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12 Mobile Photography Tips Every Photographer Should Know

Posted by Kate Wesson Comments 56

Do you want to take stunning photos with your mobile phone? Mobile photography may seem daunting. But with a few simple tricks, you’ll be able to shoot the kind of photos you never thought possible! Read on to discover 12 mobile photography tips that will dramatically improve your photos.

Table Of Contents: Mobile Photography Tips

Click any title link below to go straight to that section of the article:

1. Clean The Lenses For Crystal Clear Photos 2. Set The Focus To Ensure Your Subject Is Always Sharp 3. Adjust Exposure For Perfect Brightness Levels 4. Use HDR For Evenly-Lit Photos With Amazing Detail 5. Shoot In Portrait Mode To Create Gorgeous Blurred Backgrounds 6. Activate Burst Mode For Incredible Action Shots 7. Switch Between iPhone Lenses To Zoom In Or Out 8. Keep Your Camera Steady For Sharp, Shake-Free Shots 9. Use The Rule Of Thirds To Compose Beautiful Mobile Photos 10. Use Leading Lines For Powerful Images With Incredible Depth 11. Experiment With Different Perspectives For More Unique Images 12. Simplify Your Compositions For The Most Striking Shots

1. Clean The Lenses For Crystal Clear Photos

Your mobile phone spends a lot of time in your hands, as well as your purse or pocket.

And as a result, the camera’s lenses can get covered in dirt, dust, and fingerprints.

A dirty lens will leave smudges, blurs, or dust spots on your photos.

And that won’t look good!

So here’s the first of our mobile photography tips:

If you want clear and sharp photos , clean your phone’s lenses!

Use a soft cloth (or even your t-shirt) to gently wipe the lens.

If you’ve been shooting at the beach or in dusty conditions, blow on the lens first. This will remove any sand or dust that may scratch the lens.

Cleaning your iPhone lenses might seem obvious. But most people don’t remember to do it.

So get into the habit of cleaning the lenses on your phone.

It will make a big difference to the clarity of your photos.

2. Set The Focus To Ensure Your Subject Is Always Sharp

Even if your lens is perfectly clean, sometimes your subject just doesn’t look sharp.

That’s because the camera’s autofocus doesn’t always focus where you want it to.

To ensure your subject is always in sharp focus, you’ll need to set the focus point manually.

So, how do you set iPhone camera focus ?

It’s actually super-easy!

Simply compose your shot, then tap on the screen where you want to set focus.

(You’d normally want to set focus on your main subject.)

A yellow box will appear to indicate the focus point.

Now, just press the shutter button to take your photo.

The area that you set focus on will appear crisp and sharp.

Anything in front of or behind the focus point may appear out of focus.

Setting the focus is one of the best mobile photography tips you can learn.

It’s so simple to set focus. And it results in beautifully sharp photos that will stun the viewer!

3. Adjust Exposure For Perfect Brightness Levels

Do your photos often turn out too bright (over-exposed) or too dark (under-exposed)?

It doesn’t have to be this way!

So, how do you ensure your photos have the perfect level of brightness?

You simply adjust the exposure (brightness) before you take a picture.

Adjusting exposure in the iPhone Camera app is easy.

Start by tapping to set focus. Then swipe up or down to adjust exposure.

Swipe up to make the image brighter. Or swipe down to make it darker.

Try to ensure the most important parts of the scene are exposed correctly.

When they’re correctly exposed, they’ll have plenty of color and detail.

Of course, sometimes you might want to deliberately under or over-expose your photo.

For instance, you’ll need to reduce exposure to create a silhouette photo where your subject appears completely black.

Or you might want to increase exposure to create a photo with bright, clean whites.

As you can see, the iPhone’s exposure feature offers amazing control over the brightness of your photos.

However, if you’re photographing a high-contrast scene, it can be difficult to achieve a good exposure.

Luckily, the iPhone camera offers a great solution!

Read on to discover one of the best mobile photography tips for capturing well-exposed photos of high-contrast scenes.

4. Use HDR For Evenly-Lit Photos With Amazing Detail

Taking photos of high-contrast scenes can be a problem when it comes to exposure.

A high-contrast scene has both dark and bright areas – such as a landscape with a bright sky and dark foreground.

When you take a photo, the camera struggles to capture detail in both the shadows (dark areas) and the highlights (bright areas).

You’ll usually end up with one of two problems:

Either the highlights will be correctly exposed, but the shadows will appear too dark. Or the shadows will be correctly exposed, but the highlights will appear too bright.

Fortunately, the iPhone camera has an amazing feature that helps you create more evenly-lit photos.

It’s called HDR .

HDR stands for High Dynamic Range. And it allows you to capture detail in both the shadows and the highlights.

So, how do you shoot HDR photos with your iPhone?

First, you need to check your HDR settings. Open the Settings app from the Home screen, and select Camera .

If you want your iPhone camera to automatically shoot HDR photos whenever it needs to, ensure Smart HDR  (Auto HDR on older iPhones) is switched on. When you shoot, you won’t need to think about using HDR – your camera will do the work for you!

If you’d prefer to control the HDR setting manually in the Camera app, switch Smart HDR off in Settings. With Smart HDR switched off, you’ll see an  HDR icon at the top of the Camera app. Use this icon to turn HDR on whenever you want to shoot HDR photos.

With HDR on, you can shoot beautiful photos with perfect exposure throughout the entire scene.

5. Shoot In Portrait Mode To Create Gorgeous Blurred Backgrounds

Do you want to shoot professional-looking photos with dreamy, blurred backgrounds?

You might think this is impossible with mobile phone photography.

But you don’t need a professional DSLR camera to blur the background in your photos .

If your iPhone camera has Portrait mode , you can easily blur the background when taking pictures.

Portrait mode is available in the built-in Camera app on the following iPhones:

iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max , iPhone XS , iPhone XS Max , iPhone XR , iPhone X , iPhone 8 Plus , and iPhone 7 Plus .

Portrait mode uses depth-effect software to keep your foreground subject sharp while blurring the background.

So, how do you use Portrait mode?

It’s simple!

In the iPhone Camera app, select the Portrait shooting mode at the bottom of the screen.

Compose your shot, making sure your subject is between two and eight feet away. (The depth-effect won’t work if your subject is too close or too far away.)

When you see the words Natural Light in yellow, you’re ready to take a shot.

Press the shutter button to take a stunning photo with a beautifully blurred background!

Sometimes, you might not like the blur effect in a photo. But that’s not a problem!

You can easily remove the blur and revert to the regular version of the image.

Simply open your portrait photo in the Photos app, then tap  Edit .

Tap the yellow Portrait option at the top of the screen to remove the blur effect from your photo. You can turn the blur back on at any time by tapping  Portrait again.

If you have the iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, XS, XS Max, or XR, Portrait mode also has a feature called Depth-control .

Depth-control allows you to adjust the strength of the background blur… after taking the photo.

To adjust the background blur, open your photo in the Photos app, then tap  Edit .

If you have one of the iPhone 11 models, tap the f-number icon at the top left of the screen. (On older iPhones, you don’t need to do this.)

You’ll see the Depth slider beneath your image. Drag the slider left or right to make the blur stronger or weaker.

When you’ve finished editing your Portrait mode photo, tap  Done to save the changes.

6. Activate Burst Mode For Incredible Action Shots

Do you find it hard to capture great action photos of moving subjects ?

Do you often miss the perfect shot because you don’t press the shutter button at exactly the right moment?

This is a common problem when shooting subjects that are moving.

But the iPhone has a hidden camera feature that helps you shoot amazing action photos.

It’s called burst mode!

Once you discover burst mode, you’ll be able to capture perfect action shots every time!

So what is burst mode? And how do you use it?

If you have one of the iPhone 11 cameras , activate burst mode by sliding the shutter button to the left. The camera will keep taking photos in quick succession until you release your finger.

If you have iPhone XS or older, just hold down the shutter button to activate burst mode.

Within the burst of images that you capture, you should have at least one photo with your subject in the perfect position or pose.

To avoid filling up your iPhone, you can keep the best images from the burst and delete the rest.

To select the photos you want to keep, open the  Photos app. Find your burst and tap to open it.

Tap  Select  at the bottom of the screen. Scroll through the images and select the ones you like. Tap  Done , then choose to keep only the photos you selected.

Burst mode is such an easy camera feature to use. And it will instantly improve your chances of shooting stunning action photos.

So ensure you use it whenever there’s movement or unpredictability in the scene.

Burst mode is perfect for  photographing children and animals. It’s also great for  street photography  and capturing people on the move.

You can also use it to capture stunning water splash images.

Burst mode really will take your cell phone photography to the next level!

7. Switch Between iPhone Lenses To Zoom In Or Out

Do you have an iPhone with a dual-lens or triple-lens camera?

If so, you can easily zoom in and out by switching between the iPhone camera lenses .

Zooming in allows you to capture a closer view of the scene. And zooming out lets you capture a wider angle of view.

The lenses that you have will depend on which iPhone model you own.

The iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max have three lenses: Wide , Ultra Wide , and Telephoto .

The iPhone 11 has two lenses: Wide and Ultra Wide

The iPhone XS , XS Max , X , 8 Plus , and 7 Plus all have two lenses: Wide and  Telephoto .

Single-lens iPhones just have the Wide lens.

So, how do you switch between lenses when taking pictures?

You use the  Zoom icons ( 0.5x ,  1x , and  2x ) at the bottom of the viewfinder.

0.5x is the Ultra Wide lens. 1x is the Wide lens . And 2x is the Telephoto lens.

Note that you’ll only see the icons for the lenses that you have on your iPhone.

To use the Wide lens, ensure 1x is selected.

This lens has a moderately wide angle of view which makes it suitable for most shooting situations.

To switch to the  Ultra Wide lens, tap 0.5x .

This allows you to zoom out to capture more of the scene in your photo. It’s perfect for shooting landscapes , cityscapes , and architecture .

Tap  2x to switch to the  Telephoto lens.

This lens allows you to zoom in and capture a closer view of the subject. It’s great for situations where you can’t physically get closer to your subject.

Below are three photos of the same scene captured with the Ultra Wide, Wide, and Telephoto lenses.

As you can see, you get very different results depending on which lens you shoot with.

If you’re not sure which lens to use, why not capture the scene with each lens and then compare the results!

8. Keep Your Camera Steady For Sharp, Shake-Free Shots

Do your photos sometimes turn out blurry?

A common cause of blurry photos is camera-shake.

Camera-shake happens if you move the camera (even very slightly) when taking a photo.

Now, in bright light conditions, some slight camera movement usually isn’t a problem.

Because when there’s lots of light, the camera uses a fast shutter speed (to avoid too much light getting in).

A fast shutter speed freezes any movement in the scene, including camera movement. So in bright light, your shots will usually be nice and sharp.

But in low light conditions, the camera has to use a slower shutter speed. This lets more light in over a longer period of time.

During this longer exposure time, any movement (including camera movement) will be captured as a blur or streak.

And this is why you often get blurry photos when shooting in low light or at night .

To capture sharp photos in low light, you need to keep the camera really steady.

If you have an iPhone tripod and iPhone tripod mount , you can use them to keep your iPhone perfectly still when shooting.

But what if you don’t have a tripod?

Here are a few mobile photography tips for keeping your phone steady when you don’t have a tripod:

• Rest your iPhone on a solid surface, such as a wall or rock.
• Hold your iPhone with both hands, making sure you have a good tight grip.
• Lean against a wall or tree to steady your body.
• Position your elbows against your body to keep your arms steady.
• Crouch down and rest your iPhone on your knee.

Just do whatever you can to keep your iPhone as still as possible – especially when shooting in low light.

If you do this, you’ll get the sharpest shots possible. And blurry iPhone photos will be a thing of the past!

If you have one of the iPhone 11 models, you can use Night mode when shooting in low light. This camera feature helps you capture sharper night photos with better color and detail.

But even with Night mode, you’ll still get the best results by keeping your camera as steady as possible!

9. Use The Rule Of Thirds To Compose Beautiful Mobile Photos

Getting sharp, well-exposed photos is crucial. But composition is equally important.

Good composition is what sets apart an average photo from an amazing one.

Composing a visually pleasing image involves careful positioning of the important elements in the frame.

So how do you decide where to place your main subject or focal point ?

You use the rule of thirds !

The “rule” states that you should position the most important elements off-center – rather than in the middle of the frame.

This creates more balanced and natural compositions – compositions that are engaging and pleasing to the eye.

Fortunately, the iPhone camera has a handy tool to help you compose using the rule of thirds.

What is this tool?

It’s called the  camera grid .

To switch on the gridlines, open the Settings app from the Home screen of your iPhone.

Scroll down and select Camera . Then ensure the  Grid option is switched on (green).

Now, open the Camera app.

You’ll see two horizontal lines and two vertical lines in the viewfinder.

Now you can use the grid to help you position the key elements in your photo.

For example, you could position your main subject on one of the vertical lines, or where two gridlines meet.

If you’re shooting landscape photos, position the horizon along the top or bottom gridline – rather than across the middle of the frame.

(You can also use the gridlines to ensure the horizon is perfectly level).

The iPhone camera grid allows you to compose stunning photos using the rule of thirds.

So make sure you switch it on. And use it to help you decide where to position the most important parts of the scene.

But remember, rules are made to be broken! So once you’ve mastered the rule of thirds, try breaking it on purpose.

Sometimes, placing your subject in the middle of the frame can create a striking image.

And if the scene is symmetrical, you can use a central composition to create perfect symmetry in your photo .

10. Use Leading Lines For Powerful Images With Incredible Depth

Do your images often look flat and lifeless?

Here’s one of the best mobile photography tips to avoid this:

Use leading lines .

Leading lines are lines that lead from the foreground to the background of the scene.

A leading line could be a path, a road, a river, or a railway line.

It could be a fence, a wall, a bridge, or a row of trees.

It could even be footprints in the snow or the water’s edge at the beach.

You can use anything as a leading line – as long as it draws the viewer’s eye into the image.

To ensure the leading line creates a sense of depth in your photo , frame the shot so that the line starts in the foreground.

The line should either lead into the distance or towards your main subject.

This is such a simple composition technique. But it will have a huge impact on your mobile photography.

So whenever you’re out shooting, look for leading lines. Then use them to create incredible depth in your pictures.

11. Experiment With Different Perspectives For More Unique Images

Most people take photos from chest height while standing.

But you’ll get far more interesting photos by shooting from a different perspective .

So, always look for an alternative point of view when taking pictures.

Would the scene look more interesting if you shoot from a low angle ?

Try crouching, kneeling, or even lying on the ground.

Shooting from a low perspective is great for making foreground subjects loom large in your photo.

You could also try shooting straight up at a tall building, tree canopy, or decorative ceiling.

What about shooting from a high vantage point?

Could you capture a more unique photo by looking down on your subject?

You could also get closer to your subject to capture its intricate detail.

You can create fabulous abstract images by getting close and filling the frame.

Here’s another perspective technique you can try:

Shoot through a “frame,” such as an archway, doorway, or window.

This adds wonderful foreground interest to your photo. And it draws the eye through the frame towards the background.

For really unique images, try shooting through a semi-transparent object .

You could use frosted glass or a window with water droplets.

You can create wonderfully abstract images using this method.

So remember: Don’t always go for the obvious shot.

Try to come up with some different mobile photography ideas where you can shoot from a more unique angle.

It will make a huge difference to your photography!

12. Simplify Your Compositions For The Most Striking Shots

The best photos are often the most simple ones.

If there’s too much going on in the scene, your photo will be confusing. The viewer won’t know what to focus their attention on.

So, always aim to simplify your compositions.

How do you create simple compositions?

Here are a few mobile photography tips for creating simple, striking photos:

First, try to include only one main subject in your photo. The more subjects you have, the more confusing the photo will be.

Second, ensure the background isn’t too busy or distracting.

You might need to change your shooting angle to eliminate distractions.

Try taking a few steps to the left or right.

Or get down low so that you can include more sky in your photo.

Another option is to get closer and fill the entire frame with your subject.

This is an easy way to remove the background completely.

And finally, try to include lots of empty space in your picture.

In photography, this empty space is called “negative space.”

Including large areas of negative space helps draw attention to your subject.

And it creates wonderful, minimalist photos that really catch the eye.

So don’t forget one of the most important mobile photography tips:

Keep your compositions simple. Because simple images are the most striking!

February 6, 2015 at 2:47 am

February 6, 2015 at 3:27 am

Thanks very much remi. Glad you enjoyed it.

February 6, 2015 at 3:32 am

Thanks for these great tips Paul! These are the essential skills that all mobile photographers should master in order to make the most of the one camera that’s always with them 🙂

February 9, 2015 at 8:50 am

Thanks very much Kate. Really enjoyed writing this one

February 6, 2015 at 6:50 am

Thank you for these tips. Im going to start putting these into practice starting tomorrow.

