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Before the days of smartphones — if you can remember such a time — taking a great photo was a labor-intensive process. You’d have buy a fancy camera and editing software for your desktop computer, and invest some serious time and energy into learning how to use them.

But thanks to our mobile devices and the editing apps that come with them, we can now take high quality photos and edit them without too many bells and whistles — all from the same device that we use to make calls.

Brands are catching on, too — the kinds of visuals remain important to marketing. But make no mistake: Taking a great photo on your smartphone is not as simple as pointing and shooting. There are plenty of bad smartphone photos out there — I’m sure you’ve seen at least a few.

What’s the secret to taking great pictures with your smartphone, then? As it turns out, there are a few of them. Check out these tips below to improve your smartphone photography game. (And once you have the photo-taking part down, check out some of the best photo editing apps for mobile.)

How to Take Better Photos on Your Phone: 18 Tips & Tricks

1) Use gridlines to balance your shot.

One of the easiest and best ways to improve your mobile photos is to turn on the camera’s gridlines. That superimposes a series of lines on the screen of your smartphone’s camera that are based on the “rule of thirds” — a photographic composition principle that says an image should be broken down into thirds, both horizontally and vertically, so you have nine parts in total.

According to this theory, if you place points of interest in these intersections or along the lines, your photo will be more balanced, level, and allow viewers to interact with it more naturally.

Source: Digital Photography School

To switch the grid on …

• iPhone: Go to “Settings,” choose “Photos & Camera,” and switch “Grid” on.
• Samsung Galaxy: Launch the camera app, go to “Settings,” scroll down and switch the “grid lines” option to “on.”

Source: Lynda.com

2) Focus on one subject.

Many of the best photos include just one, interesting subject. So when taking a picture of one, spend some extra time setting up the shot. Some professional photographers say that the subject shouldn’t fill the entire frame, and that two-thirds of the photo should be negative space — that helps the subject stand out even more.

But be sure you tap the screen of your smartphone to focus the camera on your subject — that’ll help to ensure that it’s focused and the lighting is optimized.

Pro Tip: Once you’ve taken your photo, you can use filters and apps to make the subject even more vivid, or to crop it to frame the subject correctly. The brightness, contrast, and saturation of the photo can also be adjusted accordingly — all from your phone.

Source: Patrick Janelle

3) Embrace negative space.

“Negative space” simply refers to the areas around and between the subjects of an image –and it can take a photo from “good” to “great.”

When you include a lot of empty space in a photo, your subject will stand out more and evoke a stronger reaction from your viewer. And what does negative space looks like? It’s often a large expanse of open sky, water, an empty field, or a large wall, as in the examples below.

Source: Eric Christian

4) Find different perspectives.

Taking photos from a unique, unexpected angle can make them more memorable — it tends to create an illusion of depth or height with the subjects. It also makes the image stand out, since most mobile photos are taken either straight -on or from a bird’s eye view.

Try taking a photo directly upward and playing with the sky as negative space, like in the first photo below. Or, you can try taking it at a slight downward angle.

Pro Tip: If you take a photo and find the perspective is a little askew or tilted, use the SKRWT photo editing app to make the lines look clean and square.

Source: iPhone Photography School; Paul Octavious

5) Play with reflections.

There’s something so idyllic about seeing the sky reflected in a body of water. There’s a reason why we love seeing that — our eyes are drawn to reflections. So look for opportunities to play with them in photos.

There are plenty of out-of-the-box places to find reflections — puddles, larger bodies of water, mirrors, sunglasses, drinking glasses, and metallic surfaces are just a few.

Source: Joshua Lott; Carlos Copertone

6) Use leading lines.

In some photos, there’s a line that draws the viewer’s eye toward a certain part of the frame. Those are called leading lines. They can be straight or circulinear — think staircases, building facades, train tracks, roads, or even a path through the woods.

Leading lines are great for creating a sense of depth in an image, and can make your photo look purposefully designed — even if you just happened to come upon a really cool shape by accident.

Source: Carlos Copertone; Paul Octavious

7) Look for symmetry.

Symmetry can be defined as “a vague sense of harmonious and beautiful proportion and balance.” And pictures that contain symmetry can be incredibly pleasing to the eye — it’s also one of the simplest and most compelling ways to compose a photo.

In photography, symmetry usually means creating an image that can be divided into two equal parts that are mirror images of each other. That’s a bit different than reflections — symmetry can be found “in the wild,” as per the staircase picture, or you can set up your photo accordingly, like photographer Eric Christian did in the first photo below.

