Nowadays, you do not need an expensive camera to take great photographs. In fact, an iPhone can provide some brilliant pictures too. The iPhone comes with numerous applications to create beautiful photos, saving you time and money. But how do you take the best photographs with your iPhone?
The Best iPhone Photography Tips
1. Prevent Camera Shake
One of the issues you can have with iPhone photography is a camera shake. However, there are ways around that, especially if you use the volume button. By using the volume button, you can take the photographs without having to use the application.
There are other quick fixes for camera shake as well. These include cleaning the camera lens, resetting your phone, installing the latest updates, or doing a hard reset. Please only switch to these solutions if the volume button does not solve the issue.
2. Take Additional Photographs
To ensure you have the shot you want, we always recommend taking more photos than you actually need. By doing so, you always have several photographs to choose from and eventually edit to meet your requirements.
3. Capture Action Shots With Burst Mode
Action shots are some of the trickiest to take, even if you have some professional photo equipment. However, it is possible to do this with your iPhone camera as well. Simply use the burst mode on your iPhone.
The burst mode takes a sequence of photographs at ten frames per second and choose the best shot(s) from your burst.
4. Experiment With Perspective
Using different perspectives can deliver some amazing results on your iPhone camera. There are various ways to play with perspective. This includes but is not limited to shooting from a low angle, looking up at your subject, looking down at your subject, using reflections, and more.
Photo by Philipp Birmes from Pexels
This photo is a great example of perspective: by holding the camera close to the ground and facing the sky, the photographer has captured a really interesting photograph!
Check out this great resource for more ideas on perspective
5. Discover HDR Mode For High Contrast Photographs
HDR mode stands for High Dynamic Range. On the iPhone, you can use this feature to create your photographs with a much higher contrast. To do so, you iPhone takes several photographs rapidly after one another, and then uses those photographs to blend, highlight and create shadows.
6. Utilize the Rule of Thirds
One of the rules you want to keep an eye on is the rule of thirds, which is especially valid for the iPhone. Basically, it means that you can break up a single photograph into thirds, giving you nine different parts of equal size.
You can often see this rule of thirds visibly with the viewfinder on an LCD display, which is used to frame a photograph. Evidently, this rule of thirds helps you position the subjects of your photograph.
It helps you determine which point of your subject will become the focal point. So, if you never used the rule of thirds before, be sure to experiment with it on your iPhone to get some amazing results.
Well, if you have problems implementing that rule when taking your photographs, the iPhone does come with a grid feature that enables you to apply the rule of thirds without any trouble.
In the settings app, go to Camera and turn on the toggle for the grid.
By User:Moondigger – Own work, CC BY-SA 2.5, Link
Check out this tutorial for more info
7. Utilize Portrait Mode For Bokeh
Bokeh is quite popular in photography these days, mainly because of its unusual visual appeal. The term bokeh is derived from Japanese and refers to the parts of an image that are out of focus or blurry.
Please note that there is difference between good and bad bokeh. The lens needs to generate the bokeh, not the actual camera. iPhone’s portrait mode allows you to do that without much trouble.
Notice how some leaves are in focus, while others are not: this is the bokeh effect
Check out this post for more info on bokeh
8. Add Depth To Your Photos
Did you know that the iPhone has a depth control button? By using the depth control button, you can add more depth to the photographs and get some amazing results.
Once you use the depth button, a special slider will appear just underneath the photograph. Then, move the slider until you achieve the desired result.
This is part of portrait mode where you can adjust the amount of bokeh.
9. Blur Backgrounds
Portrait mode is the easiest way to blur a background in a photograph. Simply select portrait mode and make sure your subject is approximately two to eight feet from the camera to get the best result.
10. Try Another Lens
Contrary to popular belief, you are not restricted to a single type of lens when you have an iPhone. In fact, you can mount external lenses on the iPhone, enabling you to experiment. Nowadays, you can get everything from a simple macro lens to the fisheye and the wide-angle lens for iPhone, so be sure to look into those if you want to expand on your phone’s photography capabilities.
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11. Check Out New Editing Apps And Filters
While the iPhone does provide its own range of applications and filters for photograph editing, there are plenty of third-party application providers that can provide some interesting applications and filters.
One of the best third-party applications for iPhone at the moment is the Photographer’s Ephemeris. The application provides suitable tools for all types of photographs, including landscape, architecture, and astrophotography. This particular application is also amazing for outdoor photography.
12. Get A Quick Snap With Your Earphones
The iPhone has a lot of compatibility for photography. In fact, your earphones can even be used to snap a quick shot of your subject. While it does not exactly give you a lot of control, it is perfect for those unexpected moments you do not want to miss.
13. Keep Your Lens Clean
Everyone knows that the lens is one of the most important parts to deliver an excellent photograph. So, to take the best possible pictures, you must keep the lens on your iPhone clean and pristine.
