2025 Aesthetic Queens: Tips & Tricks for Perfect Pics! 📷

Dear Instagram scrollers, have you ever stood mouth open for a few seconds staring at a perfect pic and wondering: “How on earth is this person making their photo so professional looking?” It has always been a mystery to me as well. How could they achieve such results without a professional camera, professional lighting, and professional skills? Damn, how bad I was craving that aesthetic insta page. But what if I told you that you could do without all this equipment and still produce high-quality photos? Yes, you heard that right! There exists a few tips & tricks to adopt to seriously level up your photography game. And, obviously, since Picta’s your BFF, we’ve compiled the ultimate list of easy strategies to take the perfect photos and wow everyone on your socials! We know the New Year is the ideal occasion to focus on a new skill, so why not add “learning how to take pics like a pro” to your January goals and dive in the rest of this article for inspo?

Your Mission: Taking the Perfect Photos 😍

Tip #1: Bring Your Lens Into its Clean Girl Era 🧽

Yep, you read that correctly. It might seem like the silliest thing to point out but you don’t know how many photos have been ruined by dust, fingerprints, or smudges! A dirty lens can immediately deteriorate an otherwise award-winning pic! So don’t forget to wipe your camera with a soft and clean cloth before starting your photo session!

Tip #2: Become Fluent in “Lighting” ⚡

Natural lighting is the absolute must for professional shots. The 4 commandments of lighting for perfect photos are:

1. Golden hour for the win
2. Harsh midday light is a no-go
3. When indoor, position the subject close to a window for a maximal use of natural light
4. Don’t use your flash, it will create unflattering light

Tip #3: Get close, don’t zoom! 👌🏻

When it’s possible, avoid zooming in at all costs; the result is always significantly worse than it could be by getting closer to your photo subject! No zoom-ins for Instagram queens!

Tip #4: Keep it Steady! ⚖️

Another “do you think I’m dumb” tip that gets overlooked too often! Holding your phone with both hands, resting your elbows to steady yourself, or even using a tripod can significantly improve the quality of your pics, without too much work, by avoiding unwanted blurriness.

Tip #5: Mission Focus and Exposure ✅

Trust us, default settings are cool but they can get it suuuper wrong. The two rules to follow? Always tap on the subject to ensure it is focused and adjust exposure (basically brighten or darken your pic) by sliding your finger up or down after focusing!

Tip #6: Play the Angles 😎

We all know some pics have a little "je ne sais quoi" that changes everything, but it can be hard to pinpoint what it is exactly. Let me tell you a secret: it’s often about the angles! Try a low-angle shot by lowering your phone to take the photo and give a more dramatic and larger effect. Shooting a flat lay (food, books, etc)? Try a high-angle shot! Want a pinch of storytelling in your photo? Go for an over-the-shoulder perspective by shooting “over the shoulder” of the person your paparazzi-ing!

Tip #7: King Portrait Mode 🤴🏻

Aka the key to make a subject stand out in a pic! By blurring the background of your photo, the portrait mode gives an instant professional vibe and brings the eye wherever you want it to!

Tip #8: Minimalism for Life 🖼️

You know the saying “less is more”? Well the rule is the exact same in photography. Focus on something simple with no clutter to draw attention where it actually matters!