Tip #1: Find the absolute BEST lighting you can for your photos.
Smartphones are more than capable of taking great photos, but they cannot match the quality of larger cameras or DSLRs. Have you ever tried taking photos with your phone in dim lighting? Chances are that your photos did not turn out great. Although larger cameras can capture light better than smartphones can, you should avoid taking photos in dim lighting as much as possible. It is much more important for smartphone photographers to find the best lighting available to capture beautiful photos.
Tip #2: Use photo-editing apps on your phone
Let’s say that the best lighting you could find was still not great, so you ended up taking a photo in a rather dim setting. You can still make your photo look better! We like to use photo-editing apps like VSCOcam(available on iPhone and Android) to edit our photos. Try increasing the exposure of your photo using VSCOcam and you’ll immediately notice a difference. You can also try other photo-editing apps such as Snapseed, Enlight and Filterstorm Neue.
Perhaps you photographed some beautiful scenery, but you feel like your photo does not do it justice as the colors do not seem to stand out. Use VSCOcam to increase the saturation. This will make the colors in your photo pop! Be careful not to over-edit your photos though as they can end up looking washed-out or completely different from what you photographed. Moderation is key!
Tip #3: Experiment with your other camera modes
Smartphones now offer many different camera modes in their native camera app. Common modes that we see across all smartphones are modes for taking square photos, panoramas and collages. Depending on what type of phone you have, you may have many camera modes that you did not know about. Try testing out these different modes for taking different kinds of photos!
Tip #4: Always check your camera roll!
Have you ever had moments where you thought you took the perfect photo, but you looked at your camera roll later only to find out that the picture was blurry? This is the perfect example of why you should always check your camera roll after taking photos! Your hand may have moved or your subject may have blinked while you were taking the photo. To avoid these situations, you can also try taking multiple photos of the same shot and choose the one that you like most later. We highly recommend that you check your camera roll after taking your pictures so that you can make immediate adjustments!
Tip #5: Use the camera shortcut on your lock screen
You’re in front of the Eiffel tower with your family and you ask a stranger to help you take a photo, but as soon as you hand your phone to the stranger your screen shuts off and you have to unlock your phone again. Has this ever happened to you? Most smartphones now have a camera shortcut on the lock screen that you can use without unlocking your phone. Touch the camera icon on your lock screen(usually on the bottom right of your screen) and swipe up on it. This method allows anyone to use your camera while keeping the rest of your phone private until it is unlocked.
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