These days, almost every smartphone, and most feature phones, now come with a camera. While the capabilities of the cameras may vary, there are general tips to help you take better pictures.
You take out your phone, tab, digital camera, or whatever device, and you click! Click!! Then you hear phrases like, “It is not clear”, “It is not fine”, or “It is too dark,” so you delete, and you try again. Maybe the gadget you’re using isn’t that bad, but there might be one or two things you’ve been ignoring all along. Here are a few things you have to get right to attain better pictures in whatever gadget you’re using.
Don’t forget: your photography skills are often more important than what smartphone model or type you are using. So, the following tips will improve your photos even if you are not using a fantastic camera phone.
Steps to Take Better Pictures with your Smartphone
1. Lighting matters
Understanding lighting is essential if you want to take better pictures with your smartphone. The better the lighting, the better the outcome of the picture. Good lighting helps the sensor in our cameras capture more details. That is why outdoor daytime pictures usually come out better than indoor pictures.
Lighting situations is one of the basic criteria used in camera tests. It is used to know how good pictures will look in poor light. So try to make sure that the background and environment is well lit. Also, unless you are taking a silhouette, make sure that the light is not behind your subject. If it is, the photo will come out dark.
The light should always be in the face of your subject, except of course there is some special effect that you want to create. In which case, you already know what you’re doing with a camera and don’t need this article). If you must take pictures in poor lighting, use the flash and make the picture a close-up (face and chest for humans) so that the flash is more effective.
2. Steady your hands to take better pictures
This might sound way-off, but it is still an important factor. Have you ever wondered why professional photographers use a tripod stand? It is because the camera has to be held in place firmly. On some phones, you’ll need to keep your hands steady to be able to get a sharper, focused image. A slight shake and you will get a blurry photo.
Since you are not a professional photographer, you are not likely to own a tripod stand. So what can you do? Always hold the camera (phone) with both hands when shooting. This will help keep the camera steady. I have seen people pull off quick snaps with one hand – and produce the most amazing abstract pictures you’ve ever seen. By “abstract,” I mean ghost-like images 🙂
3. Turn on the Camera Grid Lines
If your camera phone offers an option to display a grid, use it. That way, it is easier to “frame” your subject. Using grid lines will definitely help you take better pictures with your phone. The faint criss-crossing white lines in the screenshot above are grid lines. To turn this feature on, go into your camera settings, find the grid lines feature, and enable it.
4. Take multiple shots of each scene or pose
Take more than one shot of each pose. Yes; this is a common trick that professional photographers use. They keep snapping away. Why? The law of probability means that you increase your chances of getting a good shot when you take more than one.
5. Clean your phone’s camera lens
This is important. We touch our phones a lot and sometimes, we leave smudges or dirt on the camera lens. That means pictures taken in that state will come out less clear.
Before using your smartphone camera, wipe it gently with a line-free soft cloth. Using coarse textile can damage your lens, so remember – soft cloth. A quick wipe before snapping away can mean the difference between a poor photo and a great one. To take better pictures with your phone, you need a clean lens. Wipe your lens.
5. For better close-up photos, use Macro Mode
If you need to take a macro shot – a very close-up shot of a document or the minute details of a flower, check your camera settings. Switch the camera to “Macro” or “Close Up” and use that for such pictures. Some smartphone cameras now include a Documents Mode for capturing official documents like ID cards, letters, etc.
Wrap Up
This article isn’t intended to be exhaustive. It isn’t for more advanced photo enthusiasts, but everyday phone users who just want to take better pictures with their Android phones, iPhones, or even tablets, will find them useful. Happy snapping!
- Don’t miss our reviews.
- Follow our news on Google News.
- Join our WhatsApp Group, to be notified of the most important articles and deals,
- Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.