Smartphone technology means taking a great image on your device is easier than ever. Here are some tips to ensure you get the best possible pic.
- Make Sure The Lens Is Clean
The lenses on smartphones are much smaller than the lenses on a standard camera. That means that they can easily get dirty. During the day, as you use your phone, grease from your fingers can leave smears or streaks on the screen, including the area over the camera lens. This can result in blurry or low-quality photos. Cleaning your lens before you start taking pictures is the best way to remedy this problem.
Dirty lenses are especially common during the summer since most people use sunscreen when they are outdoors. Don’t forget to clean the front camera, as well. Anytime you take a selfie, you naturally want to look your best. Cleaning the lens will ensure that your photo is sharp.
2. Make Sure Your Photo Is In Focus
Today’s smartphone cameras are better than ever at focusing. Despite that, you still need to make sure they are in focus before you snap the photo. You can’t just point the camera at the subject and take the picture.
The majority of smartphones rely on touch focusing. To focus, all that you need to do is touch the primary subject of the photo. If you are having trouble getting the camera to focus, your phone may be too close to the subject. Stepping back a little bit may help.
Many modern phones come equipped with portrait modes or “bokeh” effects. This allows you to create an effect that is similar to depth of field. Although this does hide any distractions in the background, it can look a little bit fake if you aren’t careful. If your phone has the option to choose how strong you want the effect to be, turning it down a touch will usually provide more believable results. Always experiment to see whether a photo looks better with the effect or without it.
3. Consider The Composition
Consider what you are trying to convey with your photo when you are setting up the shot. Although you can crop your photo after it is taken, you will get better results if you focus on great composition from the start. That means deciding ahead of time what you want the focal point of the photo to be and what feelings or emotions you want to convey.
One way to get consistently good results is by relying on the rule of thirds. Used by photographers for years, this compositional trick almost always works. Imagine that the scene you are shooting is covered with a 3 x 3 grid, much like a tic-tac-toe grid. Now, position the subject of the photo at one of the points where the lines intersect. This will almost always result in a great composition.
You can also try using pathways or fences to make the viewer feel like they are being drawn into the photo. Don’t forget to check the horizon, as well, to make sure everything is level.
4. Pay Attention To The Location Of The Sun
Sunny days are great for taking photos since there is plenty of light available. Before you start shooting, however, think about the direction of the sun. If you point your camera toward the sun, you may wind up with a huge lens flare that blocks out your subject. Alternatively, parts of the people or objects that you are shooting may have extreme highlights that cause any detail to be lost.
If you are struggling with either of these problems, placing your hand above the lens to create shade may improve your results. Just be careful not to stick your fingers in the photo. If you are taking pictures of people, always plan ahead so that they are properly lit. The last thing that you want is to have them appear as silhouettes in your photo since you didn’t think about the sun being located behind them. At the same time, however, you also don’t want to make them stare directly at the sun or else everybody will be squinting in your photo.
When used to your advantage, however, the sun can be extremely beneficial. You can create dramatic photos by waiting until the sun is low in the sky. During this time, the shadows become much longer, which can create some interesting effects. The iPhone 11 is excellent at this and if you’re interested then check out these iPhone 11 deals.
5. Know When To Use The Flash
Most smartphone flashes are relatively low-quality. As a general rule of thumb, your photos will come out better if you don’t use a flash. This is especially true at concerts or other nighttime events. The flash isn’t strong enough to reach the subject you are shooting. Shutting it off will provide much better results. The same goes for taking photographs through glass at places like the zoo. Along with ruining your photo, the flash can also startle the animals, which is something you definitely don’t want to do.
There are situations, however, where flashes can be beneficial. If you are taking pictures of a shadowed subject during the day, using the rear flash may help. Similarly, if you are trying to take a selfie in a dimly lit environment, using the flash may be beneficial. Although you usually will get better pictures without it, there are certain situations where you may want to use it.
6. Avoid Moving The Camera When Taking A Photo
The steadier you hold the camera, the sharper your photos will be. Instead of pressing the button with abandon, steady the shot first. A lot of modern phones come with built-in optical image stabilization, which enables them to overcome problems like shaky hands. Despite that, it is still best to hold the camera as steady as you can.
Try experimenting with using both of your hands to hold the phone. Slowing down when taking photos may also help. If necessary, try steadying your phone against a wall or the top of a table.
Although packing around a tripod can be a little bit cumbersome, having one can allow you to get some great shots. With the help of a tripod, you can take interesting selfies. Tripods are also great for taking photos at night or shooting pictures of the moon.
7. Experiment With Night Mode
One of the newest introductions to smartphone cameras is night mode. This option is usually only available on phones that came out in the past few years. Major brands like iPhone, Google, Samsung, and Huawei have all implemented this technology in one way or another. If you happen to have it on your phone, try experimenting with it to see what kind of results you can get.
In essence, this mode makes it possible to take incredible photos at night. It has built-in technology that corrects problems with nighttime photos and cleans them up so that they look a lot nicer. With this mode, you can take pictures that would have been difficult to capture with a smartphone in the past. Whether you want to take beautiful shots of the moon or photos of you and your friends out on the town, this shooting mode can be a lot of fun to play around with.
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