Today’s smartphone users snap more photos than ever before. The average photo-loving millennial takes about 200 images per day, with the resulting photo collection numbering around 2000 photographs per month and 700,000 photographs over a lifetime. In response to this uptick in photographic activity, photographers have created mobile apps that give users pro-level photo editing capabilities in a user-friendly format. These apps have also made it easier for anyone to take stunning photos with their smartphone instead of an expensive DSLR camera and lens. In fact, many people feel that the best camera you can get is the one you always have on you: your iPhone camera. Below are some useful tips to help you take better photos with your iPhone so that all those selfies, group shots and landscape images show just how beautiful life is when you see it through the lens of an iPhone.
Don’t always shoot head on
One common thing I see people do is always hold their phone up at eye level, straight on to what they’re trying to take a picture of. While this is sometimes okay, you want to shift the perspectives on what you’re capturing. Try different angles, heights, and distances. Ultimately, just move around and snap a few photos.
Add depth to your photos
Novice photographers will think of their shots 2 dimensional but more experienced photographers will look to add another dimension so that there is depth to a photo.
You can easily add depth to a photo by placing an object out of focus either in front of the subject or behind the subject similar to the example below.
I love to do this bushes, trees, walls, fences, and even railing. Really anything I can subtly throw in front of a subject to show depth and distance to create something that becomes more than just a flat photo.
Shoot in Live Photo Mode
Live Photos are photos taken with your iPhone that include a short video clip that shows what happened 1.5 seconds before and after the photo was taken. You can use Live Photos in the same way as traditional photos. After taking a Live Photo, you may pick a different key photo, add a special effect, and edit the Live Photo. You may also share the Live Photos with your family and friends.
This setting is great if there’s a lot of movement in the area you’re shooting in or if you’re just learning how to take better pictures.
To enable live photos, make sure the camera is set to Photo mode and then click the live photo icon in the upper right.
Shoot RAW format for higher-quality photos
Did you know you can shoot in RAW format on an iPhone? It’s easy to enable, too. While most people do not know the difference between JPEG and RAW, it’s always better to shoot in RAW format. One note, you cannot shoot in RAW format and Live photo. It’s one or the other. As you get better with taking photos, I recommend switching over to RAW over Live.
The grainy noise commonly associated with high ISO settings is not present in RAW files. RAW files are not as demanding as JPEG files when it comes to exposure compensation. You may recover shadows and highlights after post-processing without the grainy noise normally present.
To enable RAW photos on an iPhone, head to settings > camera > formats and enable Apple ProRAW. ProRAW is a 10-bit file that uses the Linear DNG format to retain more information and dynamic range in the file, providing additional flexibility when editing exposure and white balance.
Look at your photos after shooting
Don’t be like I used to be. I would go to a place and take a bunch of photos that I thought were going to be the best ever only to open them up in Lightroom and realize I missed the mark. After you take a few photos, go back and look at what you did. See if it’s what you had in mind, if things were in focus, or if something doesn’t look right. This way you can correct it here instead of having to go back out another day or just missing out on the moment entirely.
Shoot in daylight and avoid using flash
Another important tip for getting better phone photos is to shoot in daylight. Most of the people avoid using flash, as it gives them unflattering photos, but if you use flash, then the photos will be too bright and will not look good. Hence, it’s better to avoid using flash while taking photos. Another tip for getting better phone photos is to avoid using HDR. HDR, which is a software enhancement, creates a photo with a wide dynamic range. Most of the people do not realize this, but HDR photos look unnatural and will give you a photo with a dull look, as they are too bright.
Hold your iPhone still when taking photos
Smartphone cameras, even the best iPhone cameras, work best when they’re held very still. This is why you’ll see a lot of experienced photographers using a tripod when shooting with DSLRs. If you’re not using a tripod, it’s best to prop your hand on something steady, like a wall or a chair, to keep your camera as still as possible. A little bit of camera movement is okay, but any more than that will negatively affect the sharpness of your image greatly. If you’re in a loud environment, such as at a concert, you might find it challenging to hold your camera still for an extended period of time. In these cases, try to position yourself as close to your subject as possible, or use the zoom function on your iPhone to get closer to the action. You can also put your iPhone in burst mode. Burst mode will take a rapid-fire succession of photos and let you choose the best one later.
Rotate your iOS device to landscape orientation
Unless the goal of the photo is to shoot for an Instagram Story or something similar, you should always shoot in landscape orientation if you can. This is because wider shots let you get more people or subjects in the frame, and allow you to see more. When shooting in portrait mode, a typical iPhone photo is around 16:9. In landscape orientation, though, your photo is more like 1:1. This lets you see more of what’s in front of you, so it’s generally a better option for photos of people or groups. Even if you’re taking a landscape shot and have no people in it, you might want to shoot in landscape to let the viewer see more of the actual subject matter. For example, if you’re shooting a landscape photo of a sunset, it might be more effective to shoot in landscape orientation instead of portrait to allow the viewer to see more of the beautiful colors of the sunset.
Enable Grid Lines
“The rule of thirds” is a phrase used in the world of photography to describe a balanced composition that adheres to a thirds rule. The camera grid on the iPhone is visible when you shoot photos, helping you to create a well-balanced photograph. You can find the camera grid setting in the iPhone’s settings > camera > Grid in the composition section.
Use the flashlight on another iPhone
If you’re shooting in a low-light environment, such as a bar or restaurant, you can use the flashlight on another iPhone to help increase your iPhone camera’s ISO and capture more light. I use this trick often when trying to capture a group photo with friends. The result is typically better than if I were to use flash on the phone.
Take photos with a tripod
If you’re serious about photography, you’re probably used to using a tripod. However, you can use a mobile phone tripod to take better pictures with your iPhone. Once you have a tripod with a smartphone adapter, you can use it to get in the right position for your shot and also help you keep your phone very still. With an iPhone tripod, you can also use long shutter speeds to capture the movement in a scene, like a waterfall or a busy sidewalk. If you’re into macro photography, a tripod is an essential tool for getting the best shots. Macro photography is the art of capturing extreme close-ups of small subjects, like flowers, insects or coins. To take a macro photograph, you need to hold your camera very still so it doesn’t move while you’re focusing on the small subject. A tripod is essential for any macro photography.
Take a few minutes and edit your photos
Ever heard of the phrase “fix it in post”? This is taking a piece of content and editing/fixing it later. You can adjust lighting, darken shadows, crop items out, etc.
You don’t need any additional apps to edit photos, although I edit in Lightroom, you can use the Photos app to edit most of your photos.
To edit a photo, visit your photo gallery on your iPhone, select an image, and then click edit at the top. I will typically start by clicking the auto option for quick edits. From there, you can adjust the brightness or exposure, warmness, shadows, and a whole lot more. There’s no right answer when it comes to editing a photo, play with it until it feels right for you no matter how creative.
Summing up
Your smartphone is capable of taking incredible photos, especially if you know how to use it like a pro. To do this, you need to learn how your iPhone camera works. Once you know the basics, you can take your photography to the next level by experimenting with settings, using grid lines, and just experimenting. I can’t wait to see the types of photos you’ll be taking!