A photographing method and a terminal device are disclosed. The method includes: receiving, by a terminal device, a first operation; starting, by the terminal device, a camera in response to the first operation; displaying, by the terminal device, a first preview screen including a first preview image, where the first preview image includes at least one photographed object, and the at least one photographed object in the first preview image matches preset first text information; and outputting, by the terminal device, first prompt information based on the first preview image and the first text information, where the first prompt information is used to indicate a missing or redundant photographed object in the first preview image. Indicated by the prompt information, a user can move a position or an angle of the terminal device.