12 Tips for Taking Better Photos with Your Smartphone

The mobile phone photography trend is here to stay. With the rise of smartphones, everyone has a camera in their pocket at all times. If you’re looking for some mobile photography tips and tricks, then read on!

Follow these 12 tips for taking better mobile photos and learn some tricks that will help you take quality pictures with your smartphone camera, no matter where you are or what your subject is. These mobile photo hacks will help you take better pictures of people, pets, landscapes – anything that excites you!

The tips discussed in this article may be used on iPhones, Android phones, and other mobile devices. It’s all done in the camera app on your smartphone. Let’s get started!

Stability is key in smartphone photography

When it comes to mobile photography, stability is key. Holding your phone in one hand while trying to take a picture can often lead to blurry photos. To help ensure that your photos are in focus and look sharp, use both hands to hold your phone steady when shooting.

This will help keep your phone still and decrease the chances of getting a blurry photo.

If using two hands to take a photo feels tricky or awkward, you can also use the volume buttons on the side of your phone to take photos. Just press the button and your phone will take the picture!

The digital zoom makes your images look distorted

Close-up photos can be great, but you don’t want to use the digital zoom on your phone to take them.

The digital zoom is a function that creates the illusion of a telephoto lens. It’s important to know that it will distort your photo and make it look grainy, blurring out the edges of the close-up.

Every time you zoom, as far as digital technology goes, less data gets used from each sensor pixel – meaning fewer colors are seen at their most highly detailed capacities – leaving your mobile phone’s photos looking distorted and unwelcoming.

A gif of a man sitting in front of building. It demonstrate the difference between using digital zoom or not.

Instead, try to get closer to your subject if possible, without risking your own safety.

You can also use a zoom lens attachment for your phone. This will help you to avoid getting a blurry photo.

Focus on what you want to show

When taking good photos, you want to focus on what you want to show. It can be a person, your new bag, a beautiful bouquet, or anything you want to share with other people.

This may be accomplished by using a less distracting background that does not detract attention from your subject. This will help make your photos look more clear and focused.

One way to do it is by finding a location with a plain background or by using the rule of thirds to compose your photo.

The rule of thirds is a composition technique that divides the screen into three areas. You might recognize it by the grid of nine equal blocks. It has four important points. The points are where the two lines cross. If you place your subject on one of these lines or at one of their intersections, your photo will look better than if you put them away from these points.

This technique will not only make your photos more aesthetically pleasing, but it will also help your mobile camera focus on what you want it to focus on!

Using the rule of thirds is a way of composing a photo so that the subject looks interesting and natural.

Go into burst mode to capture your moving pets and kids

Have you ever tried taking pictures of moving objects, or your pets and kids playing with toys?

The best way to shoot pictures of someone in motion is to use burst mode. Burst mode will take multiple shots in quick succession so that you can select the best one. You can find burst mode in most smartphones. To activate it, simply hold down the shutter button and the phone will take multiple shots in quick succession.

The easiest way to take these photos is to do them in bright conditions outside with natural light. One good thing about mobile photography is that you can take photos quickly and without breaking too much of a sweat.

It’s a difficult task for sure. Pets and kids are always moving around, so it takes some practice to get the timing just right. But with a little patience, you can definitely capture some great action shots.

Use the natural light as much as possible

When doing photography, you should use as much natural light as possible. By using natural light you get a much better photo because it is softer and more flattering.

The natural light is usually the best when you are outdoors. This is because the sun is providing the light and it is much more consistent.

When taking photos of people, you should avoid having them face the sun. This is because that the sun will create harsh shadows in their face, especially if they are wearing any kind of eye glasses, which will not be flattering in the picture. In addition to that, this will make them squint their eyes.

To avoid harsh shadows, stand next to a building or beneath a tree. Anything large enough to cast a shadow on your item or model is fine, as long as it covers them. The best time to shoot pictures if you don’t want to be in the shadows is early in the day or late afternoon, when sunlight isn’t harsh.

Cloudy days are actually the best weather to photograph in to get a soft light. The clouds act as a diffuser and will soften the light that is coming down from the sky. This is a great time to take photos of people because it will create a more gentle and flattering light.

When you are indoors, the best natural light is usually by the window.

Don’t rely on your mobile flash in low light situations

Have you ever attempted to capture photographs using your mobile device in low light conditions?

When doing smartphone photography you would want to avoid using the built-in flash as much as possible. This light will be harsh and unflattering.

Taking great pictures in low-light situations can be tricky, but with a few simple tips, you can improve your photos greatly. Here are a few things to keep in mind when taking photos in low light:

1. Turn off flash:

Your mobile device’s camera will automatically turn on the built-in flash, make sure to turn it off manually.

2. Stabilize your phone:

One of the most significant factors to impact image quality is camera shake. You can use a tripod or some other type of stabilizer to keep your phone still while taking the picture. This will help reduce the amount of blur in your photos.

