Using a phone to take photos is becoming more and more common, and it’s easy! Our phones are often on us at all times. So when there’s a photo opportunity, a phone is a great go-to.
But it’s also easy to make careless mistakes when using a phone as a camera. Many people often go by the default settings, which aren’t always the best.
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If you want to take better photos, here are just a few tips for improving:
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- Turn on the grid – go into settings, find camera, turn on grid
This tool is awesome because it will help you frame your photos! When it’s on and you open your camera, your screen will be divided into 9 squares. Use those squares and lines to help you frame your shots and apply the rule of thirds. - Always clean the phone’s camera lens
This is something that is so simple, we often forget to do it. Do you ever see blurriness appear over lights in your photos? It’s most likely because your lens is dirty. Take off the smudge by wiping the lens before you take a photo (and pay attention to which lens you’re wiping if your phone has multiple ones or ones on either side of the phone). - Try not to use a flash
At least on some of the older phone models, a phone’s flash isn’t the best. Always use natural light if you can. Or if you’re in a dark environment, another option is to borrow a friend’s phone and turn their phone light on and try to use that to light what you’re photographing. - Check your alignment
Whether you’re using the phone’s camera grid or not, always pay attention to alignment. Are you holding the phone straight or on a purposeful angle? Paying attention to this before you take the photo is key because messy alignment can be jarring to your audience.