SMARTPHONE PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS

Technology has taken a big leap over the last few years and as a result, smartphones have become cutting-edge. The modern phones come with state-of-the-art cameras loaded with stupendous features. It might not match the quality of a DSLR camera but it's quite capable of capturing extraordinary images. However, taking a perfect snap isn't as easy as a pie. A rigorous understanding of the setting and correct utilization of the options are required for that. Precisely saying, having a superb camera would not suffice. You must know how to use the camera efficiently.

Are you dissatisfied with the quality of the images you take despite having a powerful camera? Then this blog might help you. Through this blog, we'll share some tips that can help you capture better photos using your smartphones. Let's dive into it.

Learn The Settings Of Your Camera App

Today, the cameras in smartphones come with tons of options that cater to different needs. Before you start playing with your camera, it's important to learn these settings in order to capture images in the best possible way. With numerous features, it may take some time to learn all that but it'll surely worth it especially if you are ardent about photography. Though the auto mode lends a hand in automatically tweaking the camera according to the situation, other modes can potentially help in enhancing the quality of the image if used correctly. Therefore, when you buy a new phone make sure you understand the camera setting thoroughly.

Ensure Your Lens Is Clean

Needless to say, the atmosphere is comprised of floating dust particles. Ergo, when we take our smartphone from our pocket, these dust settle on the lenses. Apart from that, smudges can take root on the lens when our fingers accidentally touch the lens while our usage. These all make the photos you take blurry or grainy. Therefore, cleaning the lens before you take the shot is highly important. Though this is an easy job, it can improve the sharpness and clarity of the images you capture. Ensure you use micro-fibre or lint-free cloth or else your camera lens will get scratches. It would be much better if you can make this a habit.

Get A Tripod

Our hand normally trembles when we hold the phone in a specific position for a long time without moving. Hence, capturing steady photos can be tricky. In today's smartphone cameras, there is Optical image stabilization (OIS) technology that helps to take non-shaky pictures. However, there is a limit for OIS to stabilize the photos especially when it comes to night photography or long-exposure photography which requires the shutter to function slowly and the phone to be still for some time. This is why it's important to get a tripod. With it, all you have to do is place your phone on it, instead of holding it in your hand, and wait for the phone to capture the image. You could also use the tripod to capture beautiful group photos. Just set the timer, press the trigger button and pose with your friends for the photo.

Accurately Focus

Focusing feature in modern phones has taken a gigantic leap. It helps the user to perfectly focus the subject and blur the background impeccably, thanks to AI. However, it's a bit tricky to correctly use the focus function even though it's supported by the AI. Primarily, you have to be patient. The more you rush, the more chance for your photo to get spoiled. Therefore, let the camera take the time it needs to focus and capture the image at the right moment. Alternatively, you could opt for autofocusing option but it's better to go for manual focus to get a satisfying dynamic range.

Use Flash Wisely

Sometimes, the best way to make your photo look good is to disable the flash. Especially in bright-light photography, the best bet is to turn off the flash or else the image might seem artificial. With the smartphones we have today, we can capture great pictures without flash even in dim-light conditions. So, before you start taking photos using flash, have some tries without it and check whether it pans out. Having said that, this is not a must. In fact, photos taken with flash look better in certain situations. The bottom line is, experiment the camera without flash initially.

Make Use Of HDR

Normally when we take a photo of landscapes, either the shadows will be emphasized or the bright areas will stand out in the picture. To be precise, you will not get the perfect dynamic range. This is when HDR comes in. Every smartphone we have today come with the HDR option. With this, you can take evenly-lit photos with great sharpness. That means you get what you are shooting in its real-life look with impressive black levels and saturation. In some phones, you get Smart HDR option which automatically turns on the HDR when you launch the camera application. Some phones' AI cameras are good enough that it doesn't require HDR to capture beautiful landscapes. Anyways, next time you are about to capture a scenic landscape, try turning on the HDR option.

Keep An Eye On The Sun

Pictures shot under bright sunlight can be often vivid and crisp. However, it depends on where you are pointing the camera. If you are pointing straightly to the sun, the image will be spoiled by the flare of the sun or it will result in low details. So, ensure the subject face the sun instead of keeping them under the sunlight. Having said that, photography in low sunlight can deliver some beautiful photos as well with some gorgeous colours and shadows. Therefore, don't avoid the sun completely and instead, use the sunlight accordingly.

Turn On The Grid

This is otherwise known as 'Rule Of Thirds' in photography. It's one of the basic rules in photography which says to divide the camera viewfinder into nine sections. This is exactly what the grid option does. When you turn this option two horizontal and vertical lines form nine squares on the viewfinder. According to this rule, the picture is correctly taken if the object you are focusing is placed on the intersection points of the grid. Another important benefit of using grid option is that the photos you take won't be slanted. If your phone has this option, try it the next time you capture an image. In case there is no option on your phone, approximately picture the grid on your screen. Though this is a basic rule that can improve the image, this ain't a must. Sometimes the angle you opt for might be the best one. So, don't use the grid at the expense of your photography skill.

Take Lots Of Photos Or Use Burst Mode

You might have watched at least one press conference in your life hitherto. Haven't you noticed the relentless shuttering sound of cameras? Or take a football match or cricket match for instance. Haven't you seen photographers keeping on clicking photos until the match concludes? That's what professionals do. They don't settle with just a few photos, instead, they click tons of images and choose the right ones. This is exactly what we are saying too as a tip. When you take more pictures, there is more chance of getting excellent pictures. When you think the photo you took is the best one, actually you might have missed the chance to capture an even better image. Now if you are trying to capture something which is in motion, make use of the Burst mode if your camera boasts it. This mode takes numerous photos in quick succession. In some phones, it even automatically deletes photos in the burst that lack quality.

Use A Photo Editor

Of course, smartphone cameras possess in-built editors. It can be used for itsy-bitsy edits but beyond that, it isn't capable. So, download a photo editor from the play store or App store (If you are an Apple iPhone user). Some editors like Snapseed and Picsart offer tons of options beyond just cropping and adding filters. Long story short, the photos you take can be beautified and be given an elegant look with a good editor. If you don't have it, download one if you are really into photography.

Be Well-Versed In Manual Mode

The majority of phones nowadays come with manual mode. For those who aren't a regular user of cameras, the manual mode might seem bewildering with all the signs, symbols and, numbers. In fact, it's not as complicated as it looks. When you are free from your works, spend some time to learn the manual mode. This way you can get used to it and once you thoroughly comprehend how it works, then you can take some killer photos with your camera. To make things clearer, we'll briefly explain some options present in the manual mode. The shutter speed simply determines how fastly it should work. For night photography, it's better to slow down the shutter speed. Then there is ISO option which simply refers to the measure of light sensitivity. Tt's recommended to keep it low in bright light conditions and high in dark conditions. You also get an option to set the aperture which is simply the size of the hole, in the shutter, through which the light enters onto the sensor. Another thing to keep in mind is that ISO, exposure and, aperture are the foundation of the exposure triangle. This means that, if you are adjusting one option, then you ought to tweak other options too. One more important point is that, when the shutter speed is low, there is a good chance for your photo to be blurred unless you are steady or use a tripod.

Winding Up

The aforementioned tips are tested and proven ones. We hope it will help you for your photography. Make sure you use the tricks in the right way. Next time you want to capture some best moments, keep all these in mind. Break a leg!