Everyone loves photography, whether they're a viewer or actively taking photographs. I enjoy going out and exploring the areas around me, capturing anything or anyone that mildly interests me. In doing so I've learned how to improve my photography through my own criticism as well as talking with professional photographers. The nine tips listed below have helped me grow as a photographer. They will help anyone looking to improve if they're using a cell phone or an actual camera.

1. Know Your Subject

You don't want to capture a photo without knowing who or what you'll be photographing. Knowing the subject of a photo helps with a few areas besides the just knowing. For starters, your photos will come across as clear and make you seem like you know what you're doing. Others viewing your photos should wonder why you chose the subject you did and offer insight into your personal perspective of the photo. Why did you choose what you did? What made you want to capture the shot the way you did? Raise questions whose answers lie in the photo.

2. Become Friends with the Rule of Thirds

For those unsure of the meaning of the phrase "rule of thirds," it refers to the position of the subject within the frame (note the grid). Is the subject in the left, right or center of the frame? How much of the focus of the photo lies in the top, middle or bottom of the frame? Understanding the rule helps bring balance and structure to your photos. Your shots will become more aesthetically pleasing. Following the rule of thirds will also strengthen the composition of the frame.

3. What's Your Angle?

The important thing to consider when you're deciding the angle at which you take a photo of something is how you want people to see what you're seeing in your head. Changing the angle changes the perspective. Easy, right?

4. Lighting, Lighting, Lighting

Just like the angle at which you capture shot, the lighting of that shot serves an equally important function. Think of it like a horror movie versus a comedy. In a horror movie, the lighting is minimal to create an unsettling effect. Comedies are often brightly lit because they generally don't need to terrify the audience. Lighting in a still photograph creates similar effects. When you're taking a photo, consider how lighting changes the perspective of the subject.

5. Consider Your Depth of Field

The key to depth field depends on how deep you want your photo to appear. In other words, whether you want your photo to look more 2-D or more 3-D. A greater depth of field allows you to play around with what you want focused or not in the foreground, middle ground and background. You can also change the subject of the photo with a simple adjust of the focus, and subsequently, adjust the meaning.

6. Learn the Triangle

The triangle, for those using a more advanced camera, refers to the ISO, the shutter speed, and the aperture. The most important aspect of being able to fully utilize the three lies in knowing how they work with one another. ISO amplifies light coming in which makes it useful when you need a big leap in the amount of light you're looking for. Shutter speed refers to the amount of the time light is allowed to pass through. Aperture (also known as f-stop) refers to the size of the opening of the lens. It determines the amount of light allowed to pass through. The larger the f-stop, the less light gets in and vice versa. Using your camera on manual is a great way to learn what to adjust when.

7. Timing Can Be Everything

Timing makes a HUGE difference. The humorous picture you happened to catch could happen more than once the moment you learn how to press the button at just the right moment. A photo of a bird that looks like it might take off becomes the bird you caught taking flight before it was too late. The better your timing is, the more cool shots you'll capture.

8. Become Comfortable with Editing

Personally this one is a pretty big deal. When I started taking photos with my DSLR, I hated the idea of color correcting. Not because I thought every photo I took turned out perfect, but because I felt like I was cheating if I enhanced a photo even a little bit. I have since learned that editing something as simple as the brightness can make a huge difference, and it's nothing to feel guilty of. Simple fixes help me learn what I can do to capture what I may end up with in editing, for example how I can adjust settings in my camera for better results. Editing also offers a greater scope of creativity. Sometimes I'll play with effects just to see what will happen, and sometimes I love the end result.

9. Get Out There

The best way to improve your photography, no matter the method, is to leave your house and take photos of anything you can. Find something you love capturing. Even if you aren't entirely comfortable or happy with what you've shot, show it off anyway. Talk to other photographers, something I've found to be incredibly insightful. And, as the cliche goes, have fun.

**All of the above photos are my own work. None have been edited in any fashion--besides adding my initials or any text--unless otherwise specified.**