And remember — use those gridlines from tip #1 to line everything up perfectly.

Source: Eric Christian; Carlos Copertone

8) Keep an eye out for repetitive patterns.

Repetitive patterns are very pleasing to the eye — they appear whenever strong graphic elements are repeated over and over again, like lines, geometric shapes, forms, and colors. These patterns can make a strong visual impact, and photographing something like a beautiful, tiled floor can be enough to create a striking image. Other times, it’s more fun to keep an eye out for where they appear naturally or unintentionally, like with the congruent fire escapes on the left.

Source: Patrick Janelle

9) Mess around with color blocking.

Isn’t it cool when an entire photo is black and white, except for a single object? It turns out that yes, indeed, there are apps for that. One of our favorites is Touch Color — an app that automatically converts a picture to grayscale and lets you fill in the parts you want to colorize.

Color blocking can help to highlight the elements of a photo that you want to stand out, like a plant or something else with a bold hue. It achieves a similar goal as negative space, in that it can help a single subject stand out — but with color blocking, the photo’s other elements remain intact for a cohesive image.

Source: Coloring Pages

10) Avoid zooming in.

When you take a photo from a distance, it’s tempting to zoom in on something specific you’re trying to capture. But it’s actually better not to zoom in — doing so can make the photo appear grainy, blurry, or pixelated.

Instead, try to get closer to your subject — unless it’s a wild animal, in which case we would advise keeping your distance — or take the photo from a default distance, and crop it later on. That way, you won’t compromise quality, and it’s easier to play around or optimize a larger image.

Source: Obama Pacman

11) Capture small details.

You may have heard the phrase, “It’s the little things.” Sometimes, that also applies to photos. Close-up images that capture small, intricate, and delicate details can make for really compelling visual content. Keep an eye out for textures and patterns like peeling paint, a gravel road, or a tile tabletop.

Pro Tip: Use the “sharpen” tool in your favorite photo editing app to (conservatively) sharpen the details of your photo. You might also download the Camera+ app and use its Clarity filter, which is what The Wall Street Journal‘s Kevin Sintumuang calls the app’s “secret sauce — it adds pro-camera crispness to almost any shot.”

Source: Paul Octavious; Eric Christian

12) Use natural light.

Let’s face it: You’d be hard-pressed to find a great smartphone photo that was taken with a flash. Most of the time, they make a photo look overexposed, negatively altering colors and making human subjects look washed out. In fact, even the iPhone 7’s flash is rumored to have some flaws.

So instead of using flash, take advantage of the sources of natural light you can find, even after dark. That gives you a chance to play with shadows, like in the second image below, or create a silhouette with other ambient sources of light, like traffic and surrounding buildings.

Once you’ve taken the photo, play with the “Exposure” tool in your favorite photo editing app to see if you can make the image slightly brighter, without making it too grainy.

Source: Patrick Janelle; Paul Octavious

13) Create abstracts.

Abstract photos are meant to capture the essence of an object, or a series of them, without revealing the entire landscape as a whole. In other words, they serve the purpose of creating unique, surprising images from ordinary subjects.

This look can be accomplished by cropping an abstract portion of an otherwise normal photo, or by taking close-up shots of objects that leave the viewer wondering — in admiration, of course — what the subject might be. And subjects with patterns or repetition are great candidates for abstract photography, like in the photo of sliced figs below.

Source: iPhone Photography School; Patrick Janelle

14) Take candids.

Posed photos can be great for the sake of memories — happy moments with friends, family, or the occasional run-in with a celebrity. But sometimes, candid shots of people doing things, or people with people, can be far more interesting.

That’s because candid photos are better able to effectively capture the emotion and essence of a moment. One of the best ways to capture this kind of shot is to just take as many photos as possible. You’ll have more to choose from, and the best photos often happen when the “stars align,” so to speak, in a single moment — everyone’s eyes are open, one person is tilting their head just so, and you finally got a shot of your chronically closed-lip friend smiling with his teeth.

Source: Patrick Janelle

15) Be non-conventional.

Composition is a huge part of what makes a photo great, but so is the photo’s subject. Some of the most delightful and remarkable photos come out of cool, unique ideas. Images are more effective than text at evoking emotion from your viewers — that often means getting your photos to say something.

Try thinking outside of the box when it comes to what you’re capturing — your viewers could be pleasantly surprised by a cool or unexpected subject.

Source: Paul Octavious

16) Make ’em laugh.