February 9, 2015 at 8:49 am

Thanks Shah. If you have any queries you can contact me through the comments section here.

February 6, 2015 at 10:03 am

thanks for the article, lots of useful tips and some great photos.

Thanks for that. Winthrop. Glad you enjoyed the article.

February 6, 2015 at 4:00 pm

I am guilty of too much HDR when I first started editing. I was so amazed at what an app could do to a photo. I hope I am getting better and these tips are so helpful. thanks

February 9, 2015 at 8:48 am

Thanks very much Molly. Good to hear these tips were useful. It can take a bit of practice to get HDR right 🙂

February 12, 2015 at 2:01 pm

Using leading lines will be my point of emphasis on my next photo shoot. So will crouching to reduce background noise

June 5, 2015 at 4:21 am

Hi Rich. Sorry I’m only getting to reply now. How did these tips work out for you.

April 20, 2015 at 10:08 pm

Thanks! Got lots of great ideas. 🙂

April 21, 2015 at 1:27 am

Glad you’re feeling inspired Franco! 🙂

September 30, 2015 at 2:17 am

I am feeling inspired too aside from the quality of the photos that you have posted. Also, there are so many things in your post that i do not know yet, glad that i know now. 🙂 Yehey!

Gustav http://www.imagesbygustav.com/

February 5, 2016 at 5:25 am

Thanks for the recommendation Jana. What sort of edits/artwork do you like to create with PicsArt?

May 16, 2016 at 4:17 am

Thanks for your suggestion, Frank. 🙂

June 6, 2016 at 6:29 am

Happy to hear you enjoyed the article, Diego! 🙂

August 16, 2016 at 12:09 pm

You have shared so informative ideas here all are so helpful and easy to understand.

August 17, 2016 at 6:22 am

Happy to hear that you found these tips helpful Soniya 🙂

August 22, 2016 at 3:03 am

Awesome tips and tricks.. !!Is this in particular about iPhone Photography? reason being, i sacrificed my iPhone to my brother as he wish he would have one… I would need to know either generalised version of mobile photography and if possible with Le eco Le 1s.. 🙂

August 22, 2016 at 2:38 pm

Most of these tips can be used with any mobile or digital camera 🙂

September 2, 2016 at 6:16 pm

Do you have a pdf for this?

September 4, 2016 at 6:03 am

No, I’m afraid we don’t Thomas.

November 21, 2016 at 1:16 pm

I would say these are tips that befits to iPhone users!

December 20, 2016 at 12:39 pm

Very informative article! Can’t wait to try out what I learned and dig deeper now.

December 21, 2016 at 10:23 am

So glad to hear you found these tips helpful 🙂

December 27, 2016 at 8:49 am

Your son is adorable.

Thanks for the tips. The example of the over-processed photo is hilarious, the lightning bolt being the coup de gras.

December 27, 2016 at 9:53 am

Thank you for the wonderful tips! These are some of my most recent iPhone pictures. Friends and family members can’t stop complementing my work! 🙂 https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/abfd422ace2b9b36ba75ebd1c7c4b021f0797b6a1d049f55237bf9426539351a.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/651dd4299fff31530819879ca9f3a0d14549024cc30395cb436b9cfbb8d35c68.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/61ba31ea35c3698fc75c554c766c9398e20fb9d320c0b45312eab977fd6e876e.jpg

December 28, 2016 at 4:45 am

Glad you enjoyed these tips, and that you’re getting such great compliments on your photos. Keep up to the good work! 🙂

December 27, 2016 at 11:34 am

Wonderful ❤️❤️❤️❤️ Thanks a lot

December 28, 2016 at 4:44 am

Glad you enjoyed these tips 🙂

December 27, 2016 at 1:23 pm

Beautiful photos Paul…except the over edited HDR, hilarious. Thanks for the reminders.

December 28, 2016 at 4:42 am

Glad you enjoyed these photos and tips Ardys 🙂

December 28, 2016 at 12:01 am

Thank you for this. I will try them

December 28, 2016 at 9:41 pm

how do i get a black and white photo?

December 29, 2016 at 12:56 am

Hi Ruth, here are a couple of tutorials that show you how to create black and white photos: http://iphonephotographyschool.com/black-and-white-editing/ http://iphonephotographyschool.com/black-and-white-images/

January 7, 2017 at 6:11 am

I read this even though i have a Samsung Galaxy S5

January 9, 2017 at 2:56 am

That’s great to know you found these tips helpful 🙂

February 23, 2017 at 6:34 pm

thanks!! these ideas are helpful!

February 28, 2017 at 2:38 am

Glad you found them useful 🙂

March 14, 2017 at 8:04 am

Thank you , for your tips. I hope your anther article

April 25, 2017 at 8:08 am

Very nice tips. Just when you read these tips you realize how better we can use our phone cameras and have no idea. We usually just open and shoot automatically and than compain that we have a bad camera, when in fact, we don’t know how to use it 😀 Thanks for the tips man!

April 26, 2017 at 3:53 am

Glad you enjoyed these tips Robert 🙂

May 7, 2017 at 3:02 am

Incredible work. I am astounded!

July 23, 2017 at 10:30 am

Oh my goodness! a tremendous article. I am continually browsing online for tips that can help me. You are a very persuasive writer. Yo leu have taken moble photography to the next level 🙂

July 28, 2017 at 12:07 pm

I have enjoyed taking photographs for decades…Many, many good ones but only a couple handfuls of great ones! I’m really getting into your guidelines and took many great shots along the Washington/Oregon coastline this past month! Thanx for the help!

October 10, 2017 at 9:01 am

The Iphone 8 is amazing!!! I can’t believe I have a camera in my pocket with these capabilities!

November 13, 2017 at 10:32 pm

Thanks for your interesting article. I will use my phone as my sub camera when my DSLR is not ok! Can’t wait to use this hacks!

December 6, 2017 at 5:02 am

A lot of smartphones including iPhones today have telephoto lenses lol. This article needs to be updated to “don’t zoom until you’re in digital zoom”

January 30, 2018 at 1:06 am

There are lot of trick which you can make a star in Instragaram and other social medias. When i was surfing through INTERNET able to find this magnificent site and its help me to bring my photographic skills to another level. try by your self too…

February 11, 2018 at 4:03 am

wow its very helpful idea to take high quilt photo.

April 21, 2018 at 7:08 am

I will definitely use these tips, and after that I will show you my pictures. And thank you so much for the wonderful article.

April 21, 2018 at 7:32 am

Hey, one more thing I noticed at the 10th point , You took a great short maybe you don’t know that thing if you rotate the first image of 10th point 360° degree you will get a new picture. Please have a look.

May 11, 2018 at 3:08 am

its so beautiful

June 29, 2018 at 5:36 am

Amazing article.Thank you for making some topics clear.

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Phone Photography 101: How to Take Good Pictures With Your Mobile Device

Published: September 07, 2023

Before the days of smartphones — if you can remember such a time — taking a great photo was a labor-intensive process. Now, it’s easy to learn how to take good photos with your phone — no fancy cameras or desktop editing software required.

Brands are catching on, too — these kinds of visuals remain important to marketing . But make no mistake: Taking a stunning photo on your smartphone isn’t as simple as pointing and shooting. There are plenty of bad smartphone photos out there — I'm sure you've seen at least a few.

What's the secret to taking great pictures with your smartphone, then? As it turns out, there are a few of them. Check out these tips below to improve your smartphone photography game. (And once you have the photo-taking part down, check out some of the best photo editing apps for mobile .)

The Marketer's Guide to Photoshop

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• Explainer Videos
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• Tools Panel Overview
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You're all set!

Click this link to access this resource at any time.

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Tell us a little about yourself below to gain access today:, how to take good photos with your phone: 11 tips & tricks.

• Get to know your camera.
• Learn how to use light.
• Compose each photograph.
• Focus on one subject at a time.
• Set your camera's focus.
• Hold your phone still.
• Experiment with exposure.
• Use photo accessories.
• Don't be afraid to edit.
• Ask for feedback.

1. Practice.

Photography is a way of seeing, and showing how you see the world around you. Smartphone photography is popular too. On average, people around the globe take over a trillion photos each year — and according to research, 92% of these photographs are taken with smartphones. But you can make your photos unique — all it takes is practice.

Take as many photos as you can.

Your phone is probably with you most of the time. This means that you can take great photographs anywhere and any time. So, instead of taking just one photo of a subject you’re interested in, take 10, 20, or even 30 photographs. Then, spend some time looking at your pictures to see which ones you like best, and why.

Find different perspectives.

Taking photos from a unique, unexpected angle can make them more memorable — it tends to create an illusion of depth or height with the subjects. It also makes the image stand out, since most people taking photos on mobile photos are shooting images either straight-on or from above.

Try taking a photo from a slight distance and playing with the sky as negative space, like in the first photo below. Or, you can try taking it at a slight downward angle.

Image Source

Pro Tip: If you take a photo and find the perspective is a little askew or tilted, use the SKRWT photo editing app to make the lines look clean and square.

Take candids.

Posed photos can be great for the sake of memories — happy moments with friends, family, or the occasional run-in with a celebrity. But sometimes, candid shots of people doing things, or people with people, can be far more interesting.

That's because candid photos are better able to effectively capture the emotion and essence of a moment. One of the best ways to capture this kind of shot is to just take as many photos as possible. You'll have more to choose from, and the best photos often happen when the "stars align," so to speak, in a single moment — everyone's eyes are open, one person is tilting their head just so, and you finally got a shot of your chronically closed-lip friend smiling with his teeth.

If you want to take more photographs and aren’t sure where to start, check out this list of Instagram post ideas for inspiration.

2. Get to know your camera.

It can be tough to take good photos on a phone if you don’t know exactly how it works. So, take the time to explore the different camera modes and settings on your phone. Get familiar with functions like adjusting focus and exposure. Many phones have automatic white balance, so you may need an extra app to get the features you’d get on a digital camera like a DSLR .

Use a modern phone with a good camera.

Use a modern phone with a good camera. Invest in a phone that offers excellent camera capabilities. Think about resolution and low-light performance too. Brands add new technologies to smartphone cameras constantly, such as built-in telephoto and ultrawide lenses. So, if you’re looking for specific features you may want to do some research before buying. You can also use older phone technologies to create interesting images with a vintage feel.

That said, if you are hoping to achieve high-quality images that meet the standards of your favorite Instagram photographers , a newer smartphone is more likely to bring you those results.

Use HDR mode.

High dynamic range or HDR, is a camera app feature that helps balance the light and dark elements in a high-contrast photo. You can use it to give photos a more creative, or artsy vibe, but it’s commonly used to produce an image that looks more like how you see your subject with your eyes.

Often with smartphone cameras, it’s hard to get the perfect exposure for light and dark areas. You could be taking a photo of someone in a shaded area outside against a bright background or in a room with low light against a bright wall. Setting the exposure to the background could underexpose the person being photographed. Conversely, setting the exposure to the subject could result in an overexposed background.

HDR prevents this by retaining both the details in darker areas and shadows and bright areas. The iPhone takes photos in HDR by default. For Android phones, you may need to adjust HDR settings manually.

Try portrait mode.

Using the portrait mode feature on your phone will create a shallow depth of field effect. This adds blur to the background and makes your subject stand out. You can also adjust the exposure for your unique shot or experiment with light settings in portrait mode. Test out different lighting conditions and distances to get the desired effect in your photos.

Clean your phone's lens.

A smartphone camera might be more convenient to carry around than a full-fledged photojournalist's camera, but it comes at the cost of protection.

Your phone is usually in your pocket or your bag when you're out of the house. All the while, the device's camera lens is collecting all kinds of dust and lint. Be sure to clean this lens with a soft handkerchief before taking a photo. You might not be able to tell just how dirty the lens was until you start editing your picture, and making sure the lens is clear before taking a shot can keep you from missing great shots.

3. Learn how to use light.

Understanding how to use light effectively is crucial for capturing captivating photos. The way you use light can completely transform any photograph.

So, to improve your phone photography, figure out how to harness light. Try using the golden hour in the morning or evening for warm and soft lighting or create dramatic shadows with a harsh spotlight. And, remember to adjust the exposure to make the most of the light you have.

Use natural light.

Natural light isn’t just for landscape photography. Take advantage of any sources of natural light you can find, even after dark. This gives you a chance to play with shadows or create a silhouette with other ambient sources of light, like windows or surrounding buildings.

You may also want to try backlight, where your main light source is behind your subject instead of in front of it.

Once you've taken the photo, you might want to play with the exposure tool in your favorite photo editing app to see if you can make the image slightly brighter, without making it too grainy.

Play with reflections.

There's something so idyllic about seeing the sky reflected in a body of water. There's a reason why we love seeing that — our eyes are drawn to reflections. So look for opportunities to play with them in photos.

There are plenty of out-of-the-box places to find reflections — puddles, large bodies of water, mirrors, sunglasses, drinking glasses, and metallic surfaces are just a few.

If you use flash, only do so during the day.

It's hard to find a great smartphone photo taken with a flash. Unless you use the flash expertly, it can make a photo look overexposed, negatively alter colors, and make human subjects look washed out.

Sometimes, using your camera's flash can improve a photo — but rarely does it do so at night. Because dark shots reveal a much sharper contrast against your phone's flash, it can make any flash look invasive and uneven.

But in already well-lit spaces, a flash can help to soften some dark shadows behind or beneath your main subject.

When framing your next shot, look on the ground or against vertical surfaces for any dark shadows you might want to remove. If you see any, flip on the flash manually in your camera app. Setting your phone's camera flash to "auto" won't guarantee that your phone will notice the shadows you want to get rid of. Just remember to turn the flash off again when you're done.

Consider the importance of flash for enhancing or hiding certain lines and features the next time you're shooting product photography.

4. Compose each photograph.

Composition in photographs is key. From Annie Leibovitz to Richard Avedon, the most famous photographers use careful arrangement of the picture plane to create powerful photographic images.

But you don’t have to be an expert to create unique and beautiful photographs. You just need to find a way of composing images that’s your own.

Use gridlines to balance your shot.

One of the easiest and best ways to improve your mobile photos is to turn on the camera's gridlines. That superimposes a series of lines on the screen of your smartphone's camera based on the " rule of thirds " — a photographic composition principle that breaks an image into thirds, both horizontally and vertically, so you have nine parts in total.

According to this theory, if you place points of interest in these intersections or along the lines, your photo will be more balanced and level, and allow viewers to interact with it more naturally.

To switch the grid on:

• iPhone: Go to "Settings," choose "Camera," and switch "Grid" on.
• Samsung Galaxy: Launch the camera app, go to "Settings," scroll down and switch the "gridlines" option to "on."
• Google Pixel: Launch the Camera app, then tap the down arrow. Go to "More Settings," then "Grid type." Finally, choose the type of grid you want.

Use leading lines.

In some photos, there's a line that draws the viewer's eye toward a certain part of the frame. Those are called leading lines. They can be straight or curvilinear— think staircases, building facades, train tracks, roads, or even a path through the woods.

Leading lines are great for creating a sense of depth in an image, and can make your photo look purposefully designed — even if you just happened to come upon a really cool shape by accident.

Look for symmetry.

Symmetry can be defined as "a vague sense of harmonious and beautiful proportion and balance." And pictures that contain symmetry can be incredibly pleasing to the eye — it's also one of the simplest and most compelling ways to compose a photo.

In photography, symmetry usually means an image has two equal parts that are mirror images of each other. That's a bit different from reflections — you can find symmetry "in the wild," like the photo above, or you can set up your photo for symmetry, as photographer Andoni Beristain did below.

And remember — use gridlines to line everything up in a way that’s pleasing to the eye.

5. Focus on one subject at a time.

Composition is a huge part of what makes a photo great, but so is the photo's subject. Many of the best photos include just one interesting subject, like in portrait photography. So when taking a picture of a single subject, spend some extra time setting up the shot.

Some professional photographers say that the subject shouldn't fill the entire frame, and that two-thirds of the photo should be negative space — that helps the subject stand out even more. But be sure you tap the screen of your smartphone to focus the camera on your subject. This will help make sure that your image is in focus and has optimal lighting.

Pro Tip: Once you've taken your photo, you can use filters and apps to make the subject even more vivid, or to crop it to frame the subject correctly. You can also adjust the brightness, contrast, and saturation of the photo — all from your phone.

Play around with color blocking.

Color blocking can help to highlight the elements of a photo that you want to stand out, like a plant or something else with a bold hue. It achieves a similar goal as negative space, in that it can help a single subject stand out — but with color blocking, the photo's other elements stay intact for a cohesive image.

Pro tip: Isn't it cool when an entire photo is black and white, except for a single object? It turns out that yes, indeed, there are apps for that. One of our favorites is Color Splash — an app that automatically converts a picture to grayscale and lets you fill in the parts you want to colorize.

