3 Simple Tips to Improve Your Cellphone Photography By James Morris
Introduction The camera on your phone is probably better than the DSLR that’s sitting on your bookshelf at home. Do you know why? Because the best camera to have is the one that you have with you. In my case, I know I carry my phone all the time. But we hardly carry the DSLR — I know I don’t. Since we always have our cellphone with us, I thought it would be nice to explore easy ways you can improve your cellphone photography so you can take photos worthy of Instagram (or at least passable for Snapchat).
1. Camera Timer
The first tip is to use your camera’s timer. It’s a feature on most smartphones that allows you to take photos without having to hold the camera, and you can use it for group photos or even selfies. The process is very simple. All you have to do is set the timer before pressing the shutter button, and then let go while keeping your phone steady at eye level. After three seconds (or whatever interval you’ve chosen), your phone will automatically snap a photo!
2. Use the Right Camera Mode One of the most important things you can do to improve your cellphone photography is to use the right camera mode for the situation. For example, if you’re photographing something that’s moving fast (like a car) then using burst mode would be a good idea because it will capture multiple photos in rapid succession and increase your chances of getting at least one shot where everything is in focus. If you’re taking pictures of someone standing still (like an actor on stage), then using a single frame or time-lapse would be more appropriate because these modes allow you to set the shutter speed and aperture manually so that they match what you want them to be. There are lots of other scenarios where different camera modes work better than others, such as taking photos indoors vs outdoors; nighttime vs daytime; action shots vs portraits, etc...
3. Stabilize the Camera If you’re taking a photo with your cellphone, there’s no reason you can’t get it to look as good as one taken on an expensive DSLR camera. One of the most important things that helps with this is stabilizing the camera. There are many ways to do this, but here are some of my favorites: • • •
Use a tripod or monopod for capturing long exposures in low-light settings Use a selfie stick for wide-angle shots where you want to include yourself in the frame If you want to take a selfie while also keeping the shot in focus, use a tripod mount on a selfie stick.
You can take better photos with your phone. Taking wonderful photos with your phone can be a challenge, but it’s not impossible. And you don’t need to invest in anything fancy—you already have everything you need to get started!
To start, make sure that you’re using the right camera mode for each situation. If you’re taking pictures of people, try using “portrait” mode. For landscapes or architecture, use “landscape.” You’ll notice how much better your photos look when they aren’t blurry from moving too quickly while trying to take them. Next up: set up the camera timer so that there’s time between pressing the shutter button and actually capturing an image (this prevents blurry shots). This will also give whoever is being photographed a chance to compose themselves—or even walk away if they aren’t into posing for selfies! Don’t forget about stabilizing your device as well; if it’s in motion while taking video or stills then nothing will turn out right. We hope this article gave you some ideas on how to improve your cellphone photography. If you have a question about a specific feature of your phone, we’re here to help. Just leave a comment below and we’ll get back to you as quickly as possible.