Do you feel like your photos are often boring?

Like they're missing some pizzazz?

Do you feel like other people's photos are always more creative and compelling than yours?

And you can't quite figure out why, or how to fix it?

You might be accidentally telling too much story.

Sometimes we're so focused on our subject that we forget that we're including too much extra "fluff".

This is why I love the 8x lens on my iPhone 17 so much. It forces me to zoom in and focus on the subject while it automatically eliminates the rest of the environment.

More often than not, there is excess environment in our photos and it makes our photos hard to digest.

Instead of being stuck with just this view...

...I can go to my 8x telephoto lens and create a whole other way of capturing this scene:

Both photos were taken from the exact same vantage point. The only thing that changed? I used the zoom lens in the second photo.

If you're ever feeling like your photos aren't as captivating as they could be, ask yourself:

• am I including too much extra fluff?
• is the subject clearly visible and free of distractions?
• does everything included in my frame need to be there?

Switch off the 1x lens and go to the 4x or 8x lens. You'll create completely different photos, without even needing to change your position!

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I was invited to speak on the Writers Rotation podcast last month. Kathie and I talked about the importance of documenting stories and how learning to take better photos can help us understand deeper dimensions to life.

Listen to the 21-min episode here:

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Hi I'm Gabrielle. I run a full time photography business in Winnipeg, specializing in portrait and commercial photography. This newsletter started with my passion for helping everyday people realize their full photography potential. With a bit of technical and creative help, you too can take better photos with the phone camera you already have.

Find more of my resources here:

​Instagram • My Blog • Patreon • P​hoto Courses​

Gabrielle Touchette Photography

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