Iphone photography – some tips!
Being a blogger means taking photos. All the time.
But it doesn’t mean that I have my Canon with me at all times. I mean, I sometimes get caught out by a great image in front of my eyes and I haven’t planned to go on a shoot or am not photography strolling. My iPhone is the best thing that I have for unplanned shots and I have learnt to use it well. Wisely.
So here are some tips I have gathered and some pics that I hope will illustrate why using your iPhone is really easy and why you don’t NEED to go out there are get the latest digital camera, the latest smartphone or the latest photo App.
These are not in order or importance…
Getting a better camera won’t make you a better photographer.
Any iPhone is good enough for creating great photography. I’ve seen amazing photos taken with iPhone 3G. Your iPhone model is not an excuse.
Learn to predict how the scene is going to change in the immediate future. Will that person briefly appear in the reflection after a few seconds? Be prepared when that moment comes.
The best photos convey a strong emotion or tell a great story.
Mystery is the best way to tell a story in your photos. The best stories are already in the mind of the viewer, so if you create mystery, the viewer can fill in the blanks and create a story that’s uniquely theirs.
Always take a few seconds and pause before taking a shot. Is this really the best angle and the best composition, or should you try something else instead?
Your composition should emphasize the main subject or subjects. And no, your subject should not be in the center of the frame.
Placing your subject even slightly off the center will greatly enhance most photos.
Think about photos in terms of balance. If you put your main subject in one corner of the image, you also want to have something of interest in the opposite corner to keep the composition balanced.
Shoot against strong backlight (e.g. sunset sky) to create silhouettes.
Never use digital zoom. Zoom with your feet or crop your photos afterwards.
Use volume buttons for a camera-like shooting experience.
Use the volume buttons on your headphones for remote shutter release – or to stay discreet when taking photos in public.
You should be able to take the iPhone out of your pocket, turn it on, and open camera from the lock screen in two seconds or less. You don’t want to miss that perfect shot.
The easiest way to ruin a good photo is to mindlessly apply strong vintage filters.
If you are going to use filters, make sure you adjust their strength. The default filter strength will almost always be too strong and result in terribly overedited photos.
Your editing should enhance what is already great about the photo, and perhaps add a certain feel that complements the message of that photo. Everything else is unnecessary.
Learn the essential adjustments such as brightness, contrast and saturation first. Only then you should look into more advanced effects and filters.
Don’t download 50 photo apps. Only get a few and make sure you know how to use them.
Muller, Snapseed and VSCO Cam are great (and free) apps to start with.
Don’t add text on your photos. Text is distracting and rarely looks good.
Share your work on social networks to stay motivated and get feedback.
Follow other photographers whose work you admire to stay inspired and get new ideas.
It’s OK to copy someone else’s style for the sake of learning. You’ll eventually discover your own unique style, so you don’t have to worry about copying someone else initially.
Don’t try to be active on 10 different photo sharing sites. It will drive you crazy. Just pick your favorite and do a good job there.
Don’t use Instagram filters if you want to stand out on Instagram.
Always respond to people who took the time to comment on your photos. Simply saying “thanks” can make a huge difference.
Don’t tag your photos using every single hashtag you know. You don’t want to look like a spammer, do you?
Digital photos are transient. Print your best work to make it timeless. The ones featured on this post are from my iPhone and that I have printed and they came out awesome.
Now go, fly, snap and share!
Try these related posts
About my recent photography
Shopping in Paris tip #1: Paris tea at your doorstep
My pics from the FIAC art fair in Paris
Milk decoration magazine
My last summer visit to a South West “brocante” (that’s antique flea market to us)
A creative atmosphere in my Paris office
This is a really good article! Thanks for the advice, Carly
Thanks so much Carly!