Blurriness damages the marketability of images. In order to get a clear image, you need a steady hand. Don't hold the camera out at an arms length, hold it close to you. If possible, use both hands to hold it or brace yourself against a wall or tree. Just before you shoot, take a deep breath and hold it as you take the shot. Breathe out after you've captured your magnificent shot.

If your cell phone has different quality settings available for the photos you take, make sure you select the highest one. In order for images to look good in print or on television, they need to have good resolution. The higher the better.

No one likes trying to figure out who the tiny faces in the distance of a picture belong to. You need to try to get up close and personal with the subject of your photo. Try not to rely on the digital zoom capabilities of your cellphone camera. Zooming will make it harder for you to get a clear and grain-free image. Walk as close as safety allows to whatever you're trying to photograph. Remember, the closer you are, the more personal and detailed your shot will be.

Try taking shots from different angles, perspectives, and lighting situations. The more images you take, the better your chance of capturing a truly great image.

Lighting can make or break your photos. If the subject of your picture is too dark, it will not sell. You should always pay attention to your light source, be it artificial or natural. Make sure you do not shoot directly into bright lights or your camera subject will be silhouetted. As much as possible, keep your light source behind you (and showing on your subject).

Think about the image as a whole. What makes it interesting? What is it saying? The shapes. The colors. Leave out distractions or disturbing objects that are not part of the story you're trying to tell. Don't put your subject matter squarely in the middle of the picture frame. Photos that are slightly off center are often more visually appealing. Experiment with perspectives. Stand on a chair. Lie on the ground. Try to find unique ways of seeing whatever you're trying to photograph.

This is the most important piece of advice. They say an image is worth a thousand words. Those thousand words are the story that image is telling the viewer. Make sure your images tell the story. Stories are made up of character, emotion, activity, and color. Try to capture images of what's happening, not what's already happened. Make sure there's an element of action or movement in every photograph something should be "happening" in every frame. Take, for example, a burning building. Don't get caught up taking endless images of the building burning. Instead, photograph the firefighters as they battle the blaze in their heavy gear. Capture the concerned expressions on the neighbors faces as they watch the flames consume a building on their block. Establish the setting by taking an image of the street sign with the emergency vehicles and personnel in the background. Don't focus on one element of the happening... Expose the glistening jewel of the entire news story. Then you'll sell your photos.