Gurleen Kaur

This image was captured at Michaels and demonstrates a creative use of the space, as well as a variety in focal lengths.

Setting up that shot with the model’s face tilted at an angle and letting the light bounce off of her in the most perfect way can lead to a beautiful composition. However, using some of the obscurest objects can transform your image!

One of these tools is glass, whether it be a window or prescription glasses. Depending on the type of glass, it can create reflections, blurred effects, and cool distortion of the image.

“Shooting through glass can bring an entirely new layer of depth to your image, influencing the quality of light, or establishing a new sense of context by incorporating reflections of the surrounding environment” said Sarah Wilkerson, CEO of Clickin Moms.

Another tip is to have a variety of focal ranges in your image. To do this, you want to have your subject in sharp focus, blurred background, and add something in the foreground out of focus. Simply hold up a small object to the camera lens and shoot with a wide aperture so that is out of focus.

“Adding something to the foreground can make your photos look a lot more interesting!” said Shelby Church, a social media influencer who enjoys photography.

When it comes to backgrounds, it is important to use your local surroundings creatively…even if that means going to Michaels, the Art and Crafts Store. Place your subject amongst all the flowers and textures, zoom in to get rid of unwanted store views, and shoot away.

“People have started taking their pictures in the fake flower aisle of craft stores like Michaels to mimic a real, perfectly arranged burst of blooming flowers” said Sydney Wasserman.

In the end, there are various tricks to elevate your photography, all it requires is getting creative with your resources.