Taking better photos
A short checklist of things I keep in mind to help my photos look better.
Settings
White balance: Set it, then trust it. Different light has different color temperature (daylight, shade, tungsten, fluorescent). If you set white balance correctly for the scene, the camera’s color science will usually beat manual correction later. Camera makers tune their profiles for real-world light. Use a preset or custom white balance and trust the colors out of the camera.
Exposure: Dial it down a bit. Slightly underexposing (around −0.3 to −0.7 EV) helps avoid blown highlights and adds contrast so images don’t look flat. It’s a good default in bright or mixed light. You keep shadow detail in RAW while giving the photo more punch.
Composition
Fill the frame. Get closer (or zoom in) so the subject occupies a real share of the image. Empty edges dilute the shot. A filled frame directs the eye and feels deliberate.
Layering and foreground blur. Put something in the foreground (a branch, a window frame, grass) and let it go soft. That separation between sharp subject and blurred layers adds depth and makes the image feel less two-dimensional.
Shoot near the window. Window light is soft, directional, and flattering. A lot of strong lifestyle and portrait work leans on “next to the window” as a default. Use it for people, objects, and flat lays.
Flat lays, straight and top-down. For still lifes (food, products, desk setups), shoot from directly above with the camera parallel to the surface. Clean, straight flat lays read as intentional and work well for social and product shots.
Fancy light, bleeds and fog. When light spills across a surface, catches dust, or mixes with fog or mist, it adds atmosphere. Those moments are worth chasing: early morning fog, light through blinds, or backlight through a curtain. The scene does the work. You just have to notice and frame it.
Capture action. A moment in motion (someone mid-step, a hand reaching, water splashing) often beats a static pose. Anticipate the peak moment and shoot there. It gives the image a sense of life and story.
Most of what I’ve learned about photography is from Elena Bazu’s YouTube and Dimitri Novikoff on X.
Sparsh Paliwal · Feb 2026