smartphone photography tips and tricks

If you want your images to be unique, the last thing you should do is paint them with the same filters that literally millions of other people are using. For the record, Im not anti-Instagram. I think the sharing element is fantastic, but the pre-determined retro washes are played out. And that goes for every other app slinging the same stuff. I suggest getting a full-on image editing app like the excellent SnapSeed, Photoshop Express, or iPhoto. Theyll let you make reasonable adjustments, like contrast, sharpness, and color temperature. Stuff youd actually do with images from your big camera. Its also not crazy to dump your images into Lightroom or another piece of editing software if you dont feel the need to share them right away. OK, its a little crazy, but people do it.

Depth of field will always be one of the biggest challenges for a smartphone camera. Wide angle lenses and tiny sensors make any substantial background blur difficult to achieve. But faking it almost always makes things worse. First, blur added with an editing app is usually applied uniformly across most of the frame. Thats not the way a lens works, so it looks unnatural. Second, its hard to be precise when selecting the object you want in focus so you can end up with harsh transitions from sharp to blurry. Its distracting and a dead give away that youve been messing with the image.

This one applies more to iPhone users than Android users, but in any case, the goal is more control. There are a couple of standard choices in this category and any of them will treat you better than the stock camera app. I like Camera Awesome (made by SmugMug) because it allows you to shoot in bursts and separates the AF lock from the exposure lock. Its also free. Other apps like Camera+ have similar options for more controlled shooting. Whatever you pick, its worth it to spend a little time really getting used to it. It seems silly to take out your phone and practice taking pictures, but youll be glad you did it if you manage to catch a great shot while others are still flipping through pages of apps or trying to turn off their stupid flash.

The problem with many smartphone flashes is that they dont actually, well, flash. Theyre glorified LED flashlights, thrust into a duty theyre not fully prepared for. They are bright, but the color temperature can be gross and they miss one of the primary duties of a strobe: freezing the action in the frame. The actual flash duration is much too long, so you end up with an image thats both blurry and terribly-lit. Not to mention how close it is to the lens, which makes those horrible demon eyes almost a given. So, what do you do in the dark, then? Unfortunately, even with advances like Nokias nifty PureView technology, theres only so far you can push a smartphone sensor in low-light. Often, your best bet is to seek out another light source. It likely wont be perfect or even flattering, but it can be interesting. In a dark bar? Look for a neon sign or a bright juke box. At a concert? Wait until one of the wacky swinging stage lights makes its way over to your area. Photography is about creativity after all.

Your pocket is not a clean place, and the grime that lives within loves to glom onto your smartphone camera lens. The result are hazy, dark images that wont look good no matter how many retro filters you slap on them. The lenses are now remarkably tough, so giving them a quick wipe with a soft cloth cant hurt (and your T-shirt will do OK in a pinch, but try not to make a habit of it). Once in a while, its worth the effort to break out the lens cleaning solution and really get the grime off of it. It may not look dirty and you might not even notice it in your photos, but often a deep clean will make a difference.

Adding lens flare is another trend in mobile photography right now thats getting more overdone by the minute. But, this one can actually work for you if you do it the natural way. The tiny lenses are often more prone to wacky light effects than their full-sized counterparts, so you can really play it up if you want to. A silhouette with a bright, flaring background can actually look very stylish. If you want to control the flare in your shot, move the sun (or whatever bright light source is causing the refraction-based mayhem) around in the frame. As you get closer to the edge, youll often see the flare spread out and become more prominent. This is especially true with the new iPhone 5, which is also prone to image-ruining purple fringing that should be avoided if possible.

Theres a disconnect that exists between digital and analog photography at the moment. Many photo enthusiasts barely make prints anymore, if at all. Putting photos to paper makes them tangible and take away some of the assumptions people often make when looking at photos online. It sounds a bit crazy, I know, but Ive found it to be true. Give it a try. Chances are, if the photo is good, youll get the whole you took this with your phone? reaction that youre looking for.

This is by far the most important suggestion of all. The rules for taking a good picture dont change when you switch between cameras. Just because the camera can also make calls, doesnt mean you should ignore everything you know about balanced composition and expressive lighting. If you need to keep the rule of thirds or golden ratio layover on your screen at all times to help remind you, certainly turn it on. While the tips Ive outlined here will help you maximize the strengths and minimize weaknesses of a smartphone camera, its ultimately your skill, knowledge, and eye that will make photos worth looking at.

This might seem like a no-brainer, but youd be surprised at just what your smartphone camera can do. Perhaps youre familiar with some of the basic operations, like switching between the camera and video modes, or turning your flash on and off or putting it on auto. But did you know that your camera likely has some scene modes, too? Or panorama and HDR features? Dont be afraid to tinker with your iPhone or Android devices camera. It has plenty of memory for photos, so you can play with the different features, effects and settings and snap lots of photos. Soon, youll know your way around the camera software like its second nature. And thats exactly what it should become - you dont want to miss any moments because youre busy fumbling with your cameras settings.

This might sound boring, but learning the basics is tried and true. There are plenty of resources out there for this, but here are a few things to keep in mind. First, well start with the rule of thirds. If youre just starting out, think of it as a hard rule before you start breaking it. With the rule of thirds, imagine a grid of lines on your smartphones display, dividing it into thirds both horizontally and vertically. In fact, most smartphones come with an option to display that very grid.