Shooting with just a smartphone
NOT everyone has a DSLR to shoot the family photo. So what are some good tips to taking a photo with a smartphone? One of the first is to lock the focus and exposure of your subject. You can do this by holding down on the screen where you want the camera to focus. You can then adjust the brightness up or down. Most phones will allow you to adjust basic settings. Samsung phones, for example, have a pro mode where you can change exposure, white balance and ISO (light sensitivity). It’s worth having a play around before your photo shoot to get an idea of what works.
You should also ensure your camera resolution is set to the highest setting. That way when you go to crop the photo it won’t look blown out. Another key is to avoid using the zoom altogether. Most cameras, apart from the latest ones, only have a digital zoom, rather than an optical zoom. Continually give the lens a clean, particularly after having your phone in your pocket or bag. There some pretty cool lens attachments which might add to the variety of photos you can take – including small zooms and special effects like macro for close-ups or fish-eye. If you are shooting in low light, it’s always good to think about using a small tripod for your smartphone. There are also options which you can wrap around poles or bars to take photos from difficult angles. Try to avoid using the flash, particularly if your subjects are a distance away. While the better cameras now make the lighting more natural, you are better to use natural light, or street lighting if at night, to create a more ambient photo. Avoid shooting into the light unless you are trying for a silhouette effect. The rules of composing great photos still apply. Shooting from a different angle, and removing distractions, can make a great smartphone photo.