[boricj]

I'm a stereotypical smartphone-wielding expert beginner photographer. I've developed a knack for serendipitous timing and framing, to the point where I'm the designated photographer for family pictures and such. That being said, I have no particular knowledge, skills, tools or affinity for photography, I just pull out my smartphone when I see something neat.

Given my level (or lack thereof), my only advice is to stop worrying. As long as you take pictures, some of them will be great and some of them will be shitty. Experience and luck will merely improve your odds of making a great picture instead of a shitty one.

[ryshbg]

any low hanging hacks I can use to drastic improvement?

[boricj]

Rule of thirds is a big one. The camera grid is the single most important tool to help frame a picture, always have it enabled. You can use cropping to fine-tune it later if needed, but the picture should have a decent starting point.

If you want to practice composition, use a static landscape. Static removes timing from the equation and the relative size difference between you and a landscape make adjustments (both in location and aiming) less sensitive.

Try doodling/sketching. Not necessarily as an end-goal to learn drawing, but to exercise your artistic skills in general. I've spent years drawing in class out of sheer boredom during my tertiary education, starting out as a complete neophyte. I didn't realize it at the time, but I trained my artistic vision in the process beyond just drawing, which is probably why I'm also good at taking pictures. Practice improves your artistic skills, regardless of medium.