In this blog, I will share with you what I feel is the most valuable photography skill.

Do you remember in the early days of Instagram, the biggest accounts were those that went to the most remote locations and captured the most insane photos? Crazy drone shots, shooting from skyscrapers, and POVs of skydiving in some remote location. These images were popular because they were new, fresh, and not something that the masses had seen before.

Today, however, the landscape is a little different. People are tired of these larger-than-life shots and instead want something calm, familiar, and relatable. My most popular photos are simple scenes that people can relate to and visit themselves. A dog sitting in a window in Portugal is more relatable than the view from Everest.

A series of photos from a sunny day in Brighton appeal to more people than some crazy abstract from a Tokyo skyscraper.

These days, the most valuable photography skill is to spot simple yet photogenic scenes and shoot them in a way that would make the mundane look interesting.

Getting more likes on social media isn’t what makes this skill valuable. Instead, it’s being able to photograph anything and anywhere without relying on exotic travel or adventure.

Angle / Perspective

One of the biggest levers you can pull to photograph something mundane is to play with the angle and perspective. Sometimes photographing at your height level is the best. Other times, moving the camera to be at eye level with your subject will create a more unique look. You might also want to try higher and lower angles. Initially, try as many different perspectives as you can, and that will allow you to develop a gut feeling for what works.

Shooting Into a Corner

When you’re faced with any object, room, or space, try to shoot into the corner. By that I mean avoid shooting it dead on. By shooting into the corner, you add depth, and with the right lighting, you emphasise the three-dimensional aspect that can often get lost in photos. This also makes the viewer feel like they could be standing there.

Composition / Minimalism

Of course, good composition is essential, and while I won’t go into details now, for that, please watch my composition video here. I would like to emphasise the importance of minimalism. When shooting mundane things, keeping your composition minimal is key. While not every photo would require it, I often found that focusing on what you can remove from your frame is more important than what you can add.

Light / Contrast

If you’ve watched my videos or read my blogs, you’d be sick of me saying this, but light and contrast matter. Shooting in good light is a cheat code for making boring things look better. Knowing how to position you and your subject against the light will make all the difference. I’ve already made a detailed video you can watch here on this topic.

Colour

Having bright and vibrant colours can really make the photo pop and add life into what might be a pretty uninspiring subject.

Layers

Layering is a great way to add more dimensions to your shot and make the viewer feel like they are there with you. The most common layering technique is to shoot through something, also known as adding a foreground element, which is something between the lens and the subject.

Texture

While I mentioned earlier that keeping things minimal is important, if you do come across nice textures or patterns, that can definitely help elevate a boring scene.