Create abstracts.

Abstract photos can capture the essence of an object, or a series of them, without revealing the entire subject as a whole. In other words, they serve the purpose of creating unique, surprising images from ordinary subjects.

You can accomplish this by cropping an abstract portion of an otherwise normal photo, or by taking close-up shots of objects that leave the viewer wondering — in admiration, of course — what the subject might be. And subjects with patterns or repetition are great candidates for abstract photography, like in the photo of umbrellas below.

Make 'em laugh.

Speaking of evoking emotion, sometimes the most memorable photos are the ones that make us giggle. The image below of a woman submerged in pink balloons is funny because it's unexpected — and there's a part of us that wants to join her, too. If you can make your audience laugh, they're likely to enjoy your photo.

6. Set your camera's focus.

Today's phone cameras automatically focus on the foreground of your frame, but not every picture you take on your phone has an obvious subject. To adjust where you want your camera lens to focus, open your camera app and tap the screen where you want to sharpen the view.

If you're taking a photo of something in motion, for example, it can be difficult for your camera to follow this subject and refocus as needed. Tap the screen to correct your phone camera's focus just before snapping the picture to ensure the moving subject has as much focus as possible. A square or circular icon should then appear on your camera screen, shifting the focus of your shot to all of the content inside that icon.

Avoid zooming in.

When you take a photo from a distance, it's tempting to zoom in on something specific you're trying to capture. But it's actually better not to zoom in — doing so can make the photo appear grainy, blurry, or pixelated.

Instead, try to get closer to your subject — unless it's a wild animal, in which case we would advise keeping your distance — or take the photo from a default distance, and crop it later on. That way, you won't compromise quality, and it's easier to play around or optimize a larger image.

Keep an eye out for repetitive patterns.

Repetitive patterns are pleasing to the eye — they appear whenever strong graphic elements repeat over and over again, like lines, geometric shapes, forms, and colors. These patterns can make a strong visual impact, and photographing something like a beautiful, tiled floor can be enough to create a striking image. Other times, it's more fun to keep an eye out for where they appear naturally or unintentionally, like in the photo below.

7. Hold your phone still.

While smartphones have given us the benefit of taking pictures on the go, the cameras on our phones are still sensitive to movement. To help avoid blurry or warped photos, steady your camera first.

You can lean on a friend or wall to prevent your arms or hands from wobbling, or prop your phone up using books or similar objects to steady your phone.

Consider buying a mobile tripod.

Mobile devices make it easy to snap any photo on the go. But there's never been an easy way to make sure the shot stays level and balanced when you shoot — especially if you want to be in the picture and not just take a typical selfie with your extended arm.

Mobile tripods give you the freedom to mount your smartphone for quick hands-free shots without lugging any heavy equipment with you. Most mobile tripods are barely bigger than your mobile device and can bend to any angle. Learn how these miniature tripods can help enhance your mobile video experience below.

8. Experiment with exposure.

Another mobile camera feature you'll want to set manually is your exposure. Tapping your screen when your phone's camera is on doesn't just refocus the lens on a new subject — it also automatically adjusts how much light the camera lets in. This, too, won't always look just right. It's best to adjust it by hand.

To change your mobile camera's exposure by hand, open your camera app and tap the screen. When you see the lens refocus, you'll see a very small sun icon and a vertical scale. Slowly swipe your finger up and down this scale to adjust the light level.

Capture small details.

You may have heard the phrase, "It's the little things." Sometimes, that also applies to photos. Close-up images that capture small, intricate, and delicate details can make for really compelling visual content.

It can be tricky to photograph close-up objects with a smartphone. To focus on an object, tap the area you’re trying to capture. If you’re unable to focus the image, move slightly away. You can also tap another part of the screen, then go back to your subject to try focusing again. iPhone 13 and later also have a "macro" mode that can help with close-up shots.

Pro Tip: Use the "sharpen" tool in your favorite photo editing app to (conservatively) sharpen the details of your photo.

Embrace negative space.

"Negative space" simply refers to the areas around and between the subjects of an image — and it can take a photo from "good" to "great."

When you include a lot of empty space in a photo, your subject will stand out more and evoke a stronger reaction from your viewer. And what does negative space look like? It's often a large expanse of open sky, an empty field, a large wall, or water, as in the example below.

9. Use photo accessories.

Photo accessories like lenses, apps, and lights can make your smartphone a more powerful camera, adding features to boost your photographs while you’re shooting and as you edit and prepare your images for sharing.

Attach an external lens.

Want to get really fancy? External lenses are for you. There are actually several out there that you can attach to the top of your smartphone's native camera lens — from fish-eye to wide-angle lenses. These add-ons can bring an entirely new quality and perspective to your photos.

According to Wirecutter , the best camera lenses for iPhone photography are made by Moment , a manufacturer of mobile lenses. Start there, or do some research to find the lens add-ons that fit your smartphone photography needs.

Try a shutter button.

A selfie stick is great for making that special selfie a little less arm-focused. But shutter buttons give you even more freedom to create great photos with your phone. Remote shutter buttons also allow for steadier shots and help prevent the inevitable camera shake as you try to click the shutter on your screen.

Use photo apps.

Whether you want tone curve adjustments, blemish fixing, HSL color correction, or gradients, there’s an app for that. Photo apps for desktop and mobile enable you to go wild in post-production to make your photos one of a kind.

10. Don't be afraid to edit.

Composing and taking photos on your smartphone is just the first step to making it visually compelling. Editing your photos is the next step — and a critical one, at that. Filters can be a valuable photographic tool, particularly when it comes to two goals: 1) Removing blemishes from a picture, and 2) making food look even more delicious.

Beauty filters are a common fix— and now, the iPhone photos app offers many similar filters. There are also apps like Pho.to , which can automatically retouch facial photos without a lot of work. And when it comes to those photos of your daily meals? Another great app is Foodie , which comes with its own set of filters optimized for different types of food.

But there are many other fantastic photo and video editing apps out there for mobile devices — check out this post to see some of the best ones out there. If you want to edit your photos on desktop, this list of Photoshop shortcuts can help you speed up the process.

And, if you’re creating photos, you may also want to share them. Photo-sharing apps like Instagram include tons of in-app features for editing .

Be unconventional.

Some of the most delightful and remarkable photos come out of cool, unique ideas. Images are more effective than text at evoking emotion from your viewers — that often means getting your photos to say something.

Try thinking outside of the box when it comes to what you're capturing — your viewers could be pleasantly surprised by a cool or unexpected approach.

Want more tips on creating visual content? Check out these design tools for creating visual content .

11. Ask for feedback.

As you grow as a photographer, you can learn a ton just by looking at the work of other photographers . But if you really want to push yourself, it’s a good idea to ask for feedback.

Getting critique on your photos from others can give you useful insights about how what your audience sees in your photos and what emotions they evoke. This feedback process is also helpful if you’re using your photo skills for a business. If this describes you, you may also want to check out these tips on product photography and taking photos for real estate .

Share your photos with friends, family, or online photography communities to get some constructive criticism and tips for improvement. Critique can be tough to take at first, but if you really want to improve your photos, the risk is worth it.

Take Better Photos

Thanks to our mobile devices and the editing apps that come with them, we can now take high-quality photos and edit them just about anywhere — all from the same device that we use to make calls.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in November 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Don't forget to share this post!

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How to Best Shoot Smartphone Photography: A Complete Guide

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Our complete guide to smartphone photography teaches you everything you need to know to get the most out of your camera phone. It’s hard to overstate how much our phones have revolutionized photography.

Standalone cameras are far from dead, but the smartphone has almost killed off the compact consumer camera. All the more reason to learn more about how to get the most from your phone’s camera. You get excellent results with just a few tricks and techniques.

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What Is Smartphone Photography?

Smartphone photography involves capturing photos using a camera integrated into a smartphone. And it has revolutionized photography.

It has made it accessible and convenient to take high-quality images anytime, anywhere. It lets us document our lives and share moments instantly.

Most of our recommendations here apply to whatever operating system you have. But some articles help specifically with iOS or Android. So let’s take a look at some of the best ways of improving your smartphone photography:

• Smartphone photography basics
• Shooting techniques
• Smartphone photo apps
• Photo management
• Phone cameras and accessories

Smartphone Photography Basics

Improving your smartphone camera photography is easy with a few simple tips. Clean your camera lens regularly to ensure sharp photos. Use manual controls like the exposure slider and tap-to-focus for more control over your images.

Avoid using digital zoom, as this can reduce image quality. Instead, get closer to your subject or consider buying an attachable lens. And shoot in good lighting conditions whenever possible for the best results.

Editing your photos can also help improve quality. Adjust sharpness and definition, but be careful not to overdo it. If you want to improve the quality of your smartphone photography , these tips are a great place to start.

iPhone Camera Settings

Your iPhone has many exciting camera settings to help you take amazing photos. Turn on the gridlines in your camera settings to help you master composition using the rule of thirds. Adjust the focus by tapping the screen where you want the camera to focus.

Use Live Photo mode to capture movement and sound in your images. The Burst mode is excellent for capturing action shots. Just press and hold the shutter button. The self-timer is also perfect for taking group photos or reducing camera shake in low light.

The Exposure Slider lets you manually adjust the brightness of your photo. Tap the screen to make the slider appear, then move your finger up or down to change the exposure.

You can also use the iPhone’s built-in filters to adjust the look of your images. Other iPhone camera settings let you select the image size, RAW and ProRes settings, and preferred camera.

iPhone Tips

Follow a few simple tips to take amazing photos with your iPhone. Use the swipe feature for quick camera access, and touch the screen to set focus on your main subject.

Pay attention to lighting direction and color for creative effects. And compose shots using the thirds grid rule and leading lines.

Use fill-in flash in the shade to brighten subjects. And experiment with different shooting modes, such as square, panorama, and portrait.

Crop your images for better composition. Enable HDR for more detail in high-contrast scenes. Use the View on Map feature to remember photo locations, and try a selfie stick to capture a broader perspective.

Master these iPhone photography tips, and you’ll take your iPhone photography to the next level .

Android Manual Mode

Switching to manual mode on your Android camera gives you complete control over your photos. You can adjust settings like ISO, shutter speed, and white balance to get the perfect shot.

Manual focus lets you choose your focal point, even if it’s not in the center of the frame. You can also play with depth of field by selecting a wide aperture for a shallow focus effect.

Going manual might initially seem daunting. But it’s the best way to improve your photography skills. Practice teaches you how to use the exposure triangle to capture stunning images in any lighting situation. Check out this in-depth guide for more tips on mastering Android camera settings .

Getting the best lighting for phone photography can be tricky. But there are some simple tips to remember.

Natural light is always best, so shoot outdoors or near a window when possible. If you must shoot in direct sunlight, look for shade or wait until the sun is lower in the sky to avoid harsh shadows and blown-out highlights.

The golden hour after sunrise or before sunset provides a beautiful, warm glow perfect for portraits and silhouettes. The blue hour before sunrise and after sunset adds a moody, dramatic feel to your images.

When shooting indoors, window light is your best friend. It diffuses the sun’s rays for a soft, even exposure.

Get creative with artificial lights in dark settings like fluorescents, incandescents, or neon signs. You can even use a friend’s phone flash for side lighting. You can achieve excellent lighting for phone photography in any situation with a little experimentation.

Burst Mode With iPhone

The iPhone’s burst mode lets you capture rapid-fire shots, ensuring you never miss the perfect moment. To use it, open the camera app, then press and hold down the shutter button. Your iPhone keeps snapping photos until you release the button.

Burst mode is great for action shots but fills up storage quickly. Three seconds of shooting will give you 30 pictures! To pick the best ones, go to your Photos app, select the burst, and then tap the Select button to choose which photos to keep.

Burst mode works best in well-lit areas to avoid blurry shots. You can also get creative by using a fisheye lens attachment for unique close-ups or trying panning techniques for cool motion blur effects.

With a little practice and more iPhone photo burst tips , you’ll capture amazing action shots in no time!

Self-Timer With iPhone

The iPhone’s built-in photo timer is a great way to take hands-free photos. To set the timer, open the native camera app and tap the clock icon at the top of the screen. You can choose between a 3-second or 10-second delay.

The 3-second timer is best for landscapes and still subjects, giving you just enough time to let go of the phone before the shutter fires. For self-portraits or group shots, use the 10-second timer so you have time to get in the frame.

Before starting the timer, pre-focus your shot by tapping and holding on the area you want sharp. This prep locks the focus and exposure so the camera doesn’t hunt for a new point when you step into the scene.

Learning more about your iPhone’s photo timer helps you easily capture your desired shots.

Editing Photos

Here are ten great smartphone photo editing tips to improve your photos.

You can use your phone’s built-in editing app to make basic adjustments like cropping, exposure, and color. For more advanced editing options, you can also try third-party apps like VSCO, Snapseed, or Adobe Lightroom .

Don’t overdo the editing—make subtle changes to avoid losing image quality. Save your edited photos separately from the originals so you can make changes later.

Back up your photos to the cloud using iCloud or Google Photos to avoid losing them. If your phone supports RAW, use that format for the best editing flexibility.

You can connect your camera to your phone to transfer and edit high-quality RAW images using apps like Snapseed or Lightroom . Smartphone photo editing gives you many ways to get creative and make your images look their best.

Smartphone Photography Techniques

Once you know the best way to shoot with your smartphone, you’ll notice how most people get it wrong! Small changes can make a big difference in results. Smartphones are amazingly sophisticated and make up for lots of human errors. But the better the starting point, the better the results. 

Panoramas With iPhone

Taking stunning panorama photos with your iPhone is easy. Open the camera app and select Pano mode. Hold your phone close to your chest and slowly pan from left to right, keeping the arrow centered on the line.

Using a tripod can help keep your iPhone steady for the smoothest shots. If you don’t have one, practice stabilizing your hand while panning. Compose your shot by choosing where to start and end the panorama.

It’s also a great option for capturing tall cityscapes. Rotate your phone and pan up.

Try moving your phone slightly up and down while panning or capturing moving objects for creative effects. For more features, you can also use third-party apps like Microsoft Pix or 360 Panorama. We have a helpful resource available if you want to learn more about iPhone panoramas .

Blurring Background (Bokeh)

Taking pictures with a blurry background, also known as bokeh, can add depth and creativity to your iPhone photos.

One of the easiest ways to achieve this effect is using your iPhone’s Portrait Mode. This feature automatically blurs the background while keeping your subject sharp. The bokeh makes your photos look like you took them with a professional camera!

If you have an older iPhone model without Portrait mode, you can still blur the background using third-party apps like Tadaa SLR or Instagram’s Focus Mode. These apps use algorithms to separate the subject from the background, letting you create a shallow depth-of-field effect.

Try using lens attachments or make filters for even more creative possibilities! Experimenting with different materials placed before your phone’s lens can lead to unique and surprising results.

If you want the cleanest, most professional-looking bokeh, consider connecting your DSLR to your iPhone and using Photoshop to take a picture with a blurry background .

HDR With iPhone

HDR, or high dynamic range, is a technique for capturing a wide range of light in photos.

It takes multiple shots at different exposures and combines them into one image. HDR helps to balance the highlights and shadows, giving you more detail in bright and dark areas of your photo.

To use HDR on your iPhone, open the camera app and look for the HDR option at the top of the screen. Tap it to turn it on, compose your shot, and take the photo.

Keep your phone steady while it captures multiple exposures. Use a tripod or set your phone on a stable surface for the best results.

HDR works well for landscapes, high-contrast scenes, and backlit subjects. It can also help in harsh sunlight by reducing the intensity of shadows and highlights.

If you want more control over your HDR photos, try third-party apps like Pro HDR or TrueHDR. These offer manual settings and extra features to fine-tune your images. Learning more about HDR on your iPhone is worth your time.

Long Exposure With iPhone

Shooting long-exposure photos with an iPhone is easier than you think. All you need is a tripod to keep your phone stable. You can use the Live Photos feature to apply a long-exposure effect automatically or try third-party apps like Camera+ 2 for more control.

To capture long exposures during the day, use ND filters to block out some light. You can also get creative with light painting by drawing in the air with a flashlight while the shutter is open. Don’t be afraid to experiment without a tripod for unique motion effects.

Editing your long-exposure shots can make them even more stunning. Increase the contrast and darken the blacks to make the light streaks stand out. You’ll be amazed at the creative possibilities of long-exposure iPhone photography with practice.

Our guide to iPhone long-exposure photography is a great resource for diving deeper into this technique.

Time-Lapse With iPhone

Creating time-lapse videos on your iPhone is simple. Open the native camera app and select Time-lapse mode. Press the record button to start capturing photos every few seconds, then press it again to stop.

