Smartphone cameras have improved drastically over the years. Now, it is incredibly common for people to use their smartphones as cameras instead of purchasing digital cameras. The cameras on these devices are capable of taking beautiful photos–that is, if you know how to use them. Follow these 10 tips to take cool shots with your smartphone:
Keep the Lens Clean
Start by wiping your smartphone’s camera lens with a dry, non-abrasive cloth. Wiping the lens with a soft cloth will remove dust and fingerprints that could affect the quality of your photos.
Adjust the Exposure
The exposure will determine how light or dark a photo appears. If there is too much light in your shot, the photo will appear overly bright, whereas too much darkness can make it hard to see the objects in the photo. Find the perfect balance by tapping on your smartphone’s screen to change the exposure. After tapping on the screen, an icon will appear that allows you to adjust the exposure in the picture. Play around with different levels of exposure until you have found the perfect light for your shot.
Get Close to the Object
Dual camera technology, which is supposed to improve zoom functionality, was touted as one of the most innovative smartphone features of last year. However, it is nowhere near perfect. Instead of relying on your camera’s zoom, try to move as close as possible to the object you are photographing before taking the picture. This will reduce blurriness and ensure your camera captures as much detail as possible.
Tap to Focus
Make sure the camera is focusing on the object you are photographing so you can take clearer pictures. If it does not automatically focus on the object, tap on your smartphone’s screen so you can manually adjust the focus.
Take Advantage of Negative Space
Don’t try to fill empty space in your shot–embrace this negative space instead. Negative space can actually work to your advantage by making the object in the shot the center of attention. Negative space will not distract from the main object, so these images can actually be the most striking and eye-catching.
Perfect Your Posture
Many photographers don’t realize their posture can affect the quality of their photos, but it’s true. Reduce the blurriness of your photos by standing up straight and holding your elbows close to your body while taking pictures. This will provide your arms with more stability so they don’t start shaking or swaying as you are snapping photos.
Take Multiple Photos
Smartphones are designed with a significant amount of storage space, so there’s no need to stop at one photo. Take multiple photos–one right after the other–and then sort through them to find the best one. This is especially important if you are photographing moving objects or people.
Use the Back Camera
Most smartphones are designed with two cameras–one on the front and one on the back. It’s best to use the back camera as much as possible since it is capable of taking higher resolution photos than the front camera. Higher resolution photos are clearer and show more detail, so they tend to be more captivating.
Download Editing Apps
There are countless photo editing apps available for both iPhone and Android devices. VSCO is a popular photo editing app that is known for its subtle and sophisticated filters. If you need to retouch the image, TouchRetouch will allow you to remove blemishes and objects in the background of your photo. Download a few photo editing apps so you have them at your disposal when you need to perfect your pictures.
Avoid Using the Flash
The flash on your smartphone’s camera creates a harsh and unflattering light, so it’s best to turn this setting off. Look for other sources of light to brighten photos, such as sunlight or indoor lighting. Unlike the camera’s flash, these light sources are flattering and do not cause strange shadows or reflections to show up in your photos.
Many people believe that they just need to push a button in order to take a beautiful photo, but that’s not necessarily true. Following these 10 simple tips will help you take advantage of your smartphone’s built-in tools and take stunning, professional-looking photos!
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