Yahoo Finance Take better photos with your smartphone
The best camera, as they say, is the one you have with you.
Oh sure, your dSLR-toting friends might get their lanyard in a knot about you hoisting your iPhone or Android device while out this season, but not only is the quality getting better with each smartphone generation, they’re ideal for editing your work (and perhaps adding fun filters and other special effects), then wirelessly sharing those memories with the people who want to see them.
To help you get more out of your spring “phoneography,” consider the following tips and tricks.
Turn the phone sideways: Unless you’re taking a picture of a Toronto Raptors player, use the horizontal (“landscape”) orientation when taking photos as it’ll look much better on a computer or television later on (read: no vertical black bars on each side of the photo). Besides, it’s better for group shots and scenery, too, to get more in. Speaking of scenery, also play around with the panoramic mode for ultra-wide photos.
Get up close and personal: Don’t be shy. Unless it’s a growling Rottweiler, there’s no reason to be metres away from your focal point. Fill the whole frame up with your subjects. Why leave room for some smarty-pants giving rabbit ears? Going in closer also means you can capture more facial detail, such as light freckling, a charming dimple or soft pale blues of the iris. Don’t use your phone’s digital zoom as it’ll make your photo look pixelated – get closer yourself. Play around with how close is too close, though, as that “macro” shot of a flower petal might look blurry when you look at it later on.
Use the light around you: Because you want to avoid using the flash wherever possible, try to use the light you’ve got accessible as a tool, whether it’s overhead lighting while indoors, or preferably, the sun outside. Cloudy days rock for photos as they diffuse the sun. If the sun is out, be sure your back is to the sun – and not your subject’s – or else they’ll look like a silhouette. The hour before and after sunset creates gorgeous light for photos.
Be a human tripod: If you can help it, don’t hold your phone at arm’s length when taking photos as you’re likely moving the phone more than you think and it could result in blurry images. Instead, to ensure a sharp image, turn yourself into a human tripod by holding the camera with both hands and pull your arms into your chest or stomach. You might look a little silly, but you’ll see the difference with your sturdier grip.
Position for composition: Instead of placing your subjects in the centre of the frame all the time, move them to the left or right to make your photos instantly more powerful and beautiful. Better yet, go in on an angle to add some extra energy to the shot. Also, this tip is what separates the rookies from the veterans: try to match the height of the subject, such as kneeling on the ground to snap a picture of a toddler, to ensure you’re at eye level instead of angling up or down.
Have fun with filters: If it's not included with the phone, finding additional apps can help you easily edit and share photos and videos with those who matter. Some can automatically tweak your shots for better colour and brightness. Plus, there are apps like Instagram that can add fun filters such as a sepia finish for a retro '70s look. Snapchat adds fun animated effects to your pics. There are literally thousands of apps available, for all platforms, so experiment away.
Don’t be stingy: Take a ton of photos, because someone in your group is blinking and you didn’t realize at the time. Or your bratty nephew is photobombing a nice shot of grandma. Your phone likely has a ton of storage, so remember the more photos you take, the better chance you have to find a winner. Also, don’t always take photos of people posing for the camera as their expression can look forced and unnatural. Candid shots rock, but be sure to get their permission before uploading to social media sites.
Yahoo Canada readers, have any spring-ready “phoneography” tips of your own? Comment here, or tweet them to @YahooFinanceCA or @marc_saltzman.
