Framing better photographs starts long before the shutter clicks. It begins with how we move through the world — how we look, pause, and pay attention. Photography is as much about seeing as it is about capturing. These five tips are for anyone who wants to train their eye, slow down, and begin noticing the extraordinary in the everyday.
1. Practice Looking Without Your Camera
Make it a habit to observe scenes without the intention of taking a photo. Sit on the bus, in a café, or on a bench, and study the light, shapes, and expressions around you. Frame moments in your mind as if your eyes were the lens. Ask yourself: Would I photograph this? Why? Over time, this quiet observation sharpens your intuition and trains your eye to anticipate beauty.
2. Pay Attention to the Edges
We tend to focus on the subject — the person, the mountain, the moment — but what often makes a frame powerful is everything around it. Start noticing the background, the corners, and the negative space. Good composition lives in the entire frame, not just the center.
3. Chase the Light
Watch how light shifts throughout the day. Notice how it filters through windows, reflects off buildings, or wraps around a face. Try stepping outside at different hours just to see how your surroundings change. Light is photography’s most essential ingredient — the better you understand it, the stronger your images will be.
4. Walk Without a Plan
Leave your camera at home or in your bag and go for a walk without a destination. Let your curiosity guide you. Notice textures, colors, shadows, and interactions. When you remove the pressure to “get a shot,” you allow yourself to see more honestly — and you often find what you weren’t looking for.
5. Slow Down
Photography isn’t about speed — it’s about presence. Whether you’re traveling or in your daily routine, resist the urge to capture everything. Instead, choose to engage deeply with one moment. One gesture. One scene. Slowing down creates space for your perspective to take shape.
Closing thought:
Noticing is a skill — one you can nurture over time. The more you learn to see, the more meaningful your photography becomes. And sometimes, the best images aren’t the ones you take, but the ones that teach you how to look.
MELISSA MARTINSEN 