Four Smartphone Photography Tips For When You Don’t Have Your DSLR
Tips of photography without Using DLSR camera
- Use It For Macro Shots
Advanced smartphones such as the iPhone 6 and Samsung Galaxy line are well-equipped with cameras that can take quality macro pictures. Here’s a few suggestions:
Find indirect sunlight. Not enough light and the limits of the smartphone will be exposed with dark images. Too much direct light and you won’t capture enough detail.
Get the right distance. About two inches is the maximum for how close you can get to the subject when using a phone such as the iPhone 6. Experiment with different lengths.
Use a macro lens kit that is specifically built for smartphones.
- Install the right apps
Taking quality smartphone pictures requires you to exert some control over the exposure and focus. Install an app such as Open Camera or HD Camera Ultra that allow you to manually alter the exposure, white balance, and even use an auto-stabilize feature for perfectly level shots. Other fun and useful applications include:
Google’s Photo Sphere, allows you to take 360-degree photos and then move your screen to look around the seamless image.
Fotor and other editing apps allow you to quickly edit and share photos
Use VSCO for camera presets and access to galleries of stunning smartphone shots
- Leverage the Particular Features of your Phone
Some phones excel at low-light conditions (compared to other devices) due to being able to manually set lengthy shutter speeds. Speeds of up to 30 seconds are available on some models, which makes very low light photos possible. Check the specs of your phone to best match up sensor size, ISO, shutter speed, and aperture. Image stabilization is found on some smartphones, helping to eliminate “shaky hand” shots. If you are always shooting outside or around water, then a purpose-built phone such as the Galaxy S6 is very durable can be used for underwater shots.
It pays to conduct comparisons when shopping for a new phone and to understand your phone’s limitations and strengths when using it for photography.
- Some Misc tips
Smartphones sit in pockets with lint and keys, and they’re propped up on sticky restaurant tables. Clean the lens frequently with a lint-free cloth or distilled water and Q-tips to ensure images are crisp. Or keep it in a “notebook” style case to protect the lens. Buy a portable external battery. Update the phone automatically to eliminate bugs. Automatically back up your photos to the cloud.
The beauty of smartphones is they are able to perform dozens of functions, from a research tool to a real-time mapping device. If you aren’t armed with your regular DSLR, then leverage the power of your phone as a pocket-sized computer. Use applications to make interesting time-lapse or slow motion videos, or control a drone and take some amazing shots from 1,000 feet in the sky. Use the phone as a motion detector and capture surprise reactions or animals in their native habitat. Create and share interesting perspectives through the phone while taking near professional quality shots.
