We can all agree that taking photos is easy, but making them look aesthetic is where the challenge really lies.
An aesthetic photo is more than just a picture. It’s a carefully crafted image that is stylish, intentional, and consistent with a mood you’re trying to portray.
The best part? You don’t need a fancy camera, gear, or 10s of years of experience to click aesthetic photos.
All you need to do is master a few techniques and create a clear sense of style to learn how to take aesthetic photos.
This article will teach you how to plan your shots, use light, color, and edit with consistency. One where each and every photo you create reflects your personality or brand.
Ready? Let’s delve in!
Understanding Aesthetics in Photography
Well, there’s no exact definition of what aesthetic photography actually is. But what we can tell you is not to look for technical perfection.
Place importance on three things to ace aesthetic photos: mood, beauty, and storytelling.
Normally, when scrolling through IG, you see accounts with photos so cluttered that it’s confusing to viewers, and the feeds feel polished and cohesive.
That sense of harmony comes from consistent choices in color, light, and style.
Aesthetic photography can be achieved through many forms:
- Minimal shots with clean lines.
- Moody tones with dramatic shadows.
- Vintage-inspired edits.
- Pastel palettes.
The common thread you need to follow to the T is consistency!
A great way to understand aesthetics in photography is to look at photography portfolio websites for inspiration.
How to Take Aesthetic Photos: Steps You Need to Follow
Ready to take aesthetic photos? Here are a few key steps you can employ to capture aesthetic photos with ease:
- Plan Ahead with a Theme or Moodboard
- Think About Color Harmony
- Start with Strong Composition
- Keep the Platform in Mind
- Use Natural Light to Your Advantage
- Create Depth and Layers
- Pick Backgrounds and Props That Tell a Story
- Experiment with Angles and Perspectives
- Capture Details and Emotions
- Make the Most of Your Camera Settings
- Edit for a Polished, Consistent Look
- Try Presets and Filter Packs (But Don’t Overdo It)
- Curate and Balance Your Feed
- Build Confidence and Develop Your Own Style
Step 1. Plan Ahead with a Theme or Moodboard
Before you begin clicking pictures, you need to first decide on the story or mood you want your images to create.
A moodboard is a strategy you can use to provide a visual identity to your photos or collection. It helps you visualize colors, props, and styles that align with your vision.
For example, a cozy lifestyle feed might feature warm tones, blankets, and coffee mugs. Whereas a bold fashion theme might lean on sharp contrasts and vibrant colors.
See, when you plan in advance, every photo feels like part of a larger narrative, and you can then expect consistency with your style, color, and mood.
Step 2. Think About Color Harmony
First and foremost, color sets the mood. A photo with clashing tones can look messy or chaotic, which is not ideal.
When clicking aesthetic photos, always go for a cohesive color palette. Why,? When colors work together, it results in a more polished and intentional image. This is where color harmony comes in.
For instance, colors like blue and orange create a striking contrast. Colors such as green, teal and, blue give a sense of calming and balancing effect.
Choosing a palette and sticking to it across your photos is one of the easiest ways to make your feed aesthetic.
Step 3. Start with Strong Composition
Composition is how you arrange elements in your frame. Even if you’re a beginner in photography, following a few rules makes a big difference.
The rule of thirds keeps your subject slightly off-center, negative space makes an image feel clean, and symmetry or repeating patterns create balance.
Shooting through a window or doorway, called framing within a frame, adds extra depth and context.
One thing you can do is to turn on gridlines in your phone camera, which can guide you as you practice these techniques.
Here’s an exercise you can try:
Turn on the gridlines in your phone’s camera settings. Choose a simple subject - a coffee mug, a plant, or even a pair of shoes.
First, take a photo with the subject placed in the center of the frame. Then, click another photo, placing it along one of the gridlines or at the intersection points.
Now compare the two. You’ll start to see that the second shot seems more balanced and aesthetic, and if you notice, nothing else has changed.
Step 4. Keep the Platform in Mind
An important point you need to think over when clicking aesthetic pictures is the platform you wish to showcase your images on.
For instance, to post on Instagram images that are in a vertical 4:5 ratio usually performs the best.
Now, if you want to incorporate your photos into short-form videos or reels, a full vertical 9:16 dimension has to be followed.
Further, platforms like Pinterest favor tall, scroll-stopping shots, and blog banners need wide, horizontal layouts.
Remember to think about your platform before you shoot. You’ll be saving a lot of time later when cropping and editing.
Step 5. Use Natural Light to Your Advantage
Lighting can be a make-or-break for your photo. For beginners, the best way to improve your photos is to work with natural light.
Shooting during golden hour, i.e., right after sunrise or before sunset, creates soft, glowing images. Cloudy days are also excellent because the clouds spread the light evenly.
Indoors, setting up near a window lets you capture soft daylight without harsh shadows.
Make sure to avoid sunlight directly on the subject's face or object, as it can lead to overexposure and harsh shadows.
The idea here, when it comes to mastering lighting, is to see how the light falls on your subject. Depending on this, you need to move around until it feels right.
With practice, you’ll start to see how even the same space can give you different moods depending on the time of day.
Step 6. Create Depth and Layers
Let’s face it, flat images can look dull. Adding depth makes images more dynamic.
