• These techniques work for all photography genres and require no additional equipment purchases
Tag Brittany on Instagram with your attempts at these three composition techniques so she can see what you've created!
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Hey mama, whether or not you're trying out your camera for the very first time, or you've been doing this a while and just looking for some creative inspiration, I've got all that and more. I'm here to help you see your world differently, challenge you creatively and find your passion for photography. Welcome back to the Better Photos Podcast. So today is going to be a crazy episode. I am trying out this AI podcast creation, so me and my AI co-host are going to do this episode together. I know it's very crazy. So the app that I'm using is galaxy AI and basically they've rolled in all of these um AI platforms together image creation, video podcasting. Basically they want to be the hub for everything and um. So I am trying one of those things out today. Okay, let's get ready. Hey friends, welcome back to the Better Photos podcast. I'm Brittany, your photographer bestie, and today we're tackling something a lot of you have told me that you struggle with. You're taking photos, editing them, maybe even using presets, and they still feel a little like they're missing something.
Speaker 2:Yep, it's that feeling when you look at your image and think why doesn't this pop? Why does this feel kind of boring? Don't worry, it's not your gear, it's likely just a composition tweak away.
Speaker 1:Today we're giving you three easy ways to fix your composition and add more depth, interest and storytelling to your images without buying anything new.
Speaker 2:Let's kick it off with the first tip Use your foreground. If your photo feels flat, chances are everything is happening on one plane.
Speaker 1:Totally. Adding a foreground element instantly creates depth. I love shooting through something like tall grass, a tree branch or even like a crib rail when I'm doing a newborn session or a mobile. It brings your subject into focus while also pulling the viewer into the scene.
Speaker 2:And it can be as simple as taking one step to the side and putting something between you and your subject.
Speaker 1:You don't need anything fancy, it's like your photo goes from 2D to 3D with one little shift. So take a look at your camera roll and look for a photo that could use a little layering. Picture it with something in front.
Speaker 2:Most people shoot straight on eye level and while that works sometimes, it's not always the most dynamic. This is such a game changer.
Speaker 1:Get low and shoot up, especially with kids, or stand on a chair. I like to bring my ladder to like every session so I can get a different point of view and shoot down on a family or a baby. Different angles can turn an ordinary moment into something storytelling worthy.
Speaker 2:A slight shift in your POV can clean up your image without needing to edit out anything, and you start to see light differently too.
Speaker 1:So the next time you're at a session, challenge yourself to shoot each setup from three different angles. Maybe you're getting. I like to think of like the perspective of an ant, of something, like peering behind something and from like a bird's eye view.
Speaker 2:The third tip is one of my favorites frame within a frame. This adds instant visual interest and guides your viewer straight to the subject.
Speaker 1:Think doorways windows even a parent's arms around their child. These natural frames tell your eye exactly where to go.
Speaker 2:You don't have to overthink it At your next session. Look for shapes, an arch, a hallway, even the negative space between two people. You're creating a story just by showing where your subject exists within their environment, and it adds emotion too, like framing a newborn in their bassinet while mom is like watching them.
Speaker 1:It gives the viewer context and connection.
Speaker 2:All right. To recap, if your photos feel flat, try adding depth with a foreground. Change your perspective and frame your subject within something.
Speaker 1:Your challenge this week is to try all three. So grab your camera, your phone and photograph the same subject three times Once using foreground, once with a new angle and once using a frame and, if you try this challenge, tag Brittany on Instagram so she can see what you created. Thanks for hanging out with us today. Don't forget to hit, follow and share this episode with a friend who's trying to level up their photos, and we'll see you next time for more tips to help you make better photos. All right, bye, friends, bye.