For the best results, use a tripod to keep your phone steady. Consider using a fisheye lens to make your shots look more engaging. You can also use third-party apps like Hyperlapse for image stabilization or NightCap Camera for shooting time-lapse videos at night.

Look for places with good lighting and plenty of movement, such as traffic, people, or the sky. You can also try shooting a stationary subject with a busy scene behind it to create an interesting effect. Have a look at our guide to learn more about iPhone time-lapse photography .

Light Painting

Light painting is a fun photography technique that captures the movement of light in a scene. You don’t need expensive equipment. A decent smartphone with manual settings or a long-exposure camera app does the trick.

To get started, rest your phone on a tripod or a stable surface. To avoid any camera shake, use a camera remote (or your Apple Watch) or self-timer. You can also use an LED light, flashlight, or even another smartphone as the light source.

Experiment with different exposure times and light sources to create unique effects. You can capture traffic light trails or “paint” letters and shapes in the air.

With some practice, you can create stunning, ethereal images with your smartphone. Read our in-depth guide to learn more about l ight painting with a phone .

Smartphone Photography Niches

Phone photography has progressed way beyond just snapping pictures on the go. Social media is one area where the phone is possibly the dominant tool. It isn’t the only niche, though. So, we have gathered advice and ideas for various photography genres for you to look at.

Portrait With iPhone

The iPhone’s Portrait Mode is a game-changer for mobile photography. It lets you take stunning photos with a blurred background, similar to what you’d get with a DSLR camera. To use it, launch the camera app and select Portrait Mode.

Ensure your subject’s eyes are visible and you’re not too close or far away. Portrait Mode works best with a simple background that doesn’t distract from your subject. Turn on the gridlines to help you compose a balanced image.

After taking your portrait, you can edit it in the phone’s app. You can adjust the amount of background blur, try different lighting effects, and use the basic editing tools to perfect your image.

For even more options, try a third-party app like Snapseed or Lightroom . With these iPhone Portrait mode tips, you’ll take professional portraits quickly.

Smartphones have advanced greatly and can now take amazing fashion photos. If you want to get into fashion photography but don’t want to invest in expensive camera gear, your smartphone is a great option.

To take the best fashion photos with your phone, prioritize good lighting. Early morning or late afternoon are the best times to shoot outdoors. Indoors, pose your subject near windows or doors to use natural light.

Composition is key, so use the Rule of Thirds grid on your phone to place your subject uniquely. Communicate clearly with your model about the mood and emotions you want to capture.

Experiment with different angles and use your phone’s Portrait Mode to blur the background. You can also have fun with detachable lenses and props to add variety to your shots. After shooting, use editing apps like VSCO or Adobe Photoshop Express to perfect your images.

Fashion photography with a smartphone takes practice, but applying these tips can create impressive work. Check out our in-depth article to learn more about smartphone fashion photography .

Food photography with your phone is easier than ever. Use natural light from a window or shoot outside in the shade for the best results. Avoid artificial lighting, which can create unwanted color casts and make your food look flat.

Composition is key—turn on the grid overlay on your phone’s camera to help you place the main elements of your dish along the lines or at the intersecting points. Close-up shots can be great, but be sure the viewer can still tell what the food is.

Editing your photos is important, but avoid using filters at full strength. Instead, you can use apps like Snapseed, VSCO, or Lightroom Mobile to adjust exposure, brightness, white balance, and saturation.

With some practice, you can create food photography with a phone that looks professional and delicious.

Food With iPhone

Taking mouthwatering food photos with your iPhone is easy and fun. Use natural light for the most realistic colors and manage shadows with a reflector or diffuser.

To improve your shots, take advantage of the iPhone’s hidden features. The best settings are gridlines, exposure adjustment, HDR mode, and Portrait Mode.

Keep backgrounds simple so that they don’t distract from the food. Experiment with colors to create soft, calming scenes or vivid, dynamic photos. Use food stylist skills to arrange everything attractively and choose a suitable angle that highlights the food’s best features.

Tell a story with your food photography by documenting the cooking process or creating a certain atmosphere. Use props like kitchen equipment, ingredients, or cutlery to make your scene more interesting.

Finally, edit your photos for a natural, realistic effect using apps like Lightroom , Instagram, or VSCO. iPhone food photography is a delicious way to capture your culinary adventures.

Landscape With iPhone

Taking stunning landscape photos with your iPhone is easy with the right techniques. Use a tripod to stabilize your phone and prevent motion blur, especially in low light. Tap the screen to set the focus on your main point of interest.

To create silhouettes, tap the brightest area and use the AE lock. Tap the dark area for backlit scenes, use the AE lock, and take the shot. HDR mode is great for high-contrast scenes, capturing multiple exposures to produce a balanced image.

Shoot around sunrise or sunset for the best light and colors. Compose your shot using the rule of thirds grid, placing key elements where the lines intersect. Taking landscape photos on your iPhone is a great way to capture the beauty of nature wherever you go.

Macro With iPhone

iPhone macro photography can be challenging without the right tips and tools. The best modern iPhones come with impressive macro capabilities. With older models, get a clip-on macro lens compatible with your phone. Attach it properly to avoid vignetting.

Get close to your subject for sharp focus, usually just a few inches away. Keep your phone stable to minimize movement blur. Using the grid lines can help you compose your shot based on the rule of thirds.

Take several photos to ensure you capture the perfect moment, and experiment with different angles for variety. You can edit your macro shots on your phone using built-in or third-party apps.

Everyday objects, insects, eyes, jewels, and food are great subjects for iPhone macro photography .

Flowers make beautiful subjects for smartphone photography. With the right techniques, you can capture their natural beauty. Get close to your subject to highlight the flower’s intricate details and eliminate distracting backgrounds.

Shoot in soft, diffused light for the best results. Overcast days or the golden hours around sunrise and sunset provide ideal lighting conditions. You can also create an indoor floral still life near a window, using a sheer curtain to diffuse direct sunlight.

Experiment with unique angles and compositions to make your flower photos stand out. Try shooting from a low perspective or adding water droplets for a fresh, dewy look.

Editing apps with tools like curves and white-balance correction can further enhance your images. For more tips on capturing stunning flower photos , explore in-depth tutorials and techniques from experienced photographers.

You don’t need expensive equipment to take great product photos. Your smartphone camera is all you need. Use a tripod to keep your phone stable and the shots consistent. A white backdrop, like construction paper or a blanket, works well for a professional look.

Adjust your camera settings for the best results. Keep the ISO at 100 to avoid noise, choose the right aspect ratio, and use autofocus. Attach a macro lens for sharp close-ups, and experiment with Portrait Mode for a blurred background effect in lifestyle shots.

Natural light from windows is perfect for product photography. Place your product near a window to take advantage of the soft, even light. Use table lamps with bendable necks and matching color temperatures if the light is too dim.

After shooting, use editing apps like Adobe Lightroom , VSCO, or Snapseed to color correct, adjust exposure, and remove blemishes. With these tips, you can take smartphone product photography that looks professional.

Smartphone street photography is a fun and creative way to capture the world around you. Apps like Camera+ give you more control over your phone’s camera, with features like exposure lock, focus lock, and shutter release. Apps let you take better photos in tricky lighting situations.

When composing your shots, look for interesting backgrounds like walls or windows to frame your subject. Getting close to your subject can also lead to more compelling images.

Working on a photography project or theme is a great way to push your creativity. You could focus on a specific location, like a market or city, or explore ideas like light and shadow.

With some practice and experimentation, you can create stunning street photos with your smartphone. To learn more techniques for smartphone street photography , check out our in-depth guide.

Capturing fast-moving objects with your phone can be challenging, but simple techniques can help you get great action shots. First, anticipate your subject’s movement and be ready to take the shot. Pay attention to your composition, keeping your subject in the frame.

Using burst mode is a great way to capture the perfect moment. Press and hold the shutter button, and your phone rapidly takes many photos.

You can also try panning (following your subject from left to right or vice versa). Do this using a slow shutter speed to add motion blur to the background.

Experiment with different angles to add drama to your action shots. Low angles can make your subject look bigger and more heroic while shooting from above can show more of the environment.

Perhaps you want to capture fast-moving objects with a phone and fit everything in the frame. If so, consider using a fisheye lens or the built-in super-wide-angle lens on newer phones.

Nighttime With iPhone

Capturing stunning night photos with your iPhone is easier than you think. Start using a third-party app like Camera+ 2 that lets you adjust settings manually.

Keep your ISO between 400 and 800 to avoid grainy images. And use a shutter speed of 1/120 to 1/60 s (seconds) for handheld shots.

Stabilize your phone with a tripod to prevent motion blur using slower shutter speeds. Activate HDR to capture more detail in highlights and shadows. Try shooting during the blue hour just before sunrise or after sunset for vivid sky colors.

Get creative with long exposure effects like light streaks from moving cars. Play around with editing apps to adjust brightness, contrast, and other settings for the best results. If colors look distracting, try converting to black and white for an elegant look.

With practice, you’ll be taking incredible iPhone night photographs in no time.

Smartphone Photography Apps

Your smartphone probably has a pretty good camera app, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement. Developers designed the standard app to make photography as easy as possible.

But as you become more interested in phone photography, you might want more control over camera features. You might want to experiment in ways your native app doesn’t allow. If so, there are plenty of apps to choose from.

Photography Apps

Smartphone photography has come a long way. There are many great apps for photographers of all levels. Camera apps like Photoshop and Pro Camera give you manual control over settings like ISO and shutter speed.

For editing, Lightroom Mobile and VSCO are popular choices. They have preset filters for quick adjustments and advanced tools for precise edits. Snapseed is another powerful editor with brushes for healing imperfections.

PhotoPills and The Photographer’s Ephemeris are helpful planning apps. These astronomy apps help calculate the positions of the sun, moon, and stars to find the best shooting times.

Flickr and 500px are great platforms for sharing your best work with the photography community. Photo apps have made taking and editing stunning photos on your phone easier.

iPhone Camera Apps

The best camera apps for iPhone can take your photography to new levels. Camera+ 2 offers manual settings like ISO, white balance, and shutter speed. You can also shoot in RAW and edit the photos in the app.

ProCamera has features similar to Camera+ 2. You can also use your Apple Watch as a remote trigger. The long exposure feature lets you set a self-timer and exposure time for several seconds.

The Slow Shutter Cam app is great for long exposures and creating motion blur or light painting effects. It may not have all the newest iPhone’s Night mode features. But it’s still a solid option for creative photography.

Camera apps for iPhone can open up new possibilities for your mobile photography!

Android Camera Apps

If you’re an Android user, there are also apps to take your smartphone photography to the next level. The native camera app on most Android phones has improved. But many people want more control and features.

Apps like ProShot and Camera Zoom FX Premium offer ISO, white balance, and exposure compensation manual controls. For those looking to boost their social media content, apps like Adobe Photoshop Camera and Cymera have excellent portrait controls and fun filters.

Are you a keen photographer who wants the most control? Apps like ProShot and Camera FV-5 have DSLR-like interfaces and support RAW files.

With so many great camera apps available, you can find the perfect one for your needs. If you’d like to learn more about camera apps for Android , we have a detailed guide that covers the best options.

Long Exposure Apps

Long-exposure photography can produce stunning results. But you don’t need an expensive camera to create these images. You can get incredible results using your smartphone!

There are many long-exposure apps available for both iPhone and Android. ProCamera for iOS gives you manual control over shutter speed and ISO. It also has editing tools to improve your images.

For Android, ProShot is a full-featured app with automatic and manual controls. It lets you shoot time-lapse videos and use HDR and bokeh effects. Explore many great options if you’d like to learn more about long-exposure apps .

Photo Storage

Smartphones make it easy to take photos, but storage space fills up fast. Free photo storage apps can help manage your growing collection. Dropbox and Google Photos are popular options that automatically upload and sync your images across devices.

iCloud is the go-to for Apple users, with 5 GB of free storage. Larger plans are surprisingly affordable. Amazon Prime members get unlimited photo storage with the Amazon Photos app. Microsoft OneDrive provides 5 GB of free storage for various file types.

Mylio takes a different approach by keeping your photos on a primary device instead of the cloud. Photography communities like 500px and Flickr offer free storage with some limitations. We cover the best free photo storage apps in depth if you want to learn more.

Photo Recovery

Having a reliable photo recovery app can be a lifesaver. You might accidentally delete important photos or lose them due to phone issues.

These apps scan your device’s internal memory or SD card to find and restore lost images. They are quick and easy to use, making the recovery process simple.

The best photo recovery apps are compatible with both Android and iOS devices. Some even offer extra features like cloud backup or permanently destroying files. Choosing a reputable app ensures your data stays safe during recovery.

With the right photo recovery app , you can retrieve lost photos in just a few steps and avoid losing precious memories forever.

Scanner Apps

Do you have old photos you want to digitize but don’t own a scanner? You only need a smartphone to scan your printed memories. There are many photo scanner apps available for iOS and Android devices.

Adobe Scan is a popular choice. It uses AI to automatically correct perspective and remove glare and shadows.

Microsoft Lens is an all-in-one scanner that produces high-quality scans in formats like PDF, Excel, and Word. Clear Scanner has a user-friendly interface and advanced features like edge detection, all for free.

Photo Scan by Google Photos combines four separate scans into one glare-free image. Pic Scanner Gold and FilmBox by Photomyne can scan multiple photos simultaneously, and they offer editing tools to restore faded colors in old prints.

Try photo scanner apps with unique features for the best results when scanning photos.

Editing Apps

Editing your smartphone photos is a must to make them stand out. Many editing apps are available for both Android and iOS devices. Some are simple and only offer filters, while others have advanced editing tools.

Adobe Lightroom for Mobile  and Adobe Photoshop Express are two popular options. They offer a variety of features and are easy to use. Snapseed is another great choice, especially for beginners.

VSCO is perfect if you like the look of film photography. It has a massive collection of filters and advanced controls. TouchRetouch is the best app for removing unwanted objects from your photos. Check out our in-depth guide to learn about the best editing app options .

Afterlight is a popular photo editing app for iPhone and Android users. It offers a range of tools to help you improve your smartphone photography.

The app has basic adjustment settings like exposure, contrast, and saturation. It also provides more advanced tools to control highlights, mid-tones, and shadows. Afterlight’s unique presets can give your photos a dreamy, romantic, or modern look.

Overlays are another standout feature in Afterlight. You can add a nostalgic feel to your images with dust, light leaks, and instant film textures. The app also has creative framing tools to enhance your photos.

Afterlight is a powerful tool for elevating your smartphone photography. Read our guide if you’d like to learn more about the Afterlight app .

Fixing Blurry Photos

Are your smartphone photos looking a bit blurry? Many apps can help make your pictures clear again. Snapseed is a great free option with 29 easy-to-use tools and filters. The Details tool lets you adjust sharpness and structure to improve photo clarity.

Photo Editor & Collage Maker by BeFunky is another top choice. It has various editing tools, effects, and overlays to enhance images. The Sharpen and Smart Sharpen options are key for fixing blurriness.

Other apps, like PIXLR, Fotor, Lightroom , and PhotoSuite 4, also offer effective sharpening and clarity adjustments. With the right app, you can quickly transform your blurry photos from dull to crisp and clear.

Check out our detailed guide to explore even more apps to make pictures clear .

Background Removal

There are many reasons to change the background of your photos. Sometimes, backgrounds are too simple or busy, so we want to change them completely. Other times, we can use a background app to make a subject stand out.

The best background change apps offer advanced tools, such as different blending modes and double exposures. They also let you create shadows to make your results look natural.

Simple apps are great for quick edits, while more complex ones are better for creating art pieces or surreal collages. When choosing a background changer app, look for accuracy, smooth brush tools, and a good selection of backgrounds.

Also, consider how much you’ll use the app and how simple you want the editing process. Look at our guide to learn more about using a background change app .

Overlays With iPhone

Superimpose X is a powerful photo editing app for iPhone that lets you layer photos. It offers a range of features, from simple blending to masking.

To layer photos, upload a background image and then add a foreground. Resize the foreground to fit the background if needed. Adjust the opacity to make the foreground translucent, revealing the background underneath.

Experiment with different blending modes, like Multiply, Overlay, Darken, and Lighten, for creative effects. Use masking tools to cut out your main subject and superimpose it on any background.

Color-correct your layers to match them and apply filters for a cohesive look. You can layer photos on an iPhone to create unique and eye-catching images with the Superimpose X app.

Creating photo collages is easier than ever with the right app. The best collage apps offer a variety of templates, layouts, and editing tools to help you make unique designs. Some apps even let you add videos and music to your collages.

Popular collage apps include Canva, PicStitch, and Moldiv. These apps have user-friendly interfaces that make it simple to arrange your photos. You can also add text, stickers, and filters to personalize your collages.

When choosing a collage app, look for one with plenty of layout options and the ability to adjust borders and backgrounds. You can create eye-catching social media or print designs with the perfect collage app .

