One tip from a Nationwide Geographic photographer completely modified the best way I take photos of nature on my cellphone

• I requested Nationwide Geographic photographer Kiliii Yüyan find out how to take higher images on my cellphone.
• Yüyan gave me a tip on find out how to take images of pure landscapes that stand out from the remaining.
• Discover a foreground topic and body your shot to point out the surroundings within the distance, he mentioned.

These days, individuals are “drowning in images,” Nationwide Geographic photographer Kiliii Yüyan advised Insider. However there are methods to make yours stand out — even in case you’re simply capturing in your cellphone.

I like taking photos a lot that I went to highschool for it. And after almost a decade of studying and capturing with intricate movie and digital cameras, I work as a journey reporter. I take 4 journeys a 12 months the place my work revolves round documenting the locations I am visiting whereas experiencing them. So I assumed it was about time to study my smallest, most nimble digital camera — my cellphone.

Similar to at school, I needed to study from a professional. So I turned to Yüyan, who tells visible tales about how totally different cultures relate to the setting, from the Amazon to the Arctic seas. He gave me 4 helpful ideas for taking higher photos with my cellphone, and one in all them made me take into consideration photographing nature in a complete new means.

Put one thing within the foreground

On the subject of making cellphone images stand out, Yüyan mentioned pure landscapes are particularly difficult since they have been photographed a lot. His greatest recommendation is to discover a good foreground topic. 

“Nice backgrounds, corresponding to mountains or waterfalls, are simple to search out as a result of we’re at all times in search of them,” Yüyan mentioned. “However, an excellent foreground topic, corresponding to blooming wildflowers or a craggy tree, will be a lot tougher to search out in the suitable location.”

Yüyan really useful trying to find a foreground topic and framing your shot so you possibly can see the surroundings within the distance. 

“It will give your photographs depth, intimacy, and make your images distinctive,” he mentioned.

I had by no means thought of foreground on this means earlier than, however his tip jogged my memory of after I photographed a seashore throughout the road from mountains in Santa Cruz, California. I began by photographing the seashore from the shore. I assumed the mountains appeared good, however there was a lot sand that I assumed the underside half of my picture appeared boring. 

So I took my cellphone throughout some ocean rocks and into the tide swimming pools. I assumed the rocks and reflecting water spruced up my foreground by giving my picture extra layers. To me, this made my picture really feel extra dynamic.

I additionally thought of a time I took some images on my cellphone throughout a hike in Prescott, Arizona. Once I first arrived on the Watson Lake car parking zone for my hike, I assumed it appeared beautiful with rock formations I hadn’t seen earlier than. So I used to be stunned when I discovered that photographing the scene from the lot did not appear to do it justice. 

However as soon as I immersed myself within the panorama by climbing the paths, I discovered foreground topics corresponding to shrubs that higher framed the lake scene. I assumed the inclusion of those parts within the second picture gave a greater sense of what it was actually wish to be there as a result of it had extra layers exhibiting what truly surrounds the lake.

Some photographs in my digital camera roll already appeared to assist Yüyan’s tip, however the photographer helped me determine what makes sure photos stronger than others. I will go into my subsequent outside journey feeling extra impressed to shoot from my cellphone and scout for attention-grabbing foregrounds.