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John DeMato Blog

Welcome to the Deliver Magic blog, where experts who speak, coach, train, consult, and write books will find actionable insights to elevate their personal brands through visual storytelling. From strategy tips and branding photography to live event coverage and storytelling techniques, discover step-by-step guides designed to help you align what you say with how you show up in photos. Get ready to unlock the magic behind creating a cohesive visual identity that drives engagement, builds credibility, and inspires your audience. #DeliverMagic

Ensure better composition in your self portraits using this tool

 

Want to compose your smartphone photos like a pro?

 
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Turn on your photo grid and the world will look very different to you.

 

When trying to compose a self portrait, have you ever found it difficult to figure out where to place yourself in the photo?

You are not alone.

When you don’t possess the eye of a professional portrait photographer, it can become downright frustrating and annoying to figure out how to set the stage for a compelling and flattering photograph.

One way to cut through that friction is to get some help in the process.

And that help to which I’m referring is only a couple screen taps away!

For IPhone users, it’s called Grid (for non-IPhone users, look up the phrase “Activate photo grid on my [smartphone model]” on Google and see what it’s called and where it lives in your specific phone menu.)  

While the Grid shows up on your screen before and during the moment you take a photo, it doesn’t show up in the final shots.

To turn on the Grid on an IPhone:

Settings -> Camera -> Grid, and make it active. 

It’s an extremely valuable resource because it offers even the most amateur photographer the opportunity to create professionally composed photos by leveraging the rule of thirds.

What’s that?

As you can see by the photo above, the Grid splits the screen into equal thirds, both horizontally and vertically. 

The goal is to place the subject of the photo - in this case, you - either at the cross section of each of the lines OR on one of the lines themselves. 

So, if you’re shooting a standing wide shot (your body from head to toe), you’d want to place yourself on one of the vertical lines or in the center of the frame. 

For a close up photo of your face, place one of your eyes at the intersection of the lines or across the lines itself.

This is the rule in action. Why does it exist?

Truth be told, I’m not sure why this rule works, but when you look at a photo that is composed with the Rule Of Thirds in mind, you immediately will feel the difference versus another photo haphazardly snapping the same shot of you. 

Either way, the photo Grid is a huge benefit that many folks don’t exploit during their day-to-day self portrait sessions. 

Start using it and see the difference in how your photos look and feel as you share them with friends, family, colleagues and clients through your social media feeds.

This is but one of the many insights and tips shared in my new online course:

Shoot It Yourself: Develop A Portrait Photographers Eye With your Phone

Along with more strategies related to composition, you’ll also learn about lighting, reviewing + selecting the best photos, scouting locations, and image tweaking in post-production

Want to get your hands on SIY

Head over to johndemato.com/siy to learn more, and from there, you can secure your own copy sent conveniently to your inbox.

You’ll never see your smartphone self portraits in the same way again! 

BTW - the 25% off rate is still in effect - for how much longer (big, obnoxious shoulder shrug)?

I started the week with 100 discounted copies, and there’s less than half left as of this article post - but they’re moving like hot cakes, folks, so keep that in mind if you’d like to take advantage of this lower price!