Panorama to 360

Turning a panorama into a 360-degree photo is easy with your smartphone. You only need a 360 panorama app like Google Street View, DMD Panorama, or Panorama 360. These apps will guide you through capturing the images needed to create a full 360-degree view.

Hold your phone vertically to get started, and follow the app’s instructions to take several photos. Move your phone slowly and steadily to capture all angles. The app will then stitch the images together into a seamless 360 photo.

Once your 360 panorama is complete, you can share it with others through the app or save it to your phone’s gallery. Some apps even let you create tiny planet effects or view 360 photos in VR with a headset.

With a little practice, you’ll create immersive 360-degree experiences in no time. Our in-depth guide explains how to turn panoramas into 360-degree photos .

Body Editing

Body editing apps are a great way to improve your photos. They offer a range of tools that adjust body shape, smooth skin, and add features like tattoos or muscles. Many apps have auto functions that make body transformations quick and simple with just one click.

Some popular body editing apps include RetouchMe, Fotogenic, and Airbrush. These apps provide features like lengthening body parts, slimming the waist, and removing blemishes. BodyTune and BodyApp are other good options for refining your figure and adding curves.

While body editing apps can be fun, it’s important not to push the edits too far. Small adjustments can improve your subjects and images without ruining good photographs. Learn more about body editing apps  in our guide.

Android Drawing Apps

Drawing apps for Android offer a convenient way to create digital art on the go. These apps come with various tools and features that cater to beginners and professional artists.

Some of the best drawing apps for Android include Infinite Painter, which offers over 160 customizable brushes and realistic paper textures. Sketchbook is another great option, with its award-winning tools and ad-free interface.

For those looking for a more specific app, Dotpict lets users create pixelated drawings and share them with the community. Adobe Illustrator Draw is a top choice for illustrators and graphic designers. It offers professional tools for creating vector artwork.

Illustrator Draw can send editable files to desktop software like Photoshop and Illustrator. It’s perfect for those who want to take their digital art to the next level.

Drawing apps for Android provide a wide range of options for artists of all skill levels, making it easy to create stunning digital art wherever inspiration strikes.

Photos-to-Art Apps

Many great apps exist if you want to turn your photos into sketches.

Watercolor Effect is a simple option that lets you browse dozens of presets and tap on the one you like. Clip2Comic is excellent for turning photos of people into caricatures, while Toonme uses AI to create realistic cartoon effects.

Painnt holds over 2000 filters, including 90 sketch styles that give your images a pencil drawing look. PhotoMania lets you add frames and textures to your sketches, while Waterlogue transforms your images into incredible watercolor works of art.

Try iColorama S. This professional editing suite keeps your images high resolution and offers 14 sketch options for the best results. Turning your photos into sketches has never been easier with these top apps!

Photo Management

As camera phone sensors gain more pixels, phone memory comes under increasing pressure. One way to alleviate this stress is to use a management and file transfer solution. You can use the native phone apps or opt for a third-party answer.

You might also want to scan or print images. If that’s the case, we have you covered!

iPhone to Computer

Transferring photos from your iPhone to your computer is simple. You have several options, including using the Photos app, iCloud, or Airdrop on a Mac. ITunes and cloud services like Google Drive and Dropbox work well for PC users.

To transfer photos from your iPhone to your Mac, connect your phone and open the Photos app. Select the images you want to download. iCloud Photos lets you sync images between devices wirelessly. Airdrop is another Bluetooth option, so you don’t need Wi-Fi.

Sending photos back to your iPhone is just as easy. Use iTunes to sync albums from your computer to your phone. Cloud services work in both directions, so you can upload from any device and access your photos anywhere.

If you want to transfer photos from an iPhone to a computer , these methods help keep your memories safe and accessible.

Live Photo Transfer

Apple’s Live Photos captures moments before and after you press the shutter button. This feature lets you save moving images that tell a story. To take a Live Photo, tap the icon with three concentric circles at the top right of your camera screen.

Encourage your subjects to move around to make the footage interesting. Look for elements like swaying trees or moving water in landscapes. You can edit Live Photos like regular images but with extra tools to mute the sound, choose a key photo, and add special effects.

Sharing Live Photos is easy, but they only play for other iPhone users. You can convert them to videos using apps like Lively to share on more platforms. For even more control, edit converted Live Photos in apps like iMovie or Adobe Premiere Rush.

Sending live photos is a great way to capture and share special moments!

Scanning Photos

Scanning photos with your phone is quick and easy. Use Google Photos or Microsoft Lens to digitize your printed pictures in just a few steps.

Google Photos has a simple interface that looks like a regular camera app. It also has an anti-glare feature to avoid bright spots in your scans. Follow the on-screen instructions to scan your photo, then crop it to remove any unwanted background.

Microsoft Lens works similarly but also lets you scan documents and whiteboards. It has various editing tools to touch up your scans before saving them as JPEG, PDF, or PowerPoint files. Scanning a photo with your phone is a breeze once you get the hang of it.

iPhone Photo Printing

Printing iPhone photos is easy with the right tools and techniques. Use an online printing service like Shutterfly for high-quality prints. You can also print at home with an inkjet printer, but it may be tricky to get good results.

Taking your photos to a local photo lab is the most expensive and convenient option. Look at your iPhone’s resolution to determine how big you can print. Decide your printing purpose and choose the right print size.

Get your photos ready for printing by adjusting the resolution and other settings. Choose a photo paper type and size that fits your needs. 

At home, use AirPrint for a quick printing process. Try a portable printer for more convenient printing on the go. We’ve put together a useful guide to learn more about iPhone printing .

Smartphone Photography Gear

There are many things to consider when choosing a new smartphone. Maybe your main consideration is the quality of its camera or how well you can use it for photography and video. That helps to narrow down the selection.

Almost every phone these days has a pretty decent camera. But the best ones excel, and we’re here to help you find your way through the options.

Smartphone Cameras

The camera phone has revolutionized photography. Smartphones now have cameras that rival or surpass many compact cameras. The best camera phones offer multiple lenses, high-resolution sensors, and advanced features like optical image stabilization.

When choosing a camera phone, consider the number and type of lenses. A wide-angle lens is great for landscapes, while a telephoto lens helps you get closer to your subject. Look for a main sensor with at least 48 MP for detailed images.

If you want to learn more about camera phones , check out our guide. It covers the top Apple, Google, and Samsung models and details camera specs and features.

iPhone or Android?

There’s no clear winner in the iPhone versus Android camera debate. The latest and best iPhone and Android phones have astonishing cameras, which is why the consumer-level compact camera has all but disappeared.

The top contenders are the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Google Pixel 8 Pro . The Phone 15 Pro boasts a 48 MP main camera, adding 2x, 3x, and 5x telephoto to the 0.5x and 1x. The Pixel 8 Pro gets a whole extra camera with a 48 MP sensor and an optical 5x zoom.

Choosing between the best iPhone and Android phones comes down to personal preference. When looking at side-by-side comparisons, you may prefer one over the other.

It might also depend on which operating system you prefer. Read our in-depth comparison to learn more about the differences between iPhone and Android cameras .

Best iPhone Camera

The iPhone 15 Pro Max is the best iPhone camera available. It has a 48 MP main sensor, up to 5x telephoto zoom, and can shoot 4K video at 60 fps. The iPhone 15 Pro is a close second, with most of the same features except for the 5x zoom.

The iPhone 14 Pro Max is still an excellent choice for those on a tighter budget. It has a 48 MP main sensor, sensor-shift image stabilization, and can also shoot 4K video at 60 fps.

If you want to learn more about the best iPhone camera , our comparisons can help you find the model that best suits your needs and budget.

Tablet Camera

Tablets have come a long way in recent years, with many featuring powerful cameras rivaling smartphones.

The Lenovo Tab P11 Plus is a great option for photographers looking for a tablet with a high-quality camera. It has a 13 MP rear camera and an 8 MP front camera, letting you take sharp photos and selfies.

The Tab P11 Plus also has a beautiful 2K display, perfect for viewing photos. It’s lightweight and portable, so you can easily take it on the go. With a battery life of up to 15 hours, you can snap photos all day without worrying about running out of power.

To learn more about tablet cameras , look at our guide. With the right tablet camera, you can take your photography to the next level and capture stunning images wherever you go.

Instagram Camera

The best Instagram camera depends on how you plan to use your photos. If you capture life’s precious moments for personal use, a smartphone camera is a great choice. But a digital camera may be a better option if you’re running a business and looking for paying clients.

Clients pay photographers for creativity, composition, and technical expertise. They expect gear beyond what they have access to themselves. Marketing yourself solely as an “Instagrammer” means you can shoot with your smartphone camera.

Remember that if a photo goes viral, clients may want to use it beyond social media. Shooting with a smartphone could limit your opportunities.

Clients often want a one-size-fits-all solution, so educating them on what they can do with the images is important. Smartphone cameras are improving, making taking Instagram and other social media photos easier.

iPhone Accessories

The best iPhone camera accessories make an incredible piece of technology even better. Our top pick is the HP Sprocket Portable Printer . It’s battery-powered, prints wirelessly, and the photos are fadeproof.

The Selvim 4-in-1 Phone Lens Kit is like a Swiss army knife with attachable optics. It includes telephoto, fisheye, wide angle, and macro lenses that snap onto your phone. The ATUMTEK Selfie Stick Tripod is perfect for selfies and group photos.

These iPhone camera accessories can help you take your mobile photography to the next level. iPhone camera accessories are a great way to get the most out of your phone’s camera and expand your creative options.

iPhone Zoom Lenses

If you want to improve your iPhone photography, a zoom lens is a great option. Zoom lenses let you get closer to your subject without losing image quality. Zooms are perfect for capturing distant subjects like wildlife or sports.

When choosing a zoom lens for your iPhone, consider the magnification, size, and included accessories. Some lenses offer up to 40x zoom, while others are more compact and portable. Look for a lens with a sturdy clip or case to securely attach it to your phone.

Top iPhone zoom lenses include the Selvim 4-in-1 Kit , which includes a 22x telephoto lens and useful extras. There’s also the ShiftCam Videography ProLens Kit for video. The MIAO LAB 20-40X Zoom Lens comes with a handy tripod!

With the right zoom lens for your iPhone , you can take your mobile photography to new heights and capture incredible detail from afar.

iPhone Macro Lenses

The APEXEL 2-in-1  is our top pick for the best macro lens for iPhone photography. It provides 12.5x magnification and excellent build quality at an affordable price. The HD optical glass and multilayer coating improve picture clarity while reducing glare and ghosting.

For durability, consider the KEYWING 3-in-1 Phone Lens Kit . Its aluminum shell and rubber grip make it ideal for outdoor use. The kit includes 20x macro, 120-degree wide-angle, and 198-degree fisheye lenses.

The APEXEL Professional Macro Smartphone Lens offers the best optical quality. Its five glass elements and special coating provide 10x magnification, edge-to-edge clarity, and minimal vignetting. The large aperture is great for low light and bokeh effects.

Read our full article for more iPhone macro lens options .

Phone Tripod Mounts

Tripod mounts provide a stable base for your smartphone, letting you capture sharp photos and smooth videos. They come in various designs.

Some have flexible legs that wrap around objects to telescoping selfie sticks that double as tripods. Others even include Bluetooth remotes for wireless control.

Look for a mount with a secure grip to hold your phone firmly in place. Spring-loaded clamps and rubberized pads prevent scratches while keeping your device safe.

Adjustable mounts that rotate 360 degrees offer the most versatility. These let you easily switch between portrait and landscape orientations.

Compact and lightweight options are ideal for travel photography. They fold small to fit in your pocket or bag, ready to use whenever inspiration strikes. For the ultimate stability on uneven terrain, consider a tripod with spiked feet and a ball head that adjusts to any angle.

You can take your mobile photography to new heights with the right phone tripod mount . Our top recommendation is the Manfrotto Mini Tripod Kit with a universal smartphone clamp.

Phone Gimbals

Phone gimbals are a must-have for anyone making videos with their smartphone. They give you smooth, stable footage even when you’re moving around. The best phone gimbals have three-axis stabilization to eliminate camera shake.

Our top pick is the DJI OM 6 Smartphone Gimbal . It’s easy to use and works with most phones. The DJI Mimo app has many shooting modes, including time-lapse, motion-lapse, and panoramas.

Other great options are the Hohem iSteady Mobile Plus and the Zhiyun Smooth 5 . The iSteady has a long battery life and 360-degree rotation. The Smooth 5 can handle heavier phones and has a fill light attachment.

Check out our detailed article to learn more about the best phone gimbals .

External iPhone Microphone

An external microphone lets you record professional-quality audio using your iPhone. Our top pick is the PQRQP Wireless Lavalier Microphone . This affordable dual-mic set delivers excellent sound quality, even when recording outdoors.

The PQRQP mics connect wirelessly to your iPhone using Bluetooth, giving you plenty of room to move around without losing signal.

They’re simple to use and have built-in mufflers that reduce wind noise. The pro-grade noise reduction chips also do a good job of eliminating unwanted background noise.

It has a 65 ft (20 m) wireless range and six hours of uninterrupted recording time. So, the PQRQP wireless lavaliers are perfect for journalists conducting interviews or vloggers talking to guests on the go.

To learn more about the best microphone for iPhone , check out our full review.

Editing Tablet

Tablets have become powerful tools for photo editing on the go. The best tablets offer large, high-resolution screens, fast processors, and access to top photo editing apps.

The Apple iPad Pro 12.9 inch is a top choice, with its huge 12.9-inch screen and superfast M2 chip. It works with Photoshop and Lightroom for iOS . The Microsoft Surface Pro 9 is great for Windows users, supporting external displays and running full Windows software.

For excellent value, consider the Lenovo Tablet P11 Pro Gen 2 11.2 . Its OLED screen provides great contrast, and the 120 Hz refresh rate keeps things smooth. The included pen and optional keyboard add to its usefulness.

To learn more about the best tablet for photo editing , check out our in-depth guide.

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35+ Mobile Photography Tips For Taking Incredible Smartphone Photos

Published by 500px Blog • 4 years ago

Main photo credit: Pavlos Pavlou

At 500px, we firmly believe that your tools are just that—tools. We get asked “ what are the best cameras and lenses for specific shots? ” quite a bit. Whether you shoot with a Canon or Iphone, a great photographer can make beautiful photos using any device capable of capturing images.

Now, let’s get practical. Want to take better photos with your smartphone? Great! We asked four talented 500px photographers to share their tips for making the most of your phone’s camera.

So if you want to start capturing smartphone photos like the ones above, get out a pen and paper (or, more likely, a text file on your laptop), and prepare to take notes:

Tony Antoniou’s mobile photography tips

1. How to get more stable shots

Although the iPhone 6 Plus has optical image stabilization built-in, I find I get a better, sharper image by holding the phone with both hands, much like I would hold a traditional camera.

The key for me here is to then not use the “software” shutter button, but instead to use the physical volume buttons that act as your shutter, eliminating camera shake and giving you sharper images. I am often surprised by the number of people who are unaware of this feature. The added bonus is that if you use your headphones that came with the phone, you can also use the buttons on that as a cable release and not have to touch the camera at all.

One more thing: hold down the shutter button and you get 10 fps burst mode so you don’t miss the action.

2. Keep your lens clean

A simple but important point: As we tend to keep our phones in our pockets or bags, give your lens a quick wipe before you shoot. It is a lint and dust magnet!

3. Download a better camera app

It’s true that the most built-in camera apps have improved over time, and they’re great for your average user, but us photographers who require a little more control over the settings should turn to others.

There are numerous third-party apps that you can download to give you all the control you would want. I personally use Camera+ .

Editor’s Note : As of this last update, you can also use the 500px iOS app to take and edit your pictures!

4. Post-process your images

The reality is that you’ll need to process your images to get the best possible final photos.

Lightroom is my first choice if I want to do this on my computer, as it enables me to tweak the image to match my creative vision. Fortunately, there are also some great apps available, too if you wanted to do everything on the one device.

I use the free app from Google called Snapseed , although the latest version of iOS has much better built-in options than previous versions.

5. Never, ever use the digital zoom

If you want the best-possible image from your phone, forget about using digital zoom. The solution is simple: just zoom with your feet. The added effect of doing this is that it really improves your compositional skills.

Tony Antoniou is a photographer and digital artist based in Surrey, UK. Together with his business partner, he runs f11 Workshops , a photography workshop and training company. Not only does he take some beautiful smartphone photos, many of the assets in his composite images are shot with an iPhone, too.

You can find more of his work on his 500px profile or by following him on Facebook .

Michael Kestin’s mobile photography tips

First off, it’s fun to take pictures with a mobile phone. The phone is always with us, always ready to shoot, and I have my studio to edit with me. Even better, I can share my pictures immediately.

