How to take more meaningful photographs

I take photographs for a living, predominantly capturing the luxurious interiors of design-led hotels, yet many of my favourite images are quick snaps of everyday moments that have captivated my attention. Golden morning light hitting the crumbled sheets of the bed I just clambered out of, a blurry bird darting in front of my lens, an old man leafing through his diary while sipping a coffee – these are the unremarkable yet meaningful moments that have created some of my most treasured photographs. 

Meaningful photographs are often found in the mediocre. You don’t need a glossy commission or immaculate surroundings to capture your own version of beauty; train your eye to spot those imperfect scenes and in-between moments that carry both emotion and narrative. 

Take my recent trip to Greece as an example: in-between photographing hotels, I arranged a shoot with my travel companion for my portfolio. Of all the frames I shot, my favourite is from after she stopped posing, popped her cap back on and sat on a rock applying sunscreen. I snapped one photo, focusing on the waves behind her. This relaxed image (that she didn’t know I was taking) instantly transports me back to the rocks above the swimming ladders in Hydra and those nonchalant days.

But what is an “everyday moment”? Applying sunscreen on a Greek beach might not be your current idea of one, but you don’t have to just think about your day-to-day life at home – you can capture meaningful moments when you’re travelling, too.

Consider walking around a new place with your camera or phone, snapping away whenever something mundane captures your eye. Or taking a stroll around your own neighbourhood, paying attention to the small things you might otherwise miss. If you have children, they’re the perfect subjects – photograph them in the moment, rather than asking them to smile and pose. There’s no limit to what these moments can be, but you will be on a path towards capturing more purposeful photographs simply by learning to slow down and notice what’s happening around you. Don’t force or stage the scenes that you aim your camera at, asking people to pose or carefully positioning objects – rather, capture moments as they naturally unfold.

By focusing on a certain feeling, the light and the atmosphere over technical perfection, you may end up with an image that is a little blurry or rough around the edges, but is sure to be full of soul. You don’t need the latest camera, a bag full of lenses or technical know-how – you just need to let go of the idea of perfection and embrace a more candid form of photography. Candid photographs capture genuine, natural moments and emotions, focusing on storytelling and observation, naturally leading to more meaningful images.

I’m so used to striving for those “perfect” captures in my photography work, that it can feel like a breath of fresh air to just let go and not worry about exposure or shutter speed. It could mean relieving the pressure around having a messy home, forgetting about the light being “bad”, or learning to love dull, ordinary days where (upon first glance) it might seem like there is nothing worth taking a photograph of. Perhaps set yourself a challenge of taking a photograph (or five) each day for a month, regardless of whether you’ve put the washing away or its grey and cloudy outside. Ask yourself: what everyday moments can I start to capture?

When you get used to taking regular candid, casual photographs, you’ll find yourself building up a bank of images over time. Sometimes those photos can gain more meaning when you revisit them at a later date – they might remind you of holidays, show your children growing in age, preserve memories of people who are no longer with you, or offer a reminder that there is beauty in the everyday. You could choose to print these photographs in a Photo Book to preserve these memories, as a record of your year or as a collection dedicated to a particular subject such as your children, your garden or your home town.

I always return to a simple shot from the summer of 2021, camping in Cornwall for a pandemic-friendly getaway. It’s just a photograph of a couple of cows in a field that I took with an old camera on an evening dog walk – the cows aren’t even perfectly in focus. But there’s something about that candid shot of an everyday moment that immediately conjures me back to that exact moment in time.

Frequently asked questions

How can I take meaningful photos while remaining present?

The two go hand-in-hand. Rather than forcing a shot and taking away from the moment to ask people to pose, adapt a stealthy approach to taking a few photos, then put your camera or phone away rather than continuing to snap away striving for perfection. 

Should I edit meaningful photos or leave them as they are?

It’s entirely up to you! Personally, I edit all of my photographs, but you don’t need to sign up to Lightroom and spend hours learning how to post-process. You could try downloading an app that’s simple to use, such as VSCO where you can apply a light filter and play around with the exposure.

What everyday moments can I start photographing?

The world is your oyster! To begin, perhaps give yourself a subject as your starting point and take photos of this over the space of a week or two whenever something catches your eye: your home, your garden, a pet, your children, your partner, your home town. Choose something that you’ll have daily access to. If you choose your home, for example, everyday moments to capture could include the light shining through a window, a pile of laundry, your morning cup of coffee, a family member curled up with a book or the view through one of your windows.