Top 10 Photo Tips for the Non-Pro Photographer

For over 20 years I’ve been photographing public relations, marketing and alumni events, and I’ve taken a lot of shots I’m proud of. But I took many more terrible photos never made it to print or web. As they say, practice makes perfect, or in my case, I know plenty of ways NOT to take a good picture.

So after years of trial and (a lot of) error, I’ve come up with my top 10 photo tips for the non-professional. Following these guidelines has saved me lots of time and disk space (and the shame of terrible photos).

1. How to take a decent group shot.

I’ll start with a basic group shot. Whether you’re taking a photo at a family event or a formal ceremony, you’ll need to gather the subjects so that everyone can be seen. Here are a few basic rules of thumb that I use:

Assess what the picture is for. If it is for a news release, an announcement, awards, or a magazine article, I will arrange by height and make it a little more formal so it’s easy to ID. Usually taller in the center works, and all subjects have either hands at their sides or in the front. Doesn’t matter which, just as long as it’s uniform.

Sometimes you have to take an impromptu group shot. I took this photo right before the music director and his choral ensemble performed. I didn’t have much time, so I didn’t worry too much about height distribution. I just asked everyone to come together and look at me, and I snapped a few so they could start their concert. I put it this shot on our Instagram and I also took a video of one of their songs - it got tons of likes.

Here’s a really informal group shot of members of the football team as they were helping freshmen to unpack on move-in day. I just asked them if I could take their picture and they did this on their own!

2. Tell a story.

Group shots are great, but if you really want to tell a story, get a candid shot of the event.

Wilkes University recently hosted a lecture by Jake Wood, the CEO and founder of Team Rubicon, an organization that enlists veterans to help with disaster relief. Mr. Wood was so incredibly gracious and patient with our students - here is a shot I took before the lecture of Mr. Wood chatting with our Air Force ROTC cadets. I also took a large group shot later, but this photo really gives a good representation of the event.

3. Crop it like it’s hot.

I took this photo at a recent alumni event, and it really gives a feeling of fun and excitement…

...but by cropping the photo to emphasize just the boy painting pumpkins, it makes the photo so much more impactful.

4. Freeze frame.

After you take a photo, it’s a good idea to pause and look closely to see exactly what’s in the frame.

In this photo of graduates, at first I didn’t realize that a pole was sticking out of one of the girls’ mortarboards, someone was walking their dog behind the group, where there were also random balloons. So…

...I decided to reframe the shot. I asked the grads to move over a few steps, and one of them said, “would you like us to hold the balloons?” Who ever said no to that question? The second shot is much better.

5. How to take a decent portrait.

It’s always good to have some portrait skills. If you’ve got portrait mode on your phone, use it - it creates depth of field in a snap (that’s the blurry background effect). But if not, that’s ok you can still get a really good shot with the correct lighting. I try to find a good light source, and luckily, today’s phones really work well in low light. Try a couple of different angles with your subject - it’s more interesting than just straight-on.

Tip: whenever you take a photo of someone for your social media channels, ask for their handle and if you can tag them. It can really boost engagement for your post.

6. Go full tilt.

I always experiment with tilting my camera one way or another to add a little pop and excitement to an otherwise regular photo.

Tilting your camera works especially well with events.

7. Take tons of shots.

One of the most important tips is to take a bunch of photos. If you have storage issues, you can always delete the ones you don’t use after the event.

I came across this beautiful family after graduate commencement - it was perfect except the girl closed her eyes…

The fifth one was the charm. So cute!

8. Go for all the feels...

I love emotion. There are so many opportunities to take photos that span all the feels, but it’s also important not to ‘ruin the moment’ by intruding.

I took this shot on move-in day, right as the dad was saying goodbye to his son. After I took the shot, I made sure that they knew I took their photo. Then I stopped crying.

9. Up high, down low…

Another way to make an interesting shot is to take it from the angle of the action.

Either at eye level…

...ground level…

...or above. It gives the feeling that the viewer is there too.

10. Expect the unexpected.

I always bring my phone ready to take a shot. You never know when you’ll find something cool.

This was a gorgeous spring day and these flowers were in perfect bloom. I got in really close and the three students just happened to be walking by. Perfect! This was one of the most popular photos on instagram for the year.

BONUS: It’s ok to be the director.

You don’t always have to take a photo ‘as it happens in real life.’ It’s still real! I’m an introvert, so when I first started taking photos, it was hard for me to speak up and give direction for my shots. I learned over the years that your subjects are usually willing to help, and you’ll thank yourself later because you can never go back and recreate something that is happening in the moment. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked up to someone and said, “can you do exactly what you just did, just pretend I’m not here?” It only takes a few seconds and you’ll get a fantastic shot.

Have photo suggestions of your own? Leave a comment and share your expertise!