For many of us, photography is only synonymous with a large bulky camera, multiple lenses, and other expensive gear. But take away the gadgets and what do you have? A photographer with a skill.
Photography, like painting or pottery, is also just another art form and is only as good as the artist behind it.
Today, at Finyki, we will give some tips on how you can elevate your photography skills even if you do not have the capital to invest in professional cameras because at the end of the day, true mastery of your skill is not dependent on any one gadget.
What is Smartphone Photography?
Your best camera is the one that is always with you. For most of us, and when it comes to quick, every day photography, we turn to our smartphone.
The convenience of smartphone photography are numerous. Our devices are small enough to fit in our pockets and lightweight enough it won’t break your back, yet have advanced to the point where stunning images are only a few screen taps away. Whether its friends, moments with family, or landscapes while travelling. Not to mention those perfectly decorated cheesecakes we order, everything can be expertly photographed by a smartphone.
Smartphone photography is a great way to capture the world around you in a quick and efficient way. It can be used for candid images and planned photoshoots since the cameras nowadays are only slightly short of professional DSLR’s with their settings, modes and accessories.
Here is a list of features that you should familiarize yourself with about the smartphone that you own. This will give you a realistic and accurate expectation about the level of images your device is capable of taking.
- Image quality
- Megapixels
- Screen
- Image stabilization
- Video quality
- Operating systems & device compatibility
- Storage space
- Battery life
- Other camera features
- Price
The following are some tips to get your mobile photography game, on point!
1. There is no such thing as too many photos
The only way to get good at something is to first be bad at it. That is the only way that you will know what your mistakes are, and the next time you will remove them and take one step further to where you want to see your photography.
By using Burst Mode or multiple photos of the same subject, you will realize which angle works best and what mode or setting is the most ideal. Pretty soon, your own intuition will be clear enough that you won’t need to take 20 images just to find the perfect one. Till then, deleting is always an option, so don’t be afraid to hold that button-down.
2. Meddle with the Modes
Whether you’ve got a new phone or an older device, it’s worth spending the time to visit every nook and cranny of your camera app. After all, you’ll never seriously improve your smartphone photography if all you do is shoot in full auto.
3. Sometimes, Flash isn’t flashy
Smartphones have made big strides in the low-light photography department, so you won’t always need the flash in these situations. All too often the flash can ruin what would otherwise have been a nice shot.
In fact, many of today’s flagship phones are capable of great shots without the flash. So the next time you find yourself taking a photo at dusk or indoors, try a few with a flash and several without.
4. Sunny Side Up
Another rule of thumb is that you should try not to shoot into the sun when taking photos of people. There are exceptions to this, of course, such as if you want to create silhouettes or just want to experiment.
Nevertheless, try to have the sun lighting up your subjects/objects, rather than directly hitting your camera. Speaking of the sun, you’ll also want to take photos during the so-called golden hours (just after sunrise or just before sunset). Do this and you’re likely to get some gorgeous colors
5. Grid yourself
One of the basic smartphone photography tips is to learn this rule. The rule of thirds calls for you to divide your camera viewfinder into nine sections.
This can be accomplished by enabling the camera grid on your smartphone and if your phone doesn’t have the option, you can pretty easily eyeball it. From here, the rule basically dictates that subjects/objects should ideally be positioned at the intersection points of these lines.
It’s a great starting point (and the grid also helps you keep things straight) but rules are meant to be broken, aren’t they? Change perspectives for extra oomph! in your shots.
6. Don’t be afraid to go manual
Called manual or pro mode, this can look like one of the most complicated features for the uninitiated. But aside from reading about it, one of the easiest ways to learn all about the manual mode is to spend time with it.
As a quick primer, shutter speed controls how long your camera shutter is open for; longer is better in the dark, but you need to keep your camera still.
Meanwhile, ISO is a measure of light sensitivity. A lower ISO setting is better during the day, while a higher is better in darker situations. Going too high leads to visible noise or grain in your photos. Aperture is simply how big the hole in the shutter is that lets light through the lens onto the sensor.
7. Everyone edits
A good editing app has a ton of features, ranging from RAW editing and S-curves support to healing tools and white balance. And it has the usual filter, cropping, and auto-fix options too. So don’t be afraid of changing up your photos for different colors and perspectives. They can always be enhanced.
Want some crispy shots for your next photography project? Reach out to Finyki Digital Marketing Agency and we’ll make sure to take stunning pictures for you!