Phone Photography: What You Need to Know!

1) Learn to use your camera software!

This might seem like a no-brainer, but you would be surprised at just what your smartphone camera can do.

Perhaps you are familiar with some of the basic operations; Some include switching between the camera and video modes or turning your flash on and off, or putting it on auto. (Auto is where the camera calculates and sets the flash, aperture, shutter speed and IS. People may use it because it is easier to use). However, did you know that your camera likely has some scene modes, too? Or panorama, HDR, and bokeh features?

Do not be afraid to tinker with your smartphone's camera. Play with the different features, effects, and settings. While you’re at it, snap lots of photos. Soon, knowing your way around the camera software will be second nature.

2) Use Principles of Composition

There are many composition “rules” that you can follow to get a good photo. An easy one that you can follow with taking a photo on your smartphone is the rule of thirds. With the rule of thirds, imagine a grid of lines on your smartphone's display, dividing it into thirds both horizontally and vertically. In fact, most smartphones come with an option to display that very grid. It can very from phone to phone on how to set it up, but it usually be in the settings under the camera tab.

With the grid up, try placing your subjects along those lines or at the points where the lines intersect. One theory that explains why the rule of third works is that if your subject is in the center of the picture it is very still. While with a photo the follows the rule of third, your eyes are forced to find and follow the subject. This allows the viewer’s eyes to linger on your image. Thus making your picture more captivating and interactive.It will make the photos much more interesting than being smack dab in the middle of your frame.

Also, remember that cropping can improve your composition; if you have a photo that has poor composition, a simple crop can turn it into a masterpiece.

3) Make Sure You Have Great Lighting

Good light is the kind of light that gives a scene shape, depth and makes things look interesting. As much as possible, try to take your photos under natural lighting. You can do this by shooting near windows or doors when indoors, but when in low light situations use sources of light like neon signs or street lamps when snapping photos outdoors.

Additionally, keep in mind where your source of lighting is coming from. The general rules on lighting are the same here as it is in traditional photography – avoid backlight when taking pictures of people and objects unless you want to go for the silhouette effect.

While we are on the subject of low light photography, `do not use flash. The camera flash you have on your phone is almost always too harsh and rarely helpful. Good light is especially important in mobile photography because you can not create much more interest with different focal lengths and varying depth of field. You are stuck with one focal length, and one aperture setting. It is a very good exercise in shooting light and finding good composition.

4) Take Lots of Photos

Do not be shy about taking a lot of photos. Try taking pictures from different angles, experiment with different lighting, and be creative. Take 10, 20 or even 30 shots and then go through and pick out your favorites. The others photos can be deleted if needed. Using a cloud storage service is great for uploading and saving lots of pictures. That way you do not have to worry about saving them all on your phone and you can access them from any computer.

5) Use the Remote Shutter Feature

Instead of tapping the screen, which sometimes risks moving your phone from where it was originally focused, try using the remote shutter feature. To take a photo, you can use the volume “up” button to snap your photo. You can also use a pair of connected headphones and use the inline volume control to snap pictures too.

I hope these tips help you take better photos. Have a great time experimenting with your new skills to shoot photos of landscapes, events, and friends and family.