Smartphones these days have a camera that can take some great photos, and they’re getting better every year. But no matter how good your phone is, it won’t help you if you don’t know how to use it effectively. That’s why we’re here with a guide on how to take beautiful photos with your smartphone. If you want to take your self-portraits or photographs of loved ones or even just want to take pictures of scenic backgrounds for Instagram or Facebook, then you need to learn some tips and tricks if you want your photos to look their best. Luckily, there are many different ways you can incorporate this into your everyday photography routine.

Frame your scene before taking the photo.

The most basic tip for taking great photos, especially for self-portraits, is to frame your scene before taking the photo. This is super important because first and foremost, you want to see what you’re photographing. You don’t want to just take a photo of yourself in your bedroom and not see what you’re shooting. You also want to ensure that the person you are photographing is in the right spot. If they’re in front of a wall, but you’re trying to take a photo of them in the living room, you’re going to get a lot of the wall in the photo and not the person. If your subject is outside, make sure they’re in a spot that makes it look nice and not too cloudy. I’ve even used my hands to create a square or rectangle to help frame them in the scene. I find this helpful to understand the balance of the photo with things that I may have missed when just looking at my phone. A different perspective helps now and again.

Don’t over-shoo or distract your subject.

Shooing is a term for getting someone to step out of the photo so that you can get a different angle or a better photo. Shooing doesn’t necessarily mean shouting, but it does mean getting your subject’s attention and making them move. When taking self-portraits, it’s important not to overshoo yourself or your subject. While it can look nice to have a blurred background in your photo, you don’t want to end up with a photo where you or your subject is too blurry. If your subject is being particularly shy or is just not into being in their own photo that much, try shooing them. Come up with something funny or sweet to shoo them with and they’ll likely be more open to being in the photo.

Use a neutral, light background.

Another tip to make sure your photos look their best is to use a neutral, light background. This is important because you don’t want to have a dark or darkish background that makes your subject look dark and grainy. It’s not necessarily a huge deal if you’re just taking photos of yourself, but it does make it a bit harder to look professional. When looking for a light, neutral background, make sure it’s not too blurry or busy. You also want it to be easy to clean up in post-production, so it mustn’t be too complex.

Experiment with different angles

One of the best things about photography is that you get to be creative with the pictures you take. Experiment with different angles and distances. You can even try zooming in on a person or yourself from a distance and taking a photo. You might be surprised by how different the photo looks when you try something like this.

Use good lighting

Good lighting is what separates a good photo from a bad one. To start, you’ll want to expose for the back-lighting. If there’s a large window behind you, that’s a great place to start. However, a simple wall with light behind it will work just as well. The key here is to expose for the back-lighting, but then to use a neutral density filter to cut down on any overexposed highlights. The beauty of using a filter instead of changing the lighting is that you can take the filter out and use it with another light setup and it will work just as well.

If you’re shooting outdoors, then natural lighting is always best. But sometimes you might want to bring a light with you that can serve as a fill light to kill some of the harsh shadows cast by the sun.

Experiment with white balance, depth of field and more.

One of the best parts about smartphones is that you can quickly take some photos and experiment with them later to see what works best. If you’re having trouble getting the light or colors in your photo the way you want them, you can quickly change the white balance to get the colors or lighting you want. This is especially helpful for photos of people or outdoors where there are many different light sources. When it comes to depth of field, again, you can experiment with your photos later on to see what works best. This is especially helpful for portraits and photos of people where you want to keep the person in focus, but you don’t need to get everything else out of focus.

Conclusion

Smartphones are amazing tools that can take amazing photos, but you need to know how to use them. This guide on how to take beautiful photos with your smartphone will help you to get your photos to look their best. Now, keep in mind that these tips are just a few of many that you can use to take better photos with your smartphone. The best way to learn more about photography is to experiment and take lots of photos!