14. Use Manual Override
If you have some issues with focus on your iPhone, then be sure to use the manual override. With the manual override, you can adjust focus yourself to get the best results possible.
To get your subject in a little smarter, be sure to use the lock focus function as well. Doing so will bring your subject in much sharper, and you do not have to do too much.
Use an app like VSCO to get manual control over your photographs.
15. Enhance iPhone Photography With Accessories
There are countless accessories you can use to enhance the photography capabilities of the iPhone. Here are some of the most interesting accessories to look out for.
iPhone tripod: The tripod enables you to get photographs that are much more stable and avoid blur in the process. You can also get matching remotes; you get the best image possible.
Battery charger: When you take photographs with your iPhone, you do not want to run out of battery and miss out on those special moments. Therefore, a portable battery charger is ideal to keep your iPhone going.
LED light: You can find LED lights that are compatible with your iPhone these days. So, if you take photographs in dim light or less than ideal environments, the LED light can become a great help.
Backup device: Make sure you do not lose your photographs and obtain a small backup device for yourself. By doing so, you can backup your photographs and keep them even if you cannot gain access to them on your iPhone or even the cloud.
Selfie stick: While most photographers do not like the prospect of the selfie stick, but do not be fooled, as this can be a powerful accessory. And the best thing of all, they are really affordable to boot!
16. Learn About Leading Lines
Leading lines can be a brilliant help for your photographs. If you are not familiar with them, leading lines are line shapes you can detect in an environment. This can be something simple as a road or a river. Evidently, these leading lines draw the attention to the subject of the photograph, so use them wisely in your perspectives.
Learn more about leading lines here.
17. Self-Timer
When you want sharper photographs, you always want to look into the self-timer. This can prove especially useful if you want to use a tripod and do not have a remote handy. So, why not use this simple feature that is already present in your iPhone.
18. Frame Photographs correctly
Framing is a term used to refer to the presentation of all the visual elements in an image. For example, how your subject is placed opposed to the other elements in your photograph.
By using this technique, you can make your iPhone photographs even more interesting.
This post is a great list of 20 framing techniques
19. Shutter Speed Creativity
It is possible to change the shutter speed on your iPhone. Simply look for the ISO icon above the shutter button, and then you will get the slider. Drag it either way to adjust your shutter speed and play around with different options.
20. Dealing With Low Light
Low light environments can be tricky to deal with, unless you have a camera that is designed to deal with such situations. If you want to avoid taking poor photographs in dim light, make sure to stabilize the camera.
You can use a tripod or the timer function we discussed earlier.
21. Post-Processing Benefits
When you use an iPhone for photography, you want to make the most from post-processing as well. Of course, there are countless techniques when it comes to post-processing, ranging from tips for beginners as well as the more advanced tips.
The in-built Photos app has lots of great basic post-processing features that you can use to crop and make basic adjustments.
There are also great post-processing apps like Afterlight and Polarr Photo Editor, which are both free with in-app purchases.
22. Check Out Backlight Options
Backlight can be brilliant for iPhone photos, so you should not be afraid of experimenting with it. Once you master most of our previous tips, this is certainly something to look into. Of course, it helps to invest in some additional lighting options to make your photos even better.
23. Shooting Modes
The iPhone comes with a bunch of shooting modes that can make things much easier for beginners. Of course, these shooting modes can also provide more advanced results for experienced photographers.
- Photo: use this mode for standard photographs
- Video: use this mode for capturing video
- Time-lapse: use this mode for capturing long videos that will then be shortened into a small, fast-moving clip
- Slo-Mo: use this mode for capturing slow motion video. Shoot slow motion videos in natural light for best results
- Square: use this mode for a pre-cropped square image, ideal for Instagram
- Portrait: use this mode to adjust bokeh and get a beautiful portrait with a blurred background
- Pano: use this mode to take multiple photos and string them together into a panorama
24. Image Cropping
Have you taken a photograph, but not too happy with the location of the subject? Or maybe you forgot about the rule of thirds? No need to worry, because the simple image cropping feature in the iPhone’ Photos app helps you make your photo perfect.
25. Flash Away
The iPhone does come with a flash, which can be beneficial in certain situations. However, do not use the flash all the time, as this could actually ruin your photographs more than help them. So, only use the flash if you absolutely have to.
26. The View On Map Feature
Do you want to know where to capture the best landscape photographs? If so, then the view on map feature that is incorporated on the iPhone will give you some excellent examples.
Conclusion
The iPhone is a powerful photography tool indeed but has to be used correctly. Still, if you are a beginner, the iPhone can be one of the easiest ways to get into photography. It also teaches you some advanced photography techniques and methods, so be sure to take advantage of the iPhone and everything it has to offer.
