In the era of social media frenzy and modern technology, phone cameras have become status quo for picture taking. Full disclaimer: I still travel with my nearly 10-lb DSLR whenever I want quality photos and memories captured from a place or an event; however, it isn't always the case.
As a photographer, I often get asked about differences between taking cell phone photos and taking DLSR photos. My first caveat is that there truly is no comparison between the two if you’re searching for true quality. Hands down, you’d need a DSLR and shoot in RAW format to achieve award winning photographs. If your intent is to take social media worthy photos, then a cell phone is a great means to achieve this. People often want to know the best way to take cell phone photos. If you know me, then you know my affinity for list-making. I have captured some tips and suggestions in the post below.
Here’s my simple list of ways to achieve the perfect social media worthy photos
1. It’s all about the angles. Generally speaking, you want to photograph people at eye level or higher. Typically, angles from below are less flattering. For “things” that are being photographed, you want to have a point of focus and really make the subject or item the focal point of the photo.
2. Lighting. Try and use natural light or catch a sun flare whenever possible. The camera flash tends to make the photos appear washed out and not as professional looking. If possible, you can always use a camera light from someone else’s phone as a great impromptu fill light.
3. Filters and Editing. If you’re not super photography savvy, you may want to consider using preset filters, or even downloading special photography apps. The built-in general editing tools in the camera setting is also a decent tool to start with. I typically use the exposure, clarity, saturation, shadows, and highlight sliders to make edits. I’ll discuss what types of external apps to use in other articles.
Be on the look-out for my other articles on how to choose the best apps for photo editing.