So how do we add depth? Include a foreground, middle ground, and background in your frame to create a sense of dimension.
If your phone has portrait mode, or if you’re using a camera with a wide aperture, blur the background slightly so your subject stands out.
Placing objects like flowers or fabric in the foreground to create layers. This approach works especially well for portraits, product, or food photography.
Step 7. Pick Backgrounds and Props That Tell a Story
Having a cluttered background distracts from your subject, while a clean setup enhances it.
Props such as plants, books, mugs, or candles add personality, and the choice of background, whether a plain wall, a textured wooden table, or a marble surface, sets the tone of your image.
For instance, placing a pastel notebook and a soft blanket to create a cozy study vibe. Whilst including bold accessories and textured fabrics can bring about an edgier look.
The goal isn’t to overfill the frame but to use a few carefully chosen elements that complement your subject and reinforce your theme - This is important!
Step 8. Experiment with Angles and Perspectives
The angle of your shot can completely change its impact. Try photographing food or objects from above for a flat lay.
Shoot from a low angle to make your subject look powerful. Capture an over-the-shoulder moment for a lifestyle vibe, or zoom in close to highlight textures and details.
Switching up your perspective keeps your content fresh and helps you discover what works best for your style.
Step 9. Capture Details and Emotions
Not every photo has to be a wide scene. Sometimes, focusing on smaller details can create the biggest impact.
Smaller details like foam on a latte, the texture of a sweater, or a close-up of jewelry can all make for aesthetic detail shots.
Candid photos, like someone laughing naturally or other certain mannerisms, often feel more authentic and engaging than staged ones.
Balancing posed images with natural details adds variety and personality to your feed.
Step 10. Make the Most of Your Camera Settings
Phones today are packed with features that can take your photos from average to aesthetic.
Exposure lock helps you keep brightness steady. HDR mode balances bright and dark areas. Portrait mode creates that blurred background effect, and gridlines help with composition.
If you’re working with a camera, play around with the exposure triangle, which is aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, to give you even more control.
You don’t need to know everything at once, just try one setting at a time until you’re comfortable.
Step 11. Edit for a Polished, Consistent Look
Editing is where your photo comes to life, but subtlety is key. Apps like Lightroom Mobile and Snapseed are beginner-friendly and powerful.
Simple adjustments like brightening the image slightly, adding contrast, or warming the tones can transform your photo.
You can also give AI editing tools a shot. These tools will make the whole process effortless and will enhance the beauty of the photo - Perfect for beginners.
For example, if you’re someone looking to grow an online presence on IG, it’s important to learn how to edit Instagram photos aesthetically.
When editing photos for Instagram, you need to look into core elements such as composition, brightness, color, and contrast.
AI editing tools help by auto-fixing exposure, suggesting crops, smoothing skin, and matching edits for a cohesive feed.
The important thing is not to overdo it. Oversaturated colors or extreme filters often make photos look fake.
Aim for natural enhancements that keep your subject looking real. Consistent editing across your images helps your overall feed feel cohesive.
Step 12. Try Presets and Filter Packs (But Don’t Overdo It)
Presets and filters are great for beginners who want a consistent look without editing every photo from scratch.
Free Lightroom presets or VSCO filters can help you establish a style quickly. Just remember to use them as a starting point.
Tweaking each photo slightly ensures that your images don’t all look identical or artificial. Balance is what makes your photos aesthetic.
Step 13. Curate and Balance Your Feed
One beautiful photo is good, but what really makes your content stand out is how everything looks and fits together.
Curating your feed means mixing close-ups with wide shots, lifestyle moments with product images, and keeping colors balanced from one post to the next.
Planning apps like Hootsuite or Buffer let you arrange photos before posting, so you can see how they work as a set.
This step is often overlooked but is essential for anyone aiming for a cohesive aesthetic.
Step 14. Build Confidence and Develop Your Own Style
At first, you might feel like you’re copying others, and that’s okay. Gaining inspiration from others' work is all part of the learning process.
Once you gain a foothold, the way you use color, composition, and editing will shape into your unique style.
Even your confidence levels will improve with practice. The more you shoot, the easier it becomes to evaluate what feels authentic to you. That’s what will make your photos truly stand out.
Final Thoughts…
Taking aesthetic photos isn’t complicated - it’s about being intentional. Plan your theme, choose a color palette, work with natural light, and think about how your shots will look together.
Try different angles, capture small details, and edit carefully. You’ll develop your own unique style that makes your photos stand out over time.
Now that you’ve gone through some of the steps, it’s your turn to apply them. So grab your phone, find a spot with good light, and start experimenting today.
The only way to master aesthetic photography is to keep practicing and sharing your work.
FAQ
What app is best for editing aesthetic photos?
Lightroom Mobile, VSCO, and Snapseed are all excellent options for beginners.
How do I find my photography style?
Experiment with different looks such as minimal, moody, bright, or pastel and notice which ones you keep returning to.
How do I take aesthetic photos at night or in low light?
Use soft artificial lighting, keep ISO low to reduce grain, and stabilize your camera to avoid blur.
Can I make my photos aesthetic with just a phone?
Yes. Modern phones have portrait mode, exposure control, and editing apps that make it easy.
What’s the difference between presets and filters?
Filters are one-click edits, while presets are adjustable settings that give you more control and consistency.