It’s another kind of workflow, and a useful alternative to my big camera. Here are some tips:

It’s all about light. Light surrounds us everywhere. See the light, get the shadows too.

App used: Leme Cam

What’s your theme? Try to select just one theme for each shoot, and let it guide you. Stop for one second and think about whether you want to capture the picture in front of you. Need to zoom? Move yourself!

3. Perspective

Get down on your knees, lay down on the ground, climb a tree: there are hundreds of possibilities for capturing another point of view of the same subject. Try as many of them as possible.

4. Reflections

Mirrors are everywhere: glasses, puddles, smooth and shining surfaces. Use these to your advantage and discover other, more-unique views.

5. Black and white

Focus on forms, structure, textures, surfaces. Light shapes things, try to capture that!

6. Simplicity

Less really is more. Use empty spaces, the sky, uncolored surfaces, and focus on details.

Feel free to change moods and colors to add elements to your photos. Editing apps can help you to make your pictures much better, or at the very least, more interesting.

Apps used: Leme Cam and Distressed FX

8. Moments Always try to catch the best moment. Feel any moment worth capturing.

Apps used: Snapseed, Mextures, Distressed FX

Mother nature paints with light. When the sun is shining, shadows help create lots of interesting scenes for you to capture. Look around and you’ll see that even mundane scenes can be captured in a special way.

Apps used: Leme Cam and Mextures

10. Storytelling

Take a few pictures and make collages. This is a simple way to use your photos to tell a story.

Apps used: Leme Cam, Distressed FX, Pixlr

Apps I often use for editing my photos: – Snapseed – Pixlr – Mextures – Distressed FX – Mattebox

Michael Kestin is a musician and interior designer who also works as a photographer and visual trainer giving workshops in visual thinking and mobile photography that focus on visual spaces.

You can find more of his work on his 500px account , Steller , his website , and Facebook

Leslie St. John’s mobile photography tips

1. Clean your lens

I know it sounds obvious, but your mobile spends its day with whatever is in your pocket or handbag. You will never take great pictures with pocket lint or greasy thumbprints on the lens…

This is a really easy issue to fix, but if you ignore it, it will limit you before you even start. Also, try not to keep your phone in your pocket or bag with things that might scratch the lens, like coins, keys, and the like.

2. Learn to read light

Lighting makes an image great, whether you take it with a Nikon D4 or a mobile phone. If you know what makes great light you are halfway to making great photographs.

3. Forget about flash

If you are out in a bar with friends, by all means, flash away—but as with point-and-shoot cameras, the light is going to be flat and prone to redeye. You get much better images if you can use the room light. (see point 2)

4. Take lots of pictures

As a professional photographer, I almost never take one picture. The final image that the client sees is almost always the result of an iterative process.

Take a shot, critique it, then take another shot. Change your angle, change your distance to the subject, change your exposure. Almost always, the end result is better than your first image.

5. Get a good phone for photography

I often joke that, with my Lumina 1020, I bought a great camera with a built-in phone. I wanted to get a camera for the times when I was out with my family or just out and about without my pro gear. I bought my phone with a specific eye on the camera. If you want to be serious about mobile photography, you need to have the tools for the job.

6. Learn to step out of auto mode

If you follow the advice in step 5, you probably have a phone that allows you to take some control of the exposure. One error that many novices make is to presume that the camera will always take the best picture.

The camera runs an algorithm that outputs a general result—it has no artistic judgement. The more control you take of the process, the more you will be able to express your artistic judgement, and the more likely you are to get outstanding pictures.

7. Shoot RAW (or at least DNG)

The ability to shoot DNG files is one of the main features that drew me to my Lumia, since then I’ve seen this ability show up on other ecosystems. DNG files will retain more highlight and shadow detail than a .jpeg, and also give you more leeway in extreme lighting situations. But the best thing about DNG files is that they give you better material to work with for my next two tips.

8. Learn to edit

Learn to edit your pictures. As a pro, all of my pictures are edited. The same applies to mobile photography phone pictures. And by edit, I do not mean slapping an Instagram filter on a picture. Learn about brightness, contrast, and saturation. I use Fotor, Adobe Photoshop Express, and Lumina Creative Studio on my phone.

9. Really learn to edit

This is where DNG files really shine. To get the best results, I import the DNG files into Lightroom and Photoshop to edit them there. The power of these programs and the control that comes from making fine adjustments on a really big screen are what will make the most of your image.

10. Have fun!

At its heart, mobile photography is about fun. The joy of having a camera available at those moments you want to keep is what it’s all about. The best way to improve is to have fun and to enjoy the process of doing better than what you had done before.

Leslie St. John is a Barbados-based wedding photographer who also shoots interiors, architecture, and the occasional commercial job to keep life interesting.

You can see more of his work or hear more from Leslie by visiting him on 500px , checking out his website and , or giving him a follow on Facebook , Pinterest , Instagram , and Twitter .

Hopefully you’ve learned a thing or two from the skilled photographers featured above, and are more determined than ever to go out and shoot something great with your phone!

Not on 500px yet? Sign up here to discover more incredible mobile photography photos!

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Creative Phone Photography: 8 Tips for Artistic Mobile Photos

A Post By: Megan Kennedy

A phone with a camera is great for photography. But it can be tough to break away from a “snapshot” mindset and start taking images that are truly creative .

In this article, we’ll take a look at some tips to help you capture creative phone photography. Specifically, I’ll share:

• Key settings to make the most of your phone’s camera
• Several tips to get you creating unique, artistic compositions
• A simple secret for surreal-looking phone photos

So if you’re ready to shoot some creative images, then let’s get started.

1. Shoot in RAW

Familiarizing yourself with the ins and outs of your phone camera is an important way to expand your creative options. Modern camera phones have a surprising range of capabilities that you can use for better photos.

For example, it’s a good idea to shoot in a RAW file format (an option now offered by many native camera apps). While JPEGs are the default format on many phones, they experience a loss in image quality thanks to compression – whereas RAW files are uncompressed and therefore tend to look better.

RAW files also offer greater post-processing versatility. You can adjust colors and tones and recover lost details in a natural, realistic way.

So if you’re after high-quality photos – which allow for extensive enhancement during post-production – then try switching to RAW. (Even if your mobile phone doesn’t offer RAW in its native camera app, you should still be able to find a third-party app that produces high-quality RAW files.)

2. Make the most of Manual mode

As with a conventional camera, Manual mode allows you to take control of your phone’s camera’s settings when capturing a photo. In Manual mode, you can adjust shutter speed , ISO , and white balance – and this additional control allows for greater creative input.

To activate Manual mode (also known as Pro mode ) on some devices, open your Camera app and look at the camera mode tray. You should see settings like Timelapse and Panorama , and if you’re lucky, you’ll also have a Pro option.

Simply tap the Pro mode icon, and you’ll be good to go; you’ll gain access to numerous options for adjusting your phone camera’s functionality.

If your phone doesn’t offer a Pro mode, don’t worry. Simply download a third-party app such as ProCamera , Camera+ 2 , or Obscura 2 . All of these apps feature a Manual mode of sorts, and you can use it to harness your phone camera’s creative potential.

3. Don’t forget about composition!

Over time, plenty of guidelines have been developed to help photographers compose effective images. While none of these guides are inflexible laws, if you’re familiar with some basic compositional concepts , your photos will come a long way.

Of course, compositional knowledge translates to creative phone photography, too! For example, by activating your phone camera’s grid function, you’ll get a useful visual overlay, perfect for positioning key points of interest.

Learn about the rule of thirds , leading lines , the rule of space , triangular composition , and more; each of these will be helpful tools that’ll aid in your creative phone photography.

4. Make use of editing apps

I’ve already mentioned how third-party camera apps can give you increased control over your phone camera. But did you know that editing apps offer a whole other world of creativity?

For instance, Snapseed ( Android and iOS ) is a (free!) Google-owned application with plenty of tools for tweaking images and applying filters. VSCO ( Android and iOS ) offers some editing functions for free, including artistic, film-like filters. Adobe Lightroom ( Android and iOS ) supplies image editing tools similar to its desktop counterpart for free, and it can also be upgraded to a paid premium version for additional functionality.

(Unlike VSCO and Snapseed, only the paid version of Lightroom will edit RAW files.)

There are plenty of fun, creative apps available for both iOS and Android devices. Need a retro aesthetic? Afterlight (above, left) provides users with an advanced toolkit to add light leak effects to an image. Want to combine two images into a single photograph? Snapseed (above, right) allows you to quickly and easily merge image layers to create a double-exposure effect.

There are a multitude of apps that suit a huge variety of purposes and capabilities. The fun part is trying them all out!

5. Try different perspectives

One of the great things about creative phone photography is the mobility of a small photographic device. A camera phone isn’t just an accessory; it’s a pocket-sized machine capable of capturing stunning photos.

So take advantage of the size and portability of a phone camera by physically experimenting to create intriguing perspectives . Place your phone close to the ground, try a high angle, or shoot from off to the side. Just make sure to get a non-conventional perspective, and you’re bound to end up with interesting results.

6. Go abstract

Also known as experimental , non-objective , or conceptual photography , abstract photography avoids depicting immediately identifiable subject matter.

In fact, creative phone photography and abstraction are a good mix. The accessibility of the phone camera allows you to snap abstract images anywhere, anytime. For instance, when you’re out in a city, you might capture abstract images of puddles on the ground, posters torn off a wall, or reflections in a glass building.

And thanks to readily available editing apps, unique abstract perspectives can be rapidly captured, edited, and shared – or even saved as inspiration for a later shoot with a dedicated camera.

7. Photograph details

If you have your phone in your pocket all the time – and let’s face it, most of us do! – you’ll be ready to capture even the smallest occurrences at a moment’s notice.

Even when it’s tough to find inspiration, focusing on the details that shape an everyday environment can make for beautiful photos. Try activating your phone’s close-up or macro function , then get close to a subject. You can even purchase little lenses that attach to your phone for close-up photography. A small tripod or a sturdy surface can help keep the camera phone steady.

8. Experiment!

It may sound obvious, but doing great phone photography can take a little experimentation. Many people assume (due to the advanced and accessible nature of phone camera technology) that every shot will be successful.

But in reality, practice and experimentation are the keys to effective creative phone camera photography. Familiarize yourself with your phone camera’s capabilities and make time to shoot. The more you experiment, the better your images will turn out.

Creative phone photography tips: conclusion

Phone photography is a great way to create stunning photos, especially if you want to be artistic without investing in a heavy camera.

Plus, with such a huge variety of apps available, doing creative phone photography has become a much more streamlined process.

There is an old saying: “The best camera is the one you have with you.” And while this might not always be the case, if you take advantage of your phone camera, you can create some truly outstanding images!

Now over to you:

Have you done a lot of phone photography? How do you like it? Which of these tips do you plan to use first? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Read more from our Tips & Tutorials category

is a photographer and writer based in Canberra, Australia. Both her writing and photography has been featured in numerous publications. More of Megan’s work can be viewed at her website or on Instagram at MK_photodiary .

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12 mobile photography tips… how to take better pictures with your smartphone

Want to improve the pictures you take with your smartphone? These essential mobile photography tips will help

Smartphones are more popular than ever, and many people are switching to them to take their holiday snaps and fill their family photo albums. The best camera phones are small, convenient and always with us – but some moan their image quality isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. 

We say the power is in the hands of the photographer. In the right hands, beautiful images can be captured with whatever smart device you have in your pocket. All it takes to improve your phone shots is to learn a few tips and tricks to get better with your smartphone photography. So here are ten mobile photography tips to get yourself smarter results.

1. Get the right exposure

Usually, all it takes to expose your photo correctly is a click of the shutter button. But occasionally, you’ll find that what you’re photographing (ie your subject) is either too dark or too bright. This is particularly a problem if some parts of your image are much brighter (or darker) than others

To adjust for this on the majority of smartphones, simply tap on the area of your screen where the subject lies, and your camera will automatically adjust the exposure to balance it out. Be aware of bright surrounding areas which will be so bright that their details will be lost; sometimes this effect enhances an image, but you may want to recompose to remove anything too distracting.

2. Get close – but not too close

Most smartphones can focus close to the subject, but all lenses have a minimum focusing distance – that is, a point in front of the lens at which it doesn’t focus any closer. 

If you’re very close and your subject is still blurry, back away until it becomes sharp. It won’t take much, perhaps a couple of centimetres or so. This way you’ll have a sharp image of your subject and be able to crop in on it later to increase its apparent size.  

3. Use the grid 

On most smartphone cameras there’s a built-in grid that shows the screen sliced into three sections, and this stems from probably the most well-known rule in photography: the rule of thirds . 

Here, the idea is that if you place your subject along one of these lines, or at one of the intersections, you’ll end up with a stronger composition. With landscapes, for instance, try to place the horizon so that is either a third of the way down from the top of the picture, or a third of the way up from the bottom. And if you are taking a picture of a person standing in a picturesque spot, don't have them standing right in the middle of the frame – have them slightly to the side.

4. Use window light

The flash on your smartphone is harsh and unflattering. Typically situated right next to the lens, the light comes head-on in relation to your subject and provides you with no dimensionality. 

The cheapest and quickest way to get beautiful images is to use the light from your window. If you can, avoid direct sunlight spilling through and opt for the shaded window. Soft, diffuse and wrapping light will complement your subject much better than anything harsh and direct. The simplest way to get great portraits indoors, therefore is to ask your subject to step into a better lit part of the room.

5. Get down level

Most of us are used to whipping out the phone, taking a snap and walking off. Yet, when it comes to photographing children or pets, this is rarely the best approach.

By looking down on the child or pet we’re repeating the same angle in which most of us see these subjects all the time. Crouching down to be at the same level as them, however, gives a viewpoint similar to that of your subject. 

Get your lens level with your cat, for example, and you’re instantly transported to their world, with towering doors, high-up picture frame, or enormous trees. Getting down on your knees, or even lying down on the ground, will often give you a more dynamic looking pictures.

6. Block out lens flare

There’s no telling when a good photo opportunity might present itself, and with the smartphone being the camera you’re almost guaranteed to always have on you, it’s likely you’ll snap a picture in less than favorable lighting conditions. 

For example, a setting sun might provide you with a lot of lens flare. The solution? Simply block this light with your hand placed alongside the lens – just be careful not to get your fingers in the shot. Similarly, street lights after dark will play havoc with your city scenes, unless you recompose the image to minimize the problem,.

A little recomposing might be necessary to allow your hand to block the light without getting in the frame, but this is a sure-fire way to eliminate flare and glare at a moment’s notice. 

7. Put your selfie technique to better use

Don’t just rely on that front-facing lens to make your new profile picture – it’s extremely handy for shooting a variety of hard-to-reach places too.

Trying to capture an image of a ceiling or something else from ground level, for example, can be awkward when using the standard rear-facing camera, as it can often require you to crouch down to an uncomfortable position. With the front-facing camera, however, you can view such a composition clearly and make whatever adjustments are necessary, with all controls easily accessible. 

8. Shoot through windows

It’s probably not a good idea to start snapping images through the neighbor’s windows, but shooting through your own can reveal an otherwise-hidden opportunity for some fantastic photos. 

Use reflections from outside to frame a portrait or provide a mirror-like reflection for a distorted view on the world. If you happen to come across some stained glass, or windows that are bevelled, even better. Use this distortion to your advantage – just try to keep it minimal around your subject so that it’s still clear what you’re photographing.  

9. Give it a wipe

Smartphone manufacturers design their products to be scratch-resistant and fairly hardy over their lifetime, and this is especially true of the camera lens. One small scratch will ruin any and all photos, so it’s no wonder that this is particularly hard wearing. 

However, although scratch-resistant, you will need to occasionally clean these. A quick blast of hot breath and a wipe with the shirt usually does the trick, but glass cleaner and a microfiber cloth will do a better job of cleaning the dirt off of the lens. Oh, and don’t forget to do both front- and rear-facing lenses.

• The best camera lens cleaners

10. Search for emptiness

With wide-angle lenses it’s easy to capture everything in the scene, which is precisely why you should seek out areas with large negative space – that is, simple, frame-filling backgrounds. For example: by making a big expanse of blue sky the priority, you’re making your subject more apparent when framed at the bottom of the image.

11. Keep it steady

Unwanted blurred pictures can be a particular problem when shooting in lowlight conditions. But you need to watch your shooting technique in any situation. Don't take a picture while the phone is moving – hold it steady, and gently press the trigger button. That way you will ensure you are not to blame for any camera shake.

Moving subjects (such as shots of friends and family) can bring their own blur problems... And one of the best tricks here is simply to take multiple pictures. One will almost certainly be sharper and less blurred than others. You can weed out the duff ones before you show everyone your winning shot.

