Taking a photograph is as easy as picking up a smartphone these days. But there’s so much more possibility waiting inside your camera app.

This summer, you and your kids can discover a whole world of creativity, self-expression and storytelling by exploring your device’s smartphone capabilities and experimenting with photo subjects and locations.

Here’s how to get started having fun with smartphone photography.

Understand the basics
What makes a good photographer? A solid grasp of basic photography principles such as composition, balance and framing the shot. Once they master those, the next step is to understand concepts like the rule of thirds, leading lines, and the importance of lighting in creating great photos.

Explore the camera app
First, familiarize them with the camera app on their smartphone. When they’re done showing you how much they already know, school them on how to adjust settings like exposure, focus, and white balance (see tutorials here for iPhone and Samsung Galaxy). Experimentation with different modes and settings will help them understand how they affect the final image.

Step out there and snap
Fortunately, photography is fun — so “practice” is really just a creative exercise. Encourage them to take photos of everyday objects, nature, pets and family members (but be mindful not to share or post their photos online without permission).

Experiment with editing
A galaxy of photo editing apps can unleash even more creativity by letting them enhance and manipulate their photos. Teach them how to crop, adjust colors and apply filters to create visually appealing images.

Get the right perspective
Capturing different angles and perspectives can add interesting context to photos. Teach your kids to approach photo subjects from multiple vantage points, such as shooting from low angles or overhead, to create unique compositions.

Learn from others
Encourage your kids to study the work of other photographers, both professional and amateur, and help them analyze photos they admire and identify techniques they can incorporate into their own photography.

Raising kids and teens in a complex digital world isn’t easy. Get tips from experts in our Parents’ Resource Center and align your kids’ online access with your family’s values. Check our Connect and Protect plans here.