how to capture the beauty you see

my guide to taking better photos of anything

I’ve been taking photographs for many years now. I was always lazy, and only took photos of things that already effortlessly look good—butterflies, moths, flowers, birds, cute animals, landscapes, and sunsets. And my only effort was to find the perfect way to frame what I’m seeing with my eyes. Finding the perfect frame takes some thought process, and in this post, I will share how I do it.

my 3 steps to capturing anything

“It” refers to anything that you’re trying to capture. The “camera” could even be your phone.

1. See it. Is it pretty? Is it worth capturing? If yes, then pick up your camera, or else don’t even bother.

2. Is it vertical or horizontal? I prefer the orientation that cuts out most of the distractions from the main subject. (If you mess this up while shooting, you can also fix the aspect ratio later.)

3. Is it still, or is it moving?

   1. If it is still and interesting, then click the shutter.

   2. If it’s moving so fast that your photos are blurry, record a video instead.

   3. If it is still and boring, then you can move your camera to create movement and record a video.

But all these steps go straight out the window when the thought of posting it on Instagram enters my mind, and I end up not seeing with my eyes anymore. But I found a way around it, and now I only share the stuff I shot a while ago.

The water lilies I shot last week.

The water lilies I shot in 2022.

The water lilies I shot in 2012.

The water lily I plucked from Dal Lake in 2008.

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things I loved this week

art:

I recently started experimenting with the photos I took that I found to be uninteresting. To make them interesting, I decided that playing around with their color curves would help, and I ended up creating some of the coolest-looking photos ever. I think that they kind of resemble Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Monroes.

visualsvvitch

A post shared by @visualsvvitch

reading:

I’m currently reading this photography book.

One of the prettiest pages from the book:

When I saw the photo of the fennel plant, I realised that it’s the same plant from one of my recent edits.

The original photo, shot on Huji Cam in 2020.

movies:

I rewatched Pride & Prejudice (2005) and here’s my review:

The cinematography, with the natural greens, earthy browns, and warm golden lighting, is a masterpiece, and it bewitches me just as much as the first time I saw the film as a teenager. Back then, it helped me understand the importance of waiting for the perfect time to take photos in natural lighting.

music:

If you like Radiohead and Thom Yorke, you should check out these very similar artists:

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