6 simple ways to take better photos on any camera

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Rafi Letzter/Tech Insider

Whether you shoot with a smartphone or a DSLR, photos are probably a huge part of your life.

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But even as we all take more and more pictures, many of us assume our talents are limited. "Real" photographers use expensive equipment and have "good eyes" for pictures. The reality is that much of the difference between pros and everyone else can be broken down into a few simple guidelines.

Here are six steps you can take today to improve your photography.

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Don't worry too much about the rule of thirds.

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Rafi Letzter/Tech Insider

If you've learned anything about photography in your life, there's a good chance you've heard of "the rule of thirds". It goes like this: Divide your frame into a tic-tac toe board. Your subject should go on one of the points on that board where the lines cross. At some point photography books, classes, and websites decided this should be commandments one through 10 of the camera bible.

The truth is, the "rule of thirds" isn't a rule at all. It's just a tip to help photographers vary their compositions. Unless you're planning to go pro tomorrow, you can probably ignore it. I often do.

Some of my favorite photos violate the rule of thirds. I shot the image above at a birthday party. The subjects are right in the middle of the frame, but no bolt of lightning has arced out of the sky to stamp UGLY on their glee.

The photo works for two main reasons: the lighting and the moment it captures. Speaking of which...

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Shoot moments, not people or things.

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Rafi Letzter/Tech Insider

Say you're on vacation with your family. How do you take pictures?

Maybe you just point your camera at the scenery and click away. But you probably won't capture anything not available on the backs of postcards and in calendars.

Maybe you grab your relatives and line them up in front of some landmark and have them say "cheese." Do that enough times and you'll end up proving a deep truth about the universe: fake grins and cargo shorts look equally terrible in front of the Parthenon, a tiger in a zoo, and a group of locals who wish you'd leave them alone.

People take pictures because they want to hold on to something about the way that time in your life feels. But as soon as you make everyone stop and smile for the camera that authentic feeling evaporates.

Instead, try quietly taking pictures that show how the people around you are actually interacting with one another and their environment. Photographers call these shots "decisive moments." They are more than just candids. They're flashes of emotion, physical gestures and other active happenings.

A moment doesn't have to be as big and intense as the picture above.

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This is a moment:

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Rafi Letzter/Tech Insider

But so is this:

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Rafi Letzter/Tech Insider
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And this:

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Rafi Letzter/Tech Insider

If you want your photos to hold on to a feeling or experience you had when you took them, worry less about gathering everyone in one frame or capturing every beautiful thing you saw. Instead, look for the small interactions that will trigger memories. Your kids playing in the sand. Your spouse taking off sunglasses to take in a view. Your parents telling a funny story at dinner. That's what you want to hold on to anyway.

So now that we've established what you should shoot, how should you go about shooting it?

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Move around constantly.

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Rafi Letzter/Tech Insider

The most boring angle for a photo is your eye level. Adult faces flatten. Children look like bushy scalps. 

Great photography shows the viewer something in a new way. Everyone knows what the world looks like from the perspective of an average adult human.

I shot the photo above at an event for young children. It works because I lay down on the floor to show the subject's experience at his own level. Looking up at him, he looks tall. The textures and colors pop. We can see his expression.

But even shooting grown-ups the same rule applies. You'll get your best pictures squatting, climbing to new heights, moving from side to side and circling around.

Next time you're taking a picture you want to come out interesting, try shooting it from six completely different angles. The more often you do that, the more new ways of seeing you'll discover, and the better your photos will become.

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"If your pictures aren't good enough, you're not close enough."

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Rafi Letzter/Tech Insider

This rule comes from the great Magnum photographer Robert Capa. The reason is simple: photography exists to bring viewers into a moment. The farther away you are when you take a picture, the harder it that is to do.

Just zooming in won't cut it here. I've argued before that zoom lenses hurt your photography. Instead, zoom with your feet. Learn to get close without attracting attention. The closer you are to your subject, the more dramatic your photo will become.

Pay at least as much attention to your background as your subject

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Rafi Letzter/Tech Insider

Once upon a time, I was assigned to spend months wandering around Jerusalem taking candids of pedestrians walking on sidewalks. This is not an especially fun thing to do. But I kept myself entertained looking for great backgrounds for them. And my pictures went from boring to eye catching.

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Like this:

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Rafi Letzter/Tech Insider

And this:

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Rafi Letzter/Tech Insider

If your subjects are doing something more interesting than walking down a sidewalk, backgrounds can elevate your photos even farther. Look for repeating patterns and try to frame your shots so your subjects have nice, clear spaces around their heads.

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Here's another example:

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Rafi Letzter/Tech Insider
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Know when to put your camera down.

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Rafi Letzter/Tech Insider

Photography takes practice, but it also takes the wisdom to know when to stop. You won't savor the moments from that family vacation if you held on to your camera the whole time. You won't even recognize great moments if you take a picture every two seconds. Pretend its the film era, and each shot is precious. Your photos will reflect that mindfulness.

Here are some great moments not to take a picture: two minutes after your last one, at a wedding or other event with a professional photographer, or when a raccoon is threatening to attack you.

Happy shooting.

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