Speaking of evoking emotion, sometimes the most memorable photos are the ones that make us giggle. The image below of an older woman wearing a brightly-colored shirt stating “Hi hater” is funny because it’s unexpected — and there’s a part of us that admires her, too. The second image of the dog toy on a dinner plate pokes fun at classic Instagram food shots, but it’s from a dog’s perspective. If you can make your audience laugh, they’re likely to enjoy your photo.

Source: Baddie Winkle; Jeremy Veach

17) Attach an external lens.

Want to get really fancy? External lenses are for you. There are actually several out there that can be attached to the top of your smartphone’s native camera lens — from fish-eye to wide-angle lenses, these add-ons can bring an entirely new quality and perspective to your photos.

According to Wirecutter, the best camera lenses for iPhone photography are made by Moment, a manufacturer of mobile lenses. Start there, or do some research to find the lens add-ons that fit your smartphone photography needs.

Source: MobileFun.co.uk

18) Don’t afraid to edit.

Composing and taking your smartphone photo is just the first step to making it visually compelling. Editing your photos is the next step — and a very critical one, at that. Filters can be a valuable photographic tool, particularly when it comes to two goals: 1) Removing blemishes from a picture, and 2) making food look even more delicious.

For the first, InStyle magazine compiled a fun list of “The Best Instagram Filters for Every Beauty Complaint” — and now, the iPhone photos app offers many similar filters. There are also apps like Pho.to, which can automatically retouch facial photos without a lot of work. And when it comes to those photos of your daily meals? One of the latest apps available is Foodie, which comes with its own set of filters optimized for different types of food.

But there are many other great photo and video editing apps out there for mobile devices — check out this post to see some of the best ones out there.

Source: LINE Corp.

What tips do you have for taking photos with smartphones? Add to this list in the comment section.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in November 2015 and has been updated for freshness and comprehensiveness.

If there’s one marketing tactic that nonprofits often undervalue, blogging would likely be it. 

What’s so great about blogging? Blogging is a low-cost marketing asset with long-term returns. It is strongly related to attracting high-quality traffic, generating new supporters, and increasing awareness for your mission. But getting started with (or perfecting the art of) blogging is no easy task. 

Nonprofits in particular often struggle to find the time to create content on a consistent basis. And for those who do have the time, having the know-how to create blog content that drives results is a whole other battle. 

While we can’t write your blog for you, we can give you and your team the tools you need to create awesome blog content yourself. Sound like something you might be interested in? Our free ebook, An Introduction to Blogging for Nonprofits will show you: 

• Why your organization should blog
• How to find content and contributors for your blog
• How to optimize your blog posts for search engines and social media
• How to promote your blog
• How to measure your blogging

You can download your copy of An Introduction to Blogging for Nonprofits here!

Think other nonprofits you know would like this ebook? Tweet it out for them to see. 

Banner ads get a bad rap, and are often thought of as old-school due to their disruptive nature. But believe it or not, there’s way to make inbound-y banner ads that actually drive results.

However, even marketers that recognize the value of banner ads struggle to design ones that don’t seem spammy, let alone ones that get desired results.

You have to learn how to present the right message, to the right audience, at the right time, which is why HubSpot and Bannersnack teamed up to bring you How to Make Banner Ads That Don’t Suck.

In this guide you’ll find 10 steps for creating high-quality banner ads that generate the results you want and help you reach your goals.

More specifically, you’ll receive:

• The basics of banner ads: sizes, files, and formats.
• Design tips and best practices on choosing color and imagery.
• How to write the best copy for your banner ads.
• Tons of good examples from real brands.
• Much more on creating inbound-y ads to actually drive results.

Download your copy of How to Make Banner Ads That Don’t Suck here.

Have you ever given your order at a fast food drive-through, only to be asked, “Would you like fries with that?”

This is a classic example of upselling — a sales technique used to sell additional goods or services to existing customers.

Among agencies and freelancers, upselling can seem tricky. According to the 2016 Agency Pricing & Financials Report, a staggering 51% of agencies don’t have a plan in place for upselling and retention. That means more than half of agencies are missing out on the opportunity to generate more revenue from existing accounts, increase client retention, and build deeper, lasting relationships.

Sleazy sales reps will try to upsell everyone and anyone — regardless of whether or not the client actually needs the additional service — but when you focus primarily on your client’s experience and goals, upselling benefits both agencies and clients tremendously.

Check out eight strategies below to help get you started.

