Better communication is not just about language.

Visitors to this website recognize that photographs play an integral part in human communication today.

And this made me wonder: What are three recommendations that I would make to anyone who wants to improve his or her photographic skills?

The answer? 1. Watch your angles! 2. Watch your lighting! 3. Watch your distance!

1. Watch your angles!

By watching your angles, you can dramatically improve your photos.

My first recommendation is to watch for vertical objects behind the people in your photos.

My second recommendation is to look for the best profiles of the people in your photos.

My third recommendation about angles is to “mix it up” a bit.

2. Watch your lighting!

Photography literally means writing with light, so photography is meaningless without light.

I recommend that you watch out for a mixture of shadows and light on faces.

I recommend that you augment lighting where possible.

And I recommend that you be mindful about your shutter speeds.

3. Watch your distance!

Watching your distance requires appreciation that viewing a photograph is not like viewing a scene.

My most important recommendation is to take close-ups whenever possible.

My second recommendation is to notice the depth of field in each photo that you are about to take.

My third recommendation is to pay attention to focus.

The burden of better oral communication does not belong entirely with the speaker.

It must be shared by the listener.

This got me to wondering: What are three recommendations that I would make to anyone who wants to improve his or her listening skills?

The answer? 1. Give undivided attention! 2. Listen proactively! 3. Summarize!

1. Give undivided attention!

Giving undivided attention is an honor that you pay to a speaker, as well as a crucial part of better communication.

Put yourself in the speaker’s shoes.

Eliminate external distractions.

Sublimate your agenda(s) while listening.

2. Listen proactively!

“Proactive listening” is more than a buzz-phrase. It is a significant approach to better communication.

Proactive listening means body movement.

Proactive listening means acceptance.

And proactive listening means appropriate interjections.

3. Summarize!

Summarizing ensures that you understood what the speaker said.

Summarizing in its simplest form requires parroting the speaker’s words.

Summarizing in a more complex way requires rephrasing the speaker’s words in your own words.

Summarizing in the most complex way requires analyzing what the speaker said and then synthesizing it into something new.

Many visitors to this website are interested in public speaking.

After all, human communication tends to be more oral than written.

And this made me wonder: What are three recommendations that I would make to anyone who wants to improve his or her speaking skills?

The answer? 1. Learn more! 2. Talk to yourself! 3. Talk to others!

1. Learn more!

“Learn more to earn more.” is a popular expression in America today. Given that your speaking skills often affect your earning ability, I recommend that you learn more in these three ways.

I recommend that you get public-speaking instruction to learn the basics.

I recommend that you improve your voice quality to make you a speaker who is more comfortable with his or her own voice and to be understood by a wider audience.

And I recommend that you learn a new word every day to make you a speaker with greater comfort with words and therefore a more relaxed speaker.

2. Talk to yourself!

Most people believe that those who talk to themselves are crazy, but talking to yourself can improve your speaking skills.

I recommend making videos of yourself speaking into a camera.

I recommend that you monitor your speech for “uhs” and “ums”.

And I recommend that you talk to yourself while learning a foreign language.

3. Talk to others!

Ultimately, talking is useless without listeners.

I recommend that you first pursue public speaking in a volunteer organization.

I recommend that you next pursue public speaking through a speaking club.

Finally, I recommend that you seek a job that requires you to speak regularly.