Your phone can be your best friend when it comes to capturing life moments. It’s always with you, and there are so many great editing apps out there that make the pictures look professional! But how do you take a good photo with your cell phone? With some simple tips and tricks, I’ll show how anyone can improve their photos. Read on for 9 helpful hints on how to take good photos with your phone!
"I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Full disclosure here."1. Shoot At Different Times Of The Day
If possible try taking pictures at different times of day or during different weather conditions. Clouds can add a lot to an image, especially during early morning or evening with sunrise/sunset colors. Adds a wonderful dynamic to images.
2. Use Natural Light
Use natural light to take pictures, as it will make your photos brighter and more appealing. If you’re trying to take people’s pictures, try to have the sun directly behind you while also in the shade. It’s something photographers look out for and it works the same with cell phone cameras.
3. Take Multiple Shots
Take multiple shots of the same subject from different angles to capture all its details. Try with the phone held high, at eye level, or held down low. Get closer to the object by either moving back or zooming in with your camera lens.
4. Keep Your Hands Steady
Keep your hands steady so you don’t have blurry photos. Make sure to tap on your subject while taking a cell phone picture so the camera will focus on it. Or buy a little tripod like this one. You can use it like a traditional tripod or even wrap it around poles, fences, etc.
5. Use Leading Lines
Make sure the background is not too cluttered. Try a common photography technique and use leading lines to your advantage. Leading lines generally point the viewer’s eye toward the subject of the photo. For example, if taking people shots on a covered walkway, line the subjects up in the center and have them face the entrance or exit, then you take their picture head-on. Make sure to see some of the covered walkways on the sides of the image and then behind the subject. The tunnel created in the image leads the viewer directly to the intended subject.
6. Try Not To Use Flash
Turn off the flash when taking a photo in low-light conditions – it can create red eye or other unwanted effects. Try using your phone’s ‘Nightsight’ mode and have your subjects stand really still. Most current phones are really good at bringing in as much light as possible. Now if it’s pitch black and not much light around, you’ll have to use that flash.
7. Use Portrait Mode
Use your phone’s Portrait Mode. Focus on one thing in the photo and it’ll blur out everything else. This reproduces the technique photographers use when taking portraits, hence the name ‘Portrait Mode’, and makes your images pop with some ‘bokeh.’ Big cameras with specific lenses create this effect by controlling their aperture setting.
8. Edit In The Snapseed App
Edit using Snapseed (Android or Apple), but don’t overdo it. I like their ‘Dramatic’ & ‘HDR Scape’ tools but generally use a filter strength of around 10 or 20. You want the image to still look natural. Snapseed also has a ‘Healing’ tool that’ll help get rid of little blemishes in your image, like sunspots, trash, and other unwanted smaller items.
9. Tell Your Camera Phone Where To Pull Light From
If taking pictures during sunrise or sunset try tapping on the sky so your phone’s camera will pull light from that specific spot. The foreground, or whatever else is not the sky, will darken but you’ll have the sky colors captured beautifully! Alternatively, if you click on the foreground you’ll be able to see that better for the picture but the sky won’t be as dramatic or eye-catching. This can also make for cool photos if you’re in the city and tell your camera phone to pull the light from street lights or city lights. This can make for more interesting images.
Here’s a great list of phones to help improve your pictures below:
Wrapping Up
I hope these tips help you take better photos with your phone. And if you’re thinking about moving past your phone to a big camera check out my beginner’s guide to buying your first camera. Now, go out and capture the moments that matter!
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