8 Strategies For Upselling Your Clients

1) Take the time to understand what success means to them.

Before you can attempt to sell additional value to your client, you need to have a firm grasp on what kind of success is important to them. Early in your relationship, you should set aside time to sit down and discuss what your client wants to gain from working with you. Explore not only the immediate needs of the project at hand, but also the client’s larger, long-term plans.

Cultivating a deep understanding of your client’s priorities is important for building trust right from the start. If you know what your client values and where she wants to go, then you can identify areas where your agency can offer additional services down the line.

2) Set and track measurable goals.

At the outset of your first project with a new client, make sure you agree upon clear, measurable indicators of success. Leverage what you’ve already learned about your client’s priorities and goals, and develop an action plan with straightforward milestones to keep track of your progress.

To identify a need for additional services later in the client’s lifecycle, you need a way to recognize areas where the current plan is falling short, or places where she could afford to beef up her resources for a better outcome. This is where careful tracking becomes essential.

If you tell a client that she needs to devote more to her social media spend, you’d better have the data to back it up. In terms of upselling, having data to point to will bulk up your argument, and help demonstrate to the client that you have her best interest in mind. 

3) Identify clients with a real need for additional services.

Not every client is a good fit for an upsell, and you should never, ever try to push additional services on a client who doesn’t truly need them. As a general rule, if you can’t explain how the additional spend will benefit the client’s overall goals, then it’s not an upsell worth pursuing.

For example, if you’re considering pitching your client on additional email marketing services, but email marketing doesn’t fit directly into her long-term plan to expand her reach, you shouldn’t force it. If you try to sell services that have a slim chance of delivering a positive outcome to the client, you risk causing major damage to the relationship and potentially losing her business altogether.

Instead, focus your upselling efforts on clients with an evident gap in their current plan. If a client wants to increase her reach, but you don’t think she’s going about it the right way, there’s probably an opportunity to sell her on a new plan.

4) Start providing value as soon as possible with quick wins.

Nobody is going to invest additional resources in your agency until you’ve proven that you can deliver tangible results for their business. To set yourself up for a long and mutually beneficial relationship with a client, you should focus on providing quick wins as soon as possible.

A quick win project is anything that delivers immediate value to a client. Some examples could be an audit of a client’s existing content strategy, an evaluation of a client’s website to identify new opportunities, or even a content offer and simple promotional plan.

A quick win project doesn’t have to be a big production for your team, it just has to demonstrate that you’re fully committed to bringing real returns to your client right from day one. The sooner you can show your client measurable success, the sooner you can deepen the relationship and prove your agency’s expertise in additional areas.

5) Pitch ideas — not just upgrades.

Your clients need to fully understand why you think an additional service or project is a good idea. If you approach her and say, “I think you need to spend more on social media,” she might get the wrong idea and jump to the conclusion that you’re just trying to line your own pockets.

Always pitch a new service upgrade in the context of an idea. If you see an opportunity to help a client increase her leads from email marketing, your team should come up with a real plan to help her get there. Don’t just tell her that she needs to spend more — give her an easily understood plan to see where her money will be spent and how it will contribute to the overall success of her business.

6) Time upsells with project milestones.

Finding the perfect way to approach a client about additional services and projects can be tricky, but it’s really all about the timing. After the completion of a successful project or a big milestone (e.g., reaching a new lead goal), take the chance to step back and ask your client, “What’s next?”

Conversations about the future offer a natural opportunity to bring up new ideas and projects you want to accomplish with your client. Pitching an upsell is especially effective after enabling a big win for your client, since she has definitive proof of your expertise and will be more open to committing to future projects with you.

7) Provide a transparent pricing breakdown.

Put yourself in your client’s shoes for a moment: If someone said you needed to start paying them more money for vaguely defined additional services, you probably wouldn’t bite. In fact, you would probably feel like they were trying to take advantage of you. 

How you price your services shouldn’t be a mystery to your clients. When you’re negotiating an upsell, it’s especially important to provide transparent pricing information. Make sure you give your client a complete breakdown of the new project and thoroughly explain what exactly her money is going to support. If a client knows where her hard-earned resources are going, she’ll feel more comfortable about investing in a long-term partnership with your agency. 

8) Identify trends and apply to your sales process.

Once you’ve successfully upsold a few clients, you’ll begin to develop a better idea of what types of clients benefit the most from additional services. Keep track of the traits these clients have in common, and incorporate trends into your sales process to proactively identify upselling opportunities on an ongoing basis.