CLEAN YOUR LENS
Cleaning your lens is always good practice. Think about all the surfaces your phone touches. A good shot can easily be ruined by a thumb print or crumb of sorts. Give your lens a good quick wipe before taking your next photo.

LIGHTING
The most important tip when it comes to photography is lighting. Light is what makes photography happen. Without light the quality and details of an image are often lost. Natural light is always best and highly encouraged! Anytime you have the opportunity to photograph outside, do it! If you're stuck inside, get as close to a window as you can. Make sure your subject faces the window so that the light illuminates your subject.

DIGITAL ZOOMING
No! NO! No! Digital zooming is worse case scenario when you NEED to take a picture. When you zoom in taking a photo you lose light and quality resulting in a grainy and sometimes blurry image. Use your feet to zoom. Getting closer to your subject will have a much more effective result.

PERSPECTIVE
One of my favorite things in both photography and life is perspective. How we see things. You can elevate your images with just simple adjustments to where you are without moving your subject. When working on a new photograph move around. Take a step to your right, to your left, bend down, get lower and lay on the ground, or maybe you'll get up high on a ladder or something. You'll know when you found the right angle! 

TAKE MULTIPLE SHOTS
Things happen. Don't ever take just one shot! Even if you think you got it. Switch up your angle and change your perspective! Change your settings, add filters, and try new effects. If you're working with a model be sure to capture different expressions and poses. 

HOLD STILL
Subjects and photographers can slightly move and become out of focus so easily! As the one taking the picture it is very important not to move too much and avoid causing the camera to shake. 

GRID LINES
The first quick step to up your phone photography is utilizing your cameras grid lines. Nowadays just about every phone has this setting and option. The purpose of grid lines is essentially for composition and the often discussed 'rule of thirds' which we'll get more in-depth with latter. Using grid lines you will be able to create a well balanced and framed image.

SUBJECT
Your subject variables can range from landscape photos to people portraits, family portraits, children's portraits and everything in-between. When taking a photo you need to focus on one subject. Ask yourself: what is it that I want to capture? Find the focal point that peeks your interest the most. You can find many unique photography niches, the possibilities are endless. Find something you find interesting and get started!

COMPOSITION 
Composition is an extension of grid lines, framing, and our friend- perspective. The highly encouraged and favored framing is typically the rule of thirds. Placing your subject off center to an intersecting point creates a more interesting photograph. Your eye will catch the main focal point despite not being centered directly in the middle of your image. Your audience will be more encouraged to look at the image in its entirety as there is more to look at with the rule of thirds. Composition can be different for everyone as art is all about the freedom of expression. Let your creativity guide you to what feels right when you combine composition, perspective, and grid lines.