And in some situations, such as for cityscapes after dark, the best pictures will almost always be taken by using a smartphone tripod . And if you haven't got one of these, rest the phone on a surface (or wedge yourself against a wall) to keep the phone as steady as possible.

12. Explore the angles

Older or more basic mobile phones will just have the one rear lens for you to play with. But the best camera phones available today will usually also give you a wide-angle and a telephoto lens for you to switch over to. This choice of focal length gives you a chance to shoot a wider range of subjects well, and to add variety to your photo album.

However, there is no pressing need to upgrade your handset. There are plenty of add-on lenses for smartphones that will allow you to zoom in that bit closer, or to fit more of the building into the frame. These are a great investment for those wanting to get more creative with their picture taking.

Read more: • 10 tips for Instagram success with your photography •  The best add-on lenses for iPhone and Android phones •  Best selfie sticks for your smartphone •  The best iPhone tripods •  The best gimbals for your iPhone, GoPro and camera •  The best phone cases to protect your camera phone

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Jase Parnell-Brookes is an award-winning photographer, educator and writer based in the UK. They won the  Gold Prize award in the Nikon Photo Contest 2018/19  and was named Digital Photographer of the Year in 2014. After completing their Masters Jase has spent a good chunk of two decades studying and working in photography and optics shooting and writing all over the world for  big-name brands and media outlets . Now the Channel Editor for  Cameras and Skywatching at Space.com  their speciality is in low light optics and camera systems.

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15 Mobile Photography Tips Every Photographer Should Know

With smartphone cameras getting better and better by the day, mobile photography has really taken off. Mobile cameras can produce excellent results when used properly and this handy guide will answer all your questions about how you can take your mobile p

Smartphone cameras have come a long way in the two decades or so since they were introduced. The cameras on today's flagship phones are capable of capturing awe-inspiring images and 4K or better video. They have multiple lens options and an unlimited amount of creative control and editing with apps. We had put together a list of the Best Photo Editing apps  available that let you shoot, edit, and organize images better on your mobile phones.

Having a good camera to click high-quality images on your phone is a game-changer for a photographer. How many times have you been out and seen something you'd like to capture, but your gear is all at home? Your phone never leaves your side--so that will never happen again.

What is Mobile Photography?

According to some sources, 35 percent or more of the people in the world had a smartphone in 2020. When you narrow that number down to specific professions, the number is much higher. In major cities, it's unusual for someone to not have one.

Unlike a lot of our expensive camera gear, our smartphones are our constant companions. You can debate about the healthy lifestyle and addictive qualities of ceratin apps all you like, but there is no denying that most of us keep our phones glued to our sides, always within an arm's reach. For photographers, this presents a unique opportunity. The best camera, after all, is the camera that you have when you want to take a picture. And technology has caught up--smartphone cameras are fun to use and take wonderful, sharable, memorable, and even marketable pictures. So, if you like taking pictures wherever you go and are looking for simple ways to improve your photography skills or master the basics, this beginner's guide to photography, will help you build a strong foundation. We have listed  25 simple photography tips  that will help you become better at your craft and take those stunning pictures that you always wanted.

Imagine going on vacation and traveling with nothing by your phone--no heavy camera bag, no conspicuous DSLR, or hefty zoom lenses. You just have to carry a discreet camera phone that happens to take wonderful snaps. Sound fun? It is.

It's that freedom that sells mobile photography. DSLR and mirrorless cameras will always win in terms of image quality--their sensors will always be larger, and their optics will always be superior. But for carrying around town and for grabbing the camera and shooting for fun , smartphone photography is here to stay.

iPhone vs. Android -- Does Brand Matter for Smartphone Photography?

In this day and age, picking your phone brand has taken on a social dynamic. Many of us have started treating our phones as status symbols instead of the tools that they are. When you compare them next to one another, there is very little difference between iPhone and Android devices. They offer very similar capabilities, with no one phone showing a clear advantage over another.

Apple makes all iPhone models, so there are fewer choices. The current lineup offers about five models, varying in size, price, and capability. All iPhones run Apple's iOS operating system, which includes everything you'd need for basic photography.

Inside iOS, the camera app offers many great functions, including video, slow-motion capture, time-lapses, automatic panoramas, and many specialized filters. On the hardware side, iPhones come with anywhere between two and four cameras installed for maximum versatility.

Because of the consistency between iPhone models and the sheer number of them produced and sold worldwide, many accessories are available. While there might not be more options for iPhones available, it does seem that the options are higher quality than the options made for Android phones.

In contrast, many companies make phones that run Google's Android operating system. Much like computers running Windows, the hardware varies in quality, price, and reliability much more than Apple's does.

If you compare a bargain entry-level Android phone to a more expensive iPhone, the iPhone will undoubtedly beat it. But if you compare an Android phone of similar quality and capabilities, the two will likely be toss-ups. While Androids are commonly found for much less money than iPhones, comparable Android phones are similarly priced.

Android's apps are packaged similarly to the iPhone's. Their camera app is nearly identical. For easy editing and uploading, Android phones sync to your Google account automatically.

Things to Look for in Mobile Phone Camera

Video quality.

While not specifically linked to photography, video has become the content of choice for many creators. It's convenient to have a phone that can take great videos. Most are now capable of 4K or even higher resolution video.

Since it's there and easy to use, many photographers find themselves using the video more often than they'd ever imagined. Video on DSLRs and mirrorless systems requires extra equipment and techniques. It is, in short, an entirely separate endeavor. But on your smartphone, taking a quick video only takes a few seconds, and the results are often surprisingly awesome.  A large number of editing tools are now available that make capturing and editing high-quality videos easier. Here are some of the best phone video editing apps for 2021 .

Stabilization

As phone makers put more effort into their cameras, technologies once reserved for professional photography equipment filter down and get micro-sized. The latest thing to get into the best phones is IBIS, or in-body image stabilization, technology. It's also sometimes called sensor-shift stabilization. This technology debuted on the iPhone 12 Pro Max. Before this, many phones were using optical image stabilization (OIS), and many also stabilized video digitally.

It's crucial to study your phone's specs closely. For various reasons, manufacturers will put one technology on one camera but not on another in the same phone.

Multiple Cameras and Lenses

And that brings us to another important factor when comparing phone cameras - how many cameras does it have, and what capabilities do they offer? All phones offer at least one back camera and one front camera. The front camera is nearly always of lower resolution and designed simply for video chatting rather than serious photography endeavors - sorry selfie lovers.

The rear cameras are the ones that get the attention of photographers. Since space is so limited on the phone, manufacturers can't use zoom or interchangeable lenses. Instead, they add multiple cameras for more focal lengths and options. If a phone has two cameras on the back, there is generally a wide and a telephoto lens. If there are three, an ultra-wide is added.

Multiple cameras give the photographer many options that are not immediately apparent. For example, most phones will produce a simulated shallow depth of field in portrait mode with two cameras. This feature is otherwise unavailable with a fixed aperture camera like this.

Sensor and Image Resolution

Finally, like all cameras, you can and should compare the specifications of the image sensors themselves. It's often hard to discern any useable information here, though. Most sensors are so small that no matter how many pixels the makers squeeze in, the image quality doesn't change much. Many 12 MP cameras on phones will easily outperform sensors with much higher resolutions. The difference comes down to pixel spacing, lens optics, and software compression.

The best way to compare pictures is to look online and find some actual images to compare on your computer. If you can find an unedited photo from the phone before you purchase it, it can tell you a lot about the camera.

15 Top Tips for Better Smartphone Photos

Clean your lens.

Experienced photographers will be no strangers to the best mobile phone photo tips. This one is simple, but it takes on new importance with a phone. On our big cameras, we seldom touch the lens glass for any reason. It's second nature to keep it clean and protected. Nothing could be further from the truth with phones. In this case, our hands are all over the camera lens, and it's constantly getting smudges and grime on it. It doesn't even come with a lens cap. So every time you pick it up to take a photo, give it a quick wipe.

Painting with Light

Smartphone photography is still all about light. The basics of a great picture never change. Remember to shoot away from the sun. If you can't or don't want to, figure out some tricks to control backlighting. Use a reflector, a light, or the flash as a secondary light source. In general, forget the built-in flash. They're terribly helpful as flashlights, but as camera flashes, they're just terrible. Use natural light only, meaning light that comes from somewhere other than the camera.

Learn and Use the HDR Setting

Most phones have an integrated HDR (high dynamic range) setting. In some cases, it's automatic, and in others, it is a manual switch you must turn on. It works by taking multiple images when you take one picture, then stacking the best part of each picture together. This way, both the lighter and darker parts of the frame should look good. HDR has limits, though. If a person or object is moving in the frame, it may be blurred. Most cameras save the original image and an HDR version of it in case something went wrong.

When Should You Zoom In?

The answer? Never. Avoid using the digital zoom feature. You'll nearly always get better results by simply cropping the photo later. Digital zoom pixilated the image and reveals all the negative things about the cameras in smartphones. Just say no to digital zooming!

Composition Matters

In all photography, the composition makes or breaks the final image. In the most basic sense, photography composition definition can be said as how you put your subjects into your photo. The composition is where the artistry comes from in photography; it is where the human element overtakes the technical. Use all of the tools you've got in your toolbox, like the rule of thirds , to perfect composition. Leading lines , symmetry , patterns, and controlling perspective are just a few more of the things you should be thinking about.

If you want to use the rule of thirds, most cameras have a grid setting that you can activate in the camera app. This shows the lines for composition right on the phone. It's a great reminder to slow down and work out the best composition.

The most important thing is to remember that great images are made, not taken. That means slowing down and thinking through your shot. The great, memorable images require forethought and planning--they require pausing, if just for a moment, and getting the composition just right. Just because it's a phone doesn't mean you are limited to on-the-fly snapshots. Do read our article on 12 Amazing Tips and Tricks Photography Composition techniques .  

Take in Both Landscape and Portrait Oriented Photos

This tip isn't just for mobile photography--it applies equally to every other type of shoot you might go out on. But it's worth a mention here, especially when it comes to social media. Later on down the road, it's nice to have various orientations to choose from. If you've got a shot at a magazine cover, having a perfect shot in horizontal only is a real bummer.

Do you want to master Instagram, for fun or even for your business? Vertical videos are maybe the weirdest trend to get normalized by social media, but it's here to stay. If you're shooting stories or Instagram Reels, consider recording videos in the vertical.

Focus on the Details

Phones often have lovely wide-angle lenses, but they're also really good at close focusing. If anything, it's akin to walking around with a 35 mm prime lens. Instead of relying on the zoom capabilities, move yourself around. It's freeing to have fewer options on the camera and more options outside of it. The phone lets you move anywhere and shoot from any direction. A great example is to get up close and find some minor details that tell the story. Maybe it's the texture of a brick wall or the leaves in a grass field. Get a macro-level view of the world and get a new and different perspective.

Manually Control Exposure and Focus

The phone apps allow you a lot of control that you might not realize you have. By selecting an area of the frame, you can control the phone's focus point and exposure levels. Spot metering on a smartphone? Easy as pie. How about exposure compensation? On the iPhone, when you click an area, it will meter off of that area. But you can fine-tune that by moving the slider next to the selector box up or down.

The focus control using this method is also helpful. It's a little more challenging to control but is most valuable when you are nearer objects.

Use Your Lens Hood

Did you know that your smartphone comes with a handy lens hood? You know, those bulky plastic things that all of the expensive lenses have. They're great for keeping wayward light from entering the lens at funny angles, and they're handy for controlling and sometimes eliminating nuisance lens flare.

So where's your phone's hood? Well, you've got to get a little creative. You can use your hand - just make sure not to get any random fingers in the frame. Hats work pretty well, too.

Be a Low Light Guru

If there's one skill that will set you apart from nearly all other mobile photographers, it's mastering the art of taking photos in low light. Whether it's late at night, just after sunset, or in dark places like museums, low-light photography is an incredibly handy skill to have.

There are a few key things you should do. Firstly, get good at bracing your phone and holding it as still as possible. The goal is to eliminate all shakes that might occur during slow shutter speeds. Hold the phone with both hands, as much like a real camera as you can manage. Hold your arms at your sides, and keep your feet planted firmly. Using the physical volume buttons to activate the shutter helps, too. Just moving your hand enough to press the button on the screen is usually enough to jerk the camera.

Another route is to carry an actual tripod capable of holding your phone. The good news is that it doesn't have to be very large. Since your phone is small, the tripod can be small enough to fit in your pocket and sit on tables, rocks, or fences. A web search will reveal many options that allow for attachment to all sorts of surfaces.

Another way to reduce handshake is to use a remote shutter release. Don't worry--you don't have to buy a special one for your phone. Plugin your headphones and the volume keys will snap photos without moving the camera. How cool is that?

Screen Brightness Matters

Always keep an eye on the screen brightness settings. If the brightness is low, it might make your images appear underexposed, even though they are not. Before editing, do a simple check to make sure your brightness levels are up.

Apps and More Apps

One of the best things about using your smartphone for photography is finding amazing apps to make the process easy and fun. Sure, there's some trial and error, and there are plenty of apps that you will delete after using once. But once you find some editing apps that you like to use, use them! A few examples are apps specifically designed for tasks, like removing unwanted elements - think about strangers at the beach. Some apps fix perspective issues, giving you the power of a tilt-shift lens right in your smartphone!

Embrace Your Phone's Small Size

One of the key mobile phone-taking tips is to take advantage of the small low profiles of a phone. You can use it in places that you wouldn't dream of taking a big DSLR. And you can move it and place it in some crazy angles to get some crazy effects.

Bursting with Speed

Is something happening fast, and you're worried your phone is too slow to capture the action? Use burst mode to ensure you don't miss the shot. Just frame the picture as you usually would, then press and hold the shutter button. The camera keeps taking pictures until you release the button.

Portrait Mode Pro

Phones with more than one back camera feature a portrait mode. It uses the perspective difference in the cameras to create a virtual depth of field, giving your images a unique look. The effect is as if you took it with a $1,000 portrait lens. It's a nifty tool, so use it to your advantage. Like all digital tools, it has its limits. On the newest iPhone models, you can edit the depth of field by adjusting the f-stop after the image is taken. You can also adjust for different lighting setups after the fact.

Few Tricks To Up Your Photography Game

Use live photos.

When you first see them, live photos seem a little gimmicky. Aren't they too small to be videos and too digital to be actual photos? What are they--just an ode to Harry Potter fans?  Well, live photos are actually really useful. For one thing, you can export them as a video and post them to social media. Or you can select your favorite frame and use it as a photo. HDR works with live photos, too, in case you are wondering.

Did you know that you can adjust live photos and add effects after you take them? View the live photo in your library, then slide up. You'll see a handful of effects you can apply, like looping and bouncing animations. But by far the most interesting is the ability to create a long exposure effect. If that doesn't get your creative photography grey cells firing, we don't know what does.

Keep It Simple and Fun

Mobile phone-taking tips should revolve around keeping the camera as fun to use as possible. Some people, especially professional photographers, can get bogged down in maintaining the best quality. We think you must edit things in Lightroom or Photoshop, and you must shoot in RAW format for professional results. But all of this, after a while, gets to be work. And work isn't fun.

Think of your phone as a way to free yourself from all of that. Get back in touch with the fun parts of making pictures. Use digital filters and fun apps. Use iCloud Photo sync or your Adobe Creative Cloud account, so you can easily have access to photos on a phone, computer, or the web. Whatever you can do to keep the process easy and fun, do it. Don't get bogged down in the little professional details.

Know or set up a way to access your camera quickly. Your phone is in your pocket, so have a way to grab it and have it in camera mode as quickly as possible. Some Android phones support gesture apps, and iPhones have a quick swipe to access the camera from the lock screen. It's a handy timesaver.

If your camera's app leaves you wanting more, don't despair. Look around and do some searching online. Chances are, there's another app you can use. Adobe and Instagram make capture apps that have more functions. Some apps add professional features, like f-stops, shutter speeds, exposure dials, ISO control, and RAW file creation.

Not Your Dad's Clip-On

No list of mobile phone photo tips would be complete without mentioning clip-on lenses and filters. There are many examples, from systems that use a custom phone case to simple ones that clip on over your existing camera. They aren't perfect, but they are fun. There are super-wide-angle, macro, and portrait telephoto lenses you can play with. If you're really into time lapses or long exposures, give a filter set with ND filters a try.

The only sea change with phone photography is the adoption of their use as genuine cameras. They are no longer fun playthings. They might not replace your DSLR or mirrorless system anytime soon, but for street, candid, or travel photography, the smartphone is hard to beat.

Once you have learned the rules, mastered the technique, and clicked some stunning pictures, it is time to showcase your work on your professional portfolio website.

Pixpa  is a portfolio website builder platform that is trusted by creative pros around the world. Have a look at some stunning  portfolio website examples . Pixpa offers an easy yet powerful drag-and-drop website builder and includes Client galleries, eCommerce, and blogging tools to enable you to manage your complete online presence through one seamless platform. Explore all  features  that make Pixpa the perfect choice for creative professionals such as photographers, artists, designers, and others.

