Anyone who has even a vague awareness of how smartphone cameras have improved over the years will know they’re now capable of taking high-quality photos. But not every smartphone’s pics are as impressive as the others’.
Although you could take a full course to learn how to take better pictures with a smartphone, the following tips are a solid start. Keep these items in mind the next time you’re snapping pics, whether for Instagram, a professional portfolio, or your own pleasure.
Use Apps
The camera features and apps that most smartphones now come with are often quite powerful. There is, however, a range of apps designed to leverage these strengths to their full potential.
They include such extra features as greater control over focus and exposure, filters, advanced photo-editing tools, and other capabilities. Research all the options to find the ones that will best suit your goals and budget.
Turn on the Grid Function
Experienced photographers can compose perfect shots naturally. If you’re reading this, though, the odds are your skills aren’t quite at that level.
Happily, many smartphone cameras and camera apps enable the user to overlay a grid on the screen when they take a photo. This makes it easier to adhere to such rules of composition as the rule of thirds.
Shoot During Magic Hour
Did you ever notice how two people may take pictures of the same landscape or outdoor subject, but the photo one took appears dramatic and interesting, while the other has weaknesses such as glare and seems rather bland?
Many factors could account for this. Often, the time of day when the shots were taken will have a major impact on the result.
Expert photographers often recommend you take pictures during the “magic hour.” This is the period during both sunrise and sunset when the world looks somewhat golden and the sun strikes everything at a comparatively low angle that casts interesting shadows.
You should experiment with shooting photos during these times. You might be surprised by what a difference it can make.
Keep it Simple
Another common reason smartphone pictures don’t come out the way you intended them to? There’s too much happening in the frame.
Certain master photographers are able to take photos that feature numerous elements but somehow manage to create a final composition that still looks clean instead of cluttered and chaotic. Eventually, you might reach this stage.
In the meantime, it’s best to improve your work by focusing on a single subject, and keeping the rest of the frame relatively clear. This can help you optimize the composition by eliminating potentially distracting details.
Try New Angles
It’s not uncommon for many professional photographers to at least occasionally rely on their smartphone during shoots instead of taking pictures with advanced equipment.
This isn’t merely because smartphone cameras are much stronger now than they once were. Sometimes it’s because smartphones are small enough to enable photographers to take shots from angles that wouldn’t have been possible before.
Amateur photographers like yourself can do the same. True, not all angles are impressive simply because they’re unusual, but if you try a variety of options, over time you’ll naturally develop an understanding of what does and does not contribute to the strength of the image.
That may be the main point to learn from this guide. If you experiment with different apps, compositions, and other aspects of photography consistently, over time your skills will improve.
Just keep in mind that there may be instances when it’s best to hire an expert to take your photos for you! For example, if you’re selling or renting a property, you should hire experts who provide quality photography services to take pictures to promote the site most effectively.
That’s one example. In general, though, if you’re just having fun with smartphone photography, these tips will help you improve.
Laila Azzahra is a professional writer and blogger that loves to write about technology, business, entertainment, science, and health.