It is a fact that the camera that spends the most time in our hands is the camera of our cell phone (including professional photographers). You probably carry your cell phone everywhere and store most of the photos you take in your daily life, which can add up to hundreds. Therefore, it is important to learn how to use it correctly to take better photos.
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More and more, cell phones are being loaded with incredible technology that allows us to achieve professional-quality results if we know how to use all of their tools. In that sense, we share with you 10 techniques to be more creative with shots and improve the quality of photos.
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THE KEYS
• The rule of thirds is a composition technique that can improve your photos. It involves dividing the image into nine equal parts using two horizontal lines and two vertical lines, and placing the important elements of the composition at the intersections of these lines.
• Don’t limit yourself to taking photos from just one angle. Explore different perspectives to add a unique touch to your images. Get close to the ground, shoot from above, look for reflections in water or windows, and play with shadows and lights.
• Using digital zoom can reduce the quality of your photos, as it crops and enlarges the image, which can result in a loss of sharpness. Whenever possible, physically get closer to the object you want to photograph.
Tips for taking better photos with your phone:
1. Look for the light: Evaluate your environment, analyze the light you have available, and move in different directions until you find a light that is soft and easy to handle. If possible, take photos close to sunrise or sunset, as the sun is softer at these times and creates less pronounced shadows on people.
2. Clean the lens: Many people do not check their phone’s camera before taking a picture. Often, there are fingerprints or dirt on the lens, depending on where we keep our phone. It is important to clean the cameras, both the front and back, with a soft cloth.
3. Use the frame guides: They appear as a grid while you take your photos. If you don’t have them activated, look for them in your camera settings. These lines help us take well-framed photos, ensure we have a straight horizon, and try composition techniques like the rule of thirds.
4. Take advantage of close-ups: the closer you have the object to the camera, the more blurred the background will be. If you have objects the size of your hand or even smaller, we invite you to get close to them. You will be able to achieve more interesting results.
5. Pay attention to exposure: although cell phone cameras take care of choosing the correct exposure for photos, it doesn’t hurt to review and modify it before each shot. Swipe your finger from left to right or from top to bottom, depending on your phone, you can add more light or remove excess light.
6. Focus before taking the photo: If we let the phone take the photo automatically, it will choose the object or subject that catches its attention to focus on. Therefore, “touch” with your finger on the screen what you want to be in focus. In a frame with many objects, you can choose which one looks sharp in the final shot.
7. Manual mode: Many smartphones offer a professional or manual mode. In this mode, you can configure all aspects of the shot, such as the speed, ISO, aperture, focus, and exposure, among others. This way, you will have full control of your cell phone camera and can experience the world of photography.
8. Dynamic focus: this option allows us to create a much more blurred background, to achieve the effect of a professional camera. If your phone camera has this feature, use it occasionally. However, overusing this function can result in a quite unrealistic and even fake outcome.
9. Wide angle: Keep in mind that this type of lens distorts the corners of the photo, so it’s ideal to try several times until you achieve a fairly natural result before taking the photo. Avoid using high or low angles because people in the shots will appear with deformities (very large/small heads or feet).
10. Avoid using the flash: as with any other camera, using direct flash (facing the subject) will cause it to be overexposed and the background to be quite dark. For this reason, we invite you to take advantage of ambient light or constant lights in low light conditions (lamps, lights from other cellphones, neon signs, candles, among others). Another option is to switch to manual mode.