10 top photography tips from influencers in the know

Whether you’re more the iPhone photographer type or are one to carry a DLSR camera with an array of lenses – there’s always more tips to be learnt when it comes to the art of taking an Insta-worthy snap. Which is exactly why we decided to round out 10 of the top tricks and tips from influencers around the world that will have you upping your photography game in no time…

1. Renan Ozturk – @renan_ozturk
“My biggest travel photography tip is something really simple, which is just to shoot in the good light, sunset or sunrise. It also extends into the pre-sunrise and post-sunset. Stay out a little longer than most people, that will give you better photos and will help you beat the crowd for your food and your photos.” – Travel + Liesure

2. Tun Shin Cchang – @tschang
“Some photoshoots would require more deliberations while others could be spontaneous. I sometimes surprise myself that those taken without much thinking turn out to be quite good.” – The Independent

3. Nicolee Drake – @cucinadigitale
“Don’t worry about cramming as much as you can into the frame, negative space is really important — I often see people that have too much stuff in their photographs. It’s distracting. Negative space in a picture can draw your eye to the subject that matters most, like this image of monkeys in Japan.” – Moneyish

Renan Ozturk — Image credit: @renan_ozturk

4. Kirsten Alana – @kirstenalana
“I am currently using ProCamera as my go-to app for actually taking photos on my iPhone, meanwhile I edit in VSCOcam, Snapseed, Afterlight, KitCam, or Filterstorm. Instagram is my favourite social sharing app, the Hipstamatic ‘Foodie Snap Pack’ is my favourite way to capture dining experiences as I travel, Over is my favourite way to add text to photos, and I love Vine for short videos.” – The Huffington Post

5. Chelsea Yamase – @chelseakauai
“I think the best photos evoke a sense of place and let you get lost in a particular moment; vacation photos are no exception, the three rules I use: lighting, composition, and connection. Get low or high, and take a few from each spot. A breeze, a slight change of angle or posture can make a big difference. You can always go back through and delete the ones you don’t like.” – Travel + Liesure

6. Tommy Clarke – @tommy.clarke
“Draw two equally spaced lines down the vertical axis and two across the horizontal axis, like a noughts and crosses board. Where those imaginary lines cross you’ll get four points. When you’re framing a picture, you should always try to put something of interest on one or more of those points. If you place things off centre, not bang in the middle of the picture, it massively helps the aesthetics and naturally draws the eye into the photo.” – The Independent

Nicolee Drake — Image credit: @cucinadigitale

7. Brian Mynear – @bryanminear
“A lot of my style is derived from years of trial and error—a lot of terrible edits and over-edits. After a while, you start to understand that the more subdued and subtle you are, the better it gets. I try to inject as much of my vision as possible into my shots, making them completely unique to me without overdoing it. Believe me, I still overdue it at times, but the important thing is to be continually learning and evolving. Photoshop has a lovely opacity slider that I utilise frequently to dial back something after-the-fact.” – Resource Mag

8. Elisabeth Brentano – @elisabethontheroad
“If you want to come home with a truly memorable photo, treat it like a piece of art and take your time. Don’t be afraid to come back again and try for better light, if you have that option. You can still shoot the same spots as everyone else, but try to put your own creative spin on it, whether you’re shooting or editing.” – Travel + Leisure

9. Mel Vandersluis – @mvandersluis
“To get the best light on a subject, make sure you shoot in the same direction as the light and not against it.” [This is to stop your subject looking dark]. She also suggest the use of a tripod: “The less light you have the more prone to grain and blur you’ll be. By using a tripod you eliminate any movement, allowing the camera to take in more light by leaving the shutter open longer.” – Teen Vogue

10. Rosanna & Winston – @glamdapper
“As far as photography tips go, we have a simple approach. Start with your phone and eventually graduate into a mirrorless or DSLR, whichever you like most. We like the mirrorless for its portability. After you are getting paid campaigns, or if you can afford it, hire a photographer. But the main thing is CONTENT and CREATIVITY. Trust us, some of our best-paid campaigns and travel related content have been shot on an iPhone 7 Plus.” – Real Clever