Trying to snap photos for social media that pack more of a punch and are able to grab the attention of viewers as they’re scrolling through their timeline? Don’t worry – you won’t need a new camera to do that, but you will need to switch up your technique a little.

In particular there are a few tips that could help you snap much more impressive photos:

  • Place the subject off-center using the rule of thirds

To use the rule of thirds you just need to turn on the grid feature in your camera and position the subject along the left or right gridline – preferably on one of the intersection points. That should position them off-center, which will make your photo look more interesting.

On top of that you could try positioning other elements using the gridlines or intersection points as well. If you do, your photo will be more balanced as the elements are spread out more evenly.

  • Fill the frame with the subject

Another easy way to come up with interesting photos of a subject is to fill your frame completely with the subject – removing any other distractions. Not only will this reveal details that may not have been visible otherwise, but it will look more unique too.

It may help to use the rule of thirds in tandem with this technique as well.

If you do use this method, be sure that you don’t use the digital zoom on your camera, as that can affect the quality of the photo. Instead, you should get physically closer to the subject until they’re large enough.

  • Always try to make certain the lighting is good

Good lighting and good photography go hand in hand, so if you want your photos to look impressive you should try to make sure the lighting is good. To be more specific you will generally want to snap photos in soft and diffused light that doesn’t cause hard shadows.

Try taking photos in settings where there’s lots of natural light coming in through a large opening – such as a window. Alternatively, you could look into three-point lighting or other lighting solutions if you want to take photos indoors.

In conjunction with these techniques, it can help to be able to edit your photos and perform color correction, crop them, or adjust them in other ways. For example you could try using Movavi Photo Editor for Mac.

All in all however if you start applying the tips listed above your photos should stand out more – even in a highly competitive social media environment. The more you practice taking photos using these tips, the better you’ll find that your photos start to become.