A well-known British photographer shares the secrets of taking unforgettable photos on your phone. He explains what to do, but also what to avoid when you get your hands on the camera.
Sane Seven has produced over 40 features for The Sunday Times Magazine and is one of the UK’s highly rated photographers. In his career, Sane had the opportunity to work with movie stars and from pop, rock and dance music, but also with high-profile politicians such as the former Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel.
In his opinion, photography is not so much about the value of the cameras as it is about other details. As more and more people pay a fortune for expensive cameras and then end up being disappointed by them, Sane has some advice for those who want to take successful photos. The Times published its recommendations at a time when, with the Winter Holidays, people are taking more pictures of themselves than ever before.
“I don’t get jobs because I have a good camera or special lights. It’s about what’s in your heart and how you make people feel. That’s why giving photography advice is like giving relationship advice. And photography isn’t always about how someone looks. There can be thousands of pictures of a celebrity looking the same, but if you want to capture something different, you have to earn people’s trust and convince them to try something new. Even your mom!”says the photographer.
Another tip given by the British photographer sounds like this:
“Ask yourself who the photo is for. Are you taking the picture to please the person in the picture, others or you? Even models don’t prefer the same photo of themselves that others prefer; everyone sees completely different things in their own image. Some social media posts and popular psychology accounts claim that husbands and boyfriends prefer pictures of their partners in which they look awkward or awkward, instead of ‘beautiful’ in the classic sense—because they they remember the person they fell in love with. A spontaneous photo is objectively more interesting than a “pretty” one where you pose exactly as you usually do”he says.
The most common mistakes
Many people ask their photographers to be as natural as possible. But it is not the best idea, says Sane.
“Don’t say ‘be yourself.’ It’s the most annoying thing a photographer can say. Even actors or performers don’t know what to do when told to “be yourself”. It’s important to recognize how awkward it is to stand in front of the camera and give minimal direction. Sometimes I ask people to imagine they are aliens. It’s unexpected, and then you pretend your body doesn’t belong to you and start posing in ways you wouldn’t normally. It’s a way of relaxing someone without explicitly telling them to relax.” he also states.
Today, phones are advanced, and often artificial intelligence does a good part of the job of the amateur photographer. Composition is important, Sane says, and goes on to argue.
“Today’s phones are so advanced that we don’t have to worry too much about focus and light. Much more important is how you place people in the frame. A common mistake is to put the head exactly in the center — it looks boring in a horizontal frame, and in a vertical shot the legs are cut off and there’s too much sky. The rule of thirds — placing the main subject one-third of the way from the edge of the frame — is a bit of a cliché, but it’s simply more visually pleasing. Most images in magazines use this rule and it applies to your photos as well.”
How important angles are
The next tip comes for those who photograph groups of people. In this case, he comes up with a special example from show biz – that of the band Take That, very popular at the end of the 90s.
“Don’t be afraid to move people around in a group. Sometimes groups act as if positioning is a bit of a competition, but the composition can work itself out naturally. With Take That, for example, there are three men of different heights. Howard is the tallest and always ends up in the center because it just works better. You don’t always have to do that, and if it doesn’t look good, switch between them.”says Sane.
Other tips concern the angles from which photos are taken, but also selfies.
“Change the angle. Even standing in the same place, you can completely transform an image just by changing the angle — try shooting a little above, then below. Each change changes the background and creates a completely different feeling. Take selfies from above If the camera is too low or too close, the chin, nose and forehead can appear elongated. Turning the body slightly and holding the phone a little higher elongates the figure; lift the head slightly to stretch the neck area. And if you can, use your phone’s back camera — it’s usually better than the front camera,” explains the photographer.
“I wouldn’t have asked Angela Merkel to pretend to be an alien”
Paradoxically, often the photos chosen by professionals are not necessarily the closest to perfection. “Less is more The more pictures you take, the less value they have. For magazines, sometimes I have to do more because I don’t know what the editor will choose, but funnily enough, often the photo chosen is the very first one. When you take 20 identical pictures with your phone, you stop looking at them — there are too many to choose from, so they stay there. Remember the days of film photography, when you came back from vacation with just one picture. Maybe someone had their eyes closed, but if it’s the only photo there is, it becomes special”he adds.
Sane also explains how important it is for the photographer to adapt to the person or people they are photographing. Here he gives the example of Angela Merkel, the former chancellor of Germany for whom he did a photo shoot.
“Adapt yourself to the person you’re photographing. I wouldn’t have asked Angela Merkel to pretend to be an alien. With someone more sober you have to match her energy. I put on music that I knew she liked when she was younger to relax. But I like to be playful in photo shoots, to act like a little monkey. If someone sees that you’re vulnerable, they’ll respond the same way. Why do people allow photographers take pictures? Because they hope that something interesting will come out, that you will capture something real”, completes Sane.
Trivial, but decisive errors
The last tips of the Brit refer to frequent errors, seemingly trivial, but which can ruin a photo.
“Be careful with portrait mode. Sometimes a phone is better than a professional camera. But don’t forget to switch modes — portrait mode can make for beautiful images, but if the Grand Canyon behind you is blurry, then why are you even there? Know when to zoom in. Either keep everything in the frame — feet, soles — or crop above the knees. Shots that crop at the ankle look wrong. Or take a close-up, but be aware of people’s insecurities — if it’s the body, it’s better to get close, and if it’s the face, you might not want to get too close. Toilet covers are probably cleaner than the lenses of many phones. If your photo has a blur around the light areas, wipe the lens with the cleanest, softest material you have. Microfiber is ideal, too”, concludes Sane Seven.