If you don’t have any mobile gadgets available for your mobile photography, you can always try resting your mobile phone on a stable surface. You can also use whatever object you have in hand to keep your phone steady.

3. Use an external light to light up your subject:

You can use any external mobile light source like candles, mobile phone flashlights, lanterns, or torches to illuminate the object you are photographing. Floor lamps, desktop lights, and anything that you are in close proximity to can all produce excellent light. This will not only make it easier for you to take a clear picture of your subject but also capture your environment in an atmospheric way if desired and make more interesting photos.

These tips can make a big difference in your smartphone photos in low-light situations.

Create a blurry background directly in your phone’s camera

You have probably seen those professional photos where a model has a blurry background also called bokeh. This is done by using a wide aperture camera lens for your DSLR camera which can be expensive. However, there is a way to create a similar effect on your smartphone.

You won’t be able to change the amount of blurriness or get that exquisite blurry effect, but it will still make for good pictures. It can be done by having your object or model step away from the background. Set your focus point on the person and it will create a blurrier background.

Framing gives your image interesting parts

Good mobile photography is about framing. Use your phone’s grid, aspect ratio, and viewfinder to take some unique photos that will catch people’s attention.

Look at all the things in your surroundings and see if there’s anything you can use to frame your photos in an interesting way. For example, you could take a picture of a close-up of a flower against a window or your phone propped up on some boxes like it’s taking a selfie to show the ground around you.

Some other examples of how you can frame objects in your mobile photos are by taking pictures of a beautiful landscape with the horizon in the top third of the photo, or capturing a cityscape at night with all the bright lights shining. You could also take a picture of your food from an interesting angle to make it look more appetizing.

To make it appear more appealing, position your models in doorways, allow your pets to run in a tunnel, or snap a photo of your child playing in the sandbox. This will draw the viewer’s attention to the people in the frame.

Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box and create something unique!

Our minds crave symmetry

The rule of odds is a technique in mobile photography that will help you get better mobile photos just by following these three simple steps.

The rule of odds is different than the golden ratio or fourth factor rule, but it can be applied to mobile photography using the same framework.

This new rule states that you need 3 things in your photo where there are 2 of one thing and 1 of another thing, if not the photograph will seem awkward and look odd to viewers. It’s almost like our minds crave symmetry so we want to see two of something balanced with another thing that is only seen once in order to properly enjoy our picture! Here are an example below:

Negative space in your mobile photography

In photography, there’s something called negative space that is used by mobile photographers as well to enhance the viewing experience. Negative space is typically what you see in the background of a picture. The idea is that by having enough contrast between the foreground element of an image and the space behind, it becomes more interesting or dramatic.

Negative space is created by taking a photo with a lot of space around your subject. This will help to draw attention to the subject and create a more calm and composed photo. You can use an empty space to your advantage by positioning your subject in an interesting way within the frame.

This technique can often be seen in landscape photos and shooting details. Here are two examples:

Don’t cut out limbs in your photos

When taking portraits, we sometimes want to get closer to our model to get a specific frame. This can be done by moving closer to them, or by using a telephoto lens on your phone.

In portrait photography, the person in the photo should be in focus and you want them to look as good as possible.

Taking the photo in a strange-looking manner, for example, cutting off limbs such as feet or hands makes the people in the picture appear unappealing, which is not something you would want to do.

You would rather want to have more space around your model and take the photo from a bit of distance. This way, you don’t have to cut off any limbs from them and it still gives a great photo of them.

Microfiber cloth to cleanse your camera

When you use your phone in your everyday life, your camera will automatically become greasy and unclean. By using a microfiber cloth to clean your camera lens, you’ll be able to remove any dirt or grease that may be on it. This will make your photos look sharper and in focus. The camera lens will be dirty even if you can’t see it at first.

If you don’t have a microfiber cloth, then just use any clothing that is of higher quality. It’s a very simple thing to make your photos look better, but it’s easily forgotten in the heat of the moment.

This last tip sounds obvious, but it’s super crucial in leveling up your mobile photography.

Bonus tip

We believe that when you take good pictures, they deserve to become photo prints! You can easily print and design your photos here at Wallpoet.

All you have to do is go to our design creator, where you may modify your photo by selecting the filter you prefer and adding a text that reflects your photograph.

When you get your mobile photos printed out, the mobile images come alive and it is like revisiting all those memories. You’ll be surprised how life feels simpler and more colorful when you have a framed mobile photo of a great moment.

Here are some ideas of how a photo print may be appear:

Endnote

Whether you’re a mobile photographer or just want to take better smartphone photos, these mobile photography tips will help you get quality images that are worth sharing. From the importance of negative space in your photo’s composition to how frequently cleaning your camera lens should be done, there is plenty here for photographers of any skill level.

Even the best camera won’t produce quality images if you don’t know how to use it.

We hope these tips will inspire you to keep capturing beautiful photos to share on social medias or to print as your next photo poster!

Stay creative, be curious and have fun! All the best from us at Wallpoet.