Tips for Creating Great Smartphone Photos
Nowadays, the most powerful photography tool is right in your pocket…your smartphone! The best camera that a photographer can use is the one that’s available. An incredible camera doesn’t do a photographer any good if they don’t have it on hand to use! Smartphones are equipped with high-quality cameras, with a wide variety of creative and technical controls. These phones work to eliminate the need for high-tech, high-priced DSLR cameras in many situations. Combine this ability with Text Event Pics, and you are off to snap and share some amazing photos. Check out these smartphone photography tips for creating high-quality images, then simply text to your unique event phone number and start collecting memories.
1. Use Natural Light
If shooting outdoors, the optimal time to photograph is during what we call the “golden hours”. These hours occur both directly after sunrise and directly prior to sunset. During these hours, the light is warm, diffused and directional. This makes for great lighting in a photograph! If it’s not possible to shoot during these hours, avoid shooting your subject in direct sunlight. To achieve this, simply find a shady spot to photograph your subject. This will eliminate the need for a flash (which are essentially low-quality LED lights on smartphones), while also reducing the appearance of harsh, unflattering shadows on your subject’s face.
2. Give Yourself Options
Long gone are the days of shooting with expensive film and waiting on a lengthy and costly development process to create great images. Digital cameras eliminate the need to conserve valuable shots on a roll of film, so shoot away! Take plenty of pictures in a burst when shooting. This way, you will have plenty of angles and options to select from when finding the perfect image to share.
3. Pick the Right Phone
While most smartphone cameras can create amazing images, some phone’s cameras are higher quality than others. Some main factors to look for when selecting a smartphone to use for photography include: a variety of aperture controls, at least 12 megapixels and ISO controls, to name a few. These controls and more will allow you the increased creativity you need to create a breath-taking image. Want to learn more about how to shop for the right smartphone? Check out our guide to the top smartphones of 2018 here.
4. Use HDR Mode
Another way to create interest in your smartphone images is by using visual devices to create depth. Try using leading lines or a creative use of depth of field to draw your viewer in. Leading lines can be straight or circular, both work to create a vantage point for viewers, adding intentionality and purpose to your images. Utilizing a shallow depth of field can also add interest, drawing in the viewer’s attention to one specific area of a photo which you, the photographer, have selected.
5. Create Depth
Another way to create interest in your smartphone images is by using visual devices to create depth. Try using leading lines or a creative use of depth of field to draw your viewer in. Leading lines can be straight or circular, both work to create a vantage point for viewers, adding intentionality and purpose to your images. Utilizing a shallow depth of field can also add interest, drawing in the viewer’s attention to one specific area of a photo which you, the photographer, have selected.
6. Keep Your Lens Clean
Most of the time, we’re throwing our phones into lint-filled pockets, an overflowing purse, or keeping them in our sweating hands. Your phone endures a lot of abuse from being an object that most never leave the house without, and the camera on your phone is no different. If your lens isn’t clean, images can have a hazy or dark appearance to them. Simply wipe down your camera lens with a soft cloth (or your shirt will do in desperate situations), and you’re one step closer to creating some beautiful photos!
7. Look for Repetition
When shooting still lives, architecture or street photography, seek out a pattern to create some compelling images. Repeated lines, geometric shapes, forms and colors all work to create more visually stimulating images for viewers. These patterns can be found in some unexpected places, including floor tiles, staircases and ceilings. Do yourself a favor and change your position when looking for angles while shooting. You never know what you’ll find with a fresh perspective!
8. Go Shoot!
The best piece of advice for creating amazing images is simple: get out there and start shooting! Practice truly does make perfect when it comes to finding your inner photographer, and more time spent behind a camera will help to train your eye and develop a unique style in your work. Once you’ve collected a body of work that you’re excited about, it’s time to get some feedback! Share your images with your colleagues and friends with Text Event Pics by simply texting in your images to your unique event number. This way, you can share your favorite images from photographing an event, without the fuss!
