Provided are a photographing method and a terminal, relating to the field of electronic devices, and by which a user can be instructed based on a template to adjust a position or an attitude of a mobile phone, to obtain a photo or a video whose composition is the same as or similar to that of the template, thereby improving the user photographing experience. The method specifically includes: after starting a first function of a camera application, an electronic device calculates a moving direction and distance of the electronic device and/or calculates a rotation direction or a rotation angle of the electronic device based on a target template selected by a user and a currently acquired preview and through feature point matching or an AR repositioning technology, so that the electronic device can photograph a photo or a video whose composition is the same as that of the target template.