Create your professional portfolio website easily on Pixpa in minutes without any coding knowledge. Start your free trial now.

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Brilliant smartphone photography tips and tricks

Want to go from random snapper to top-end photographer?

Smartphone photography tips and tricks

Smartphone photography, iPhoneography , mobile photography or whatever you want to call it, it's clear that taking great pictures with a phone has become a thing now.

What does that mean, exactly? It means that folks are creating works of art using their smartphones, and those pieces also go up in galleries or are made into prints. That's the extreme end, of course, but on the other we have Instagram photos that look totally killer.

If you own a smartphone made in the last couple of years, chances are it has a pretty damn good camera on it, too. And if you're reading this article, perhaps you're curious about taking better pictures with that smartphone.

Before we dive into it, just know this: learning and knowing how to do it is the easy part. The hard part is creating something magical with that knowledge, but by knowing how to get there, your chances of making pretty pictures improve.

Smartphone photography apps

You might be thinking that any old photo can be made to look nice with all the photography apps out there. It's sort of true, but at best they can make bland photos look somewhat interesting. That's not what you want - you want control over how your images look, and that's what apps should help you do.

The first thing you'll need is an app that helps you control the focus and exposure of your camera. Some smartphones will allow you to do this by default, like the LG G4 and iPhone 6 . Basically any smartphone with a full featured manual or pro mode will, but even if your handset doesn't have a built in option you're not out of luck.

There are plenty of apps out there that will allow you to control both, like Open Camera or HD Camera Ultra for Android. That's what you'll need as a good starting point for taking good photos. After all, if you can't control your exposure or where your camera focuses, you might as well give up and buy a proper camera.

The next set of apps you'll want are the ones that will allow you to control basic things like contrast, white balance, colour saturation and brightness. Most photos straight out of camera are flat, so you'll want apps like Snapseed or Photoshop Express to fine tune them.

Here is a list of apps you should start with if you're on the iPhone and here's a similar list for Android.

1. Learn to use your camera software

This might seem like a no-brainer, but you'd be surprised at just what your smartphone camera can do.

Perhaps you're 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, HDR and bokeh features?

Don't be afraid to tinker with your iPhone or Android device's camera. It has plenty of memory for photos, so you can play with the different features, effects and settings and snap lots of photos and if you've got a recent flagship like the Samsung Galaxy S6 then there's every chance it's jam packed full of features for you to discover.

Soon, you'll know your way around the camera software like it's second nature. And that's exactly what it should become - you don't want to miss any moments because you're busy fumbling with your camera's settings.

2. Learn compositional basics

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, we'll start with the rule of thirds. If you're 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 smartphone's display, dividing it into thirds both horizontally and vertically. In fact, most smartphones come with an option to display that very grid.

With the grid up, try placing your subjects along those lines or at the points where the lines intersect. It will make the photos much more interesting than being smack dab in the middle of your frame. You can do this with subjects like lighthouses, people, flowers and everything else. But it's also a good idea to do this with your horizon lines, too, so that your horizon never cuts through the center of your frame.

Once you get into the habit of following the rule of thirds, you'll start to have a better sense of a photo's balance. When you're at the stage where you think you're getting the hang of it, start breaking the rule and see what works and what doesn't.

3. Learn how to see light

If you're going to go out and make pictures that impress your friends, you're going to need good light. What is good light, exactly?

Good light is the kind of light that gives a scene shape, depth and makes things look interesting. Generally, shooting indoors with artificial light or outdoors midday or with overcast skies is bad, flat and boring light. You'll know flat light when you see it - there are few shadows, if any, and everything looks evenly lit.

Look for light with some kind of direction and color. This type of light happens naturally at just before sunrise and at sunset. Alternatively, window light is great because it has direction and it's often soft and a little diffuse, so it's not harsh on your subjects.

Good light is especially important in mobile photography because you can't create much more interest with different focal lengths and varying depth of field. You're stuck with one focal length, and one aperture setting. It's a very good exercise in shooting light and finding good composition.

4. Find an interesting moment

Say you're at a beautiful location, the light is gorgeous and everything is ripe for a great photo. But nothing's happening. It's like looking through your Instagram or Facebook feed: there are hundreds of sunset photos with nothing but just sunsets. That's it.

Instead, find something to complement the scene if you can. Maybe it's just someone walking by. Wait until the shape of the walking person balances the photo and is at peak action, then snap away.

Sometimes, there are no moments. Nothing is happening. There's no one around, and it's just a pretty scene. It won't hurt to take the photo. Do that and keep it for yourself or share it with close people and tell a story along with it.

But if you really want to get the good stuff, find a good moment. Maybe it's people peacefully relaxing in the park - sleeping, eating, chatting, reading. Or maybe it's a flock of birds disturbed by a passer-by, or a quarrel on the street (just be safe). Keep your eyes open for movement and always try to find some way to balance the photo compositionally.

Without moments, you're probably just shooting still life most of the time. It's too easy, and we can all agree that there are more than enough food photos on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram these days.

5. Work the scene

What does it mean when a photographer tells you to work the scene? It means almost that - work it! Don't just stand there, compose and snap one photo and move along. Maybe a better shot will come along in a minute, or in five minutes.

Or perhaps you'd get a better photo of your subject by standing closer, or further away. Maybe the photo would look better from a lower angle, or a higher one. Or you can compose the same scene in a different way, or three different ways.

Taking a good photo means giving it some thought. Otherwise you're just taking snapshots, and unless you get really lucky, your chances of getting a good photo that way are slim.

Don't be afraid to take many photos. You can always delete them later, and you have plenty of memory on your smartphone. When you see something that really catches your eye, work that scene. And if there is a moment about to happen, shoot through it. That means keep shooting photos until the moment is over, then pick the best one.

In fact, smartphones like the Sony Xperia Z3 , LG G4 and iPhone 6 have excellent burst modes that can capture dozens of photos in a matter of seconds. Use it!

6. Don't stop shooting

You can't expect to practice the piano once a week and play a Chopin Etude by the end of the year. At least, most of us wouldn't be able to do that. And it's the same with photography. If you only take photos once in a blue moon, it's going to take you a very long time before you can start taking photos that impress your friends.

Try shooting a little every day. If you're lacking inspiration some days, shoot anyway. Shoot what's in front of you, even if it could end up being another dreaded food photo. Why not try to make it look more interesting than the clichéd straight-down-from-the-top photo that has become the norm these days? Find a better angle, shoot it macro, just make it interesting.

And that's what you'll end up doing most of the time. Unless you're out on the hunt for perfect light, interesting settings and great moments, you're going to be forced to turn mundane, everyday objects and scenes into something interesting.

If you can make your friends and family say, "Wow, I've never seen it that way before," then you're doing something right. You're being creative, rather than just a passive observer documenting what he or she sees without second thought.

That's it! Now go out there and impress us all.

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8 Cool Smartphone Photography Tricks That Actually Work

If you want to give your smartphone photography an edge, try these unique tricks.

Quick Links

• Make the Most of Reflections
• Include Another Camera in Your Picture
• Take Photos Through Objects With Frames
• Use Additional Lights in Your Images
• Put Your Phone on the Floor
• Capture Images in Tight Spaces With Your Smartphone
• Use Water Droplets
• Look Upwards

Key Takeaways

• You can take all kinds of interesting photos with your smartphone, no expensive DSLR required.
• Using reflections and capturing images in tight spaces are two examples of unique smartphone photography.
• Experiment with different lighting conditions and angles to get the best possible shots.

Get more out of your smartphone photography by thinking outside the box when you take pictures. These tried-and-tested tips will help you capture more interesting images and automatically make your shots stand out above the rest.

1 Make the Most of Reflections

One of the easiest ways to improve your photography in general is by using reflections and symmetry. You’ll find plenty of opportunities for this right after a rainstorm, or if you live near a river or lake.

Next time you’re near water, look for unique reflections such as trees and buildings. Here, for example, is a picture that I took on holiday a few years ago. In addition to the reflections themselves, I also added another unique dimension by including low-lying fog.

You can use this technique in all weather conditions, but it looks particularly dramatic on overcast days or during golden hour. If you're shooting during the latter, don’t forget to use these golden hour captions on social media .

2 Include Another Camera in Your Picture

Taking photos of other people (or yourself) taking photos is one of the most interesting ways to make your smartphone pictures more unique. It’s also a great way to take intriguing pictures of people you know who love capturing shots with their DSLR or mirrorless camera.

The way that you capture these shots doesn’t matter. You can include the entire camera, for example, or you may simply want to take a picture of the camera screen. In other cases, you may want to take a photo of the lens instead.

When including photos of other cameras, experiment with making the background blurry and putting the camera body or lens itself in focus.

3 Take Photos Through Objects With Frames

Do you want to take unique photos of popular or “touristy” locations , or are you simply looking to add a unique dimension to your pictures? Either way, using frames around you can help you achieve this.

Door frames and alleyways are the easiest starting points. Add these to your picture and shoot through them. Think about your composition; do you want buildings, plants, people, or all of these?

Other frames you can use include:

• Bridges and underpasses
• Park benches
• Airplane windows

When taking pictures through frames, tap on the subject to ensure it’s in focus. You might need to adjust your lighting, as phones sometimes make these areas look overexposed.

4 Use Additional Lights in Your Images

Smartphone cameras normally have no problems capturing clear images when it’s sunny, but they’re not always so great in low-light situations. If you’re out taking photos at night, using additional lights in your pictures will both make your shots more interesting and give your device more lighting to work with.

Streetlights are one place you can start. Beyond that, consider using lights from buildings and—if you want to be like all of your cool friends on Instagram—neon signs.

If you want to get more stable shots on your phone in low lighting (with or without using additional lights), consider checking out the best phone tripods for capturing the perfect moment .

5 Put Your Phone on the Floor

Better zoom image quality is one of many features that smartphone cameras need to beat DSLRs . But while we might see this in the future, your best option right now—other than buying a zoom lens—is to be more creative with how you position your smartphone camera.

Crouching down and placing your phone on the floor will allow you to capture more unique angles and see what’s happening around you from a new perspective. This smartphone photography technique is especially useful for street and architectural photography. However, you can also use it if you want to capture unique portraits and make your main subject look bigger.

6 Capture Images in Tight Spaces With Your Smartphone

While smartphone cameras aren’t great when it comes to zoom image quality, they have a huge advantage compared to DSLRs or mirrorless cameras: you can use them in tighter spaces. There are multiple places, especially in Southern Europe where towns and cities are compact, where I prefer using my smartphone for photography.

Use your smartphone to take pictures through spaces where two walls are close together. You can also use this method when taking street-style pictures on packed subways and in crowded urban spaces. Besides being an interesting smartphone photography technique, it’s also ideal if you’re worried about a bigger camera drawing attention to you.

7 Use Water Droplets

One of my favorite smartphone photography techniques, but also one of the most difficult, is using water droplets in my images. You can do this in two ways. The first (and easiest) is going inside on a rainy day and focusing your lens on a window’s droplets. The second, which is also much harder to get right, is putting water on your lens.

Water will naturally drop away from most modern smartphone cameras, unless you’re caught in a significant downpour. I would tread carefully when putting the water on your device, as you don’t want to damage it and potentially void your warranty. Apply droplets with your finger by lightly tapping the lens.

If you’re concerned about whether your device is durable enough, it’s worth learning what water-resistant and waterproof mean .

8 Look Upwards

Another easy way to make your smartphone pictures look more interesting is to look up when you’re walking around. In many cities, buildings often come together in an interesting way—one example is in New York City with all the skyscrapers in Manhattan.

You can also find interesting viewpoints when indoors and looking upwards. For example, many older buildings have chandeliers and interesting patterns or arches. Other examples include pointing your smartphone camera at mountain peaks or trees.

It might also be worth waiting for subjects, such as birds, to fly into your frame. You can also head down staircases and look upwards to see if there are any opportunities for an interesting shot.

You don’t need to buy a “proper” camera to take great pictures. Instead, you should focus on thinking outside the box and capturing unique angles with your smartphone. Moving your device or body around will help you do precisely that, as will playing around with your lighting. Now that you’ve read these tips, you’re ready to take your phone out and start snapping!

Take Better Night-Mode Photos: A Pro Photographer's Tips for Any Phone

Want to up your night photography game? These pro tips will help.

• Shortlisted for British Photography Awards 2022, Commended in Landscape Photographer of the Year 2022

Phone cameras used to be essentially useless at night, but the  best camera phones  you can buy today are able to take truly superb photos even after the sun goes down. The best phones of 2024 like the iPhone 15 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra have night modes that allow them to take bright, sharp images even in the middle of the night, while Xiaomi's 14 Ultra has seriously impressed us with its night shots from its large sensor. Even more affordable phones like the Pixel 8A are equipped with astonishingly capable nighttime photography skills. 

This kind of night photography used to require a DSLR on a tripod to take long exposures over the course of several seconds. But today's phones can take excellent-looking images at night without needing any extra equipment. And that's great, because it means you don't need to carry a heavy camera and tripod into town every time you want to get a good-looking shot after sundown.

Samsung's recent Galaxy S range of flagship phones has had amazing night-mode cameras.

But getting an image you like enough to print and put on your wall isn't just a case of waiting for darkness and whipping out your phone. You'll still need to put in some work to take shots that you'll want to look back on in years to come. 

I've been a professional photographer for years and frequently shoot images at night on my pro camera and my phone. Here then are my top tips on how to get great images at night on any phone.

Read more:   Best Camera Phone

1. Know how to activate night mode

If your phone has a night mode, it's important to make sure it's actually activated before you start shooting. On phones like the iPhone 15 series, or other recent iPhones, night mode will automatically kick in when the phone detects you're in a low-light situation. Some Android phones have automatic night modes too, while others will require you to use specific night shooting modes (on the Galaxy S24 range it's called simply Night; on the Pixel 8 it's Night Sight).

Different phones may have different options or naming conventions, so if you're unsure how to use yours -- or if your phone even has one -- then a quick Google search of the model and "night mode" should answer your questions. Night modes have increasingly become a must-have feature on camera phones, so odds are if you've bought a new phone in the past couple of years, then it'll have some kind of night mode built in.

This nighttime photo has been made all the more vibrant and dazzling by these incredible Christmas lights festooning the columns.

2. Look for the light

Though recent iPhones and Galaxy phones can take amazing low-light images, you still need to have some light in the shot in order to make a compelling image. So, heading into the darkest part of a forest isn't likely to give you good results. Instead, try going to populated areas like city centers, where you'll find light sources in the form of street lamps, shop window displays and maybe even some festive lighting during the holidays.

Read more : Best iPhone Camera Accessories

3. Wait for your moment

Great city and street photography often includes a person as a subject in your shot, and nighttime can be an awesome time to take those images. When the light is limited, however, you need to make sure that person is exactly where you want them to be, and that can involve some patience.

Both of these night-mode images rely heavily on timing -- on the left it was getting the lone figure walking in the main pool of light on the ground. On the right it was about capturing the cyclist speeding past.

For instance, imagine you're taking a shot on a road lit by streetlamps. Each lamp casts a pool of light, and as someone walks through it, they're temporarily lit up before becoming effectively invisible again in the darkness. In that situation, my advice is to have your shot ready, with your finger hovering over that shutter button. It may take some minutes waiting, but eventually someone will walk exactly through that pool of light and you can take your shot. Patience can really pay off.

4. Steady yourself

Even though night modes on phones don't require a tripod in the same way a multisecond exposure on a DSLR would, you'll still get your best results if you keep the phone as still as possible while taking your image. If you don't have a tripod with you, then look around for a low wall, a trash can or anything you can steady your phone on while you get your shot. 

If there's nothing nearby, you can help steady the phone by keeping it firmly in both hands, holding it fairly close to your chest and tucking your elbows in toward your stomach. This will help reduce some of the natural wobble in your hands and may make the difference in getting a sharper image.

A long-exposure nighttime image taken with the Pixel 7 Pro.

5. Use Motion modes, if you have them

The Pixel 8 and 8 Pro (as well as the earlier Pixel 7 series) can take excellent regular photos at night, but they also have a long-exposure mode that allows you to get some creative shots that would normally only be achievable using a tripod. While the mode works well in the daytime to blur things like waterfalls, it also works extremely well at night, especially for subjects like cars driving down city streets. 

The long exposure blurs the headlights and taillights, turning them from static balls of light into ethereal lines, snaking their way through the scene. You'll need to use the phone's Motion mode to get this effect, and make sure that Long Exposure is toggled on. Long-exposure photos like this work best when you keep the camera still and take a photo that includes both static subjects (like buildings and streetlamps) and moving subjects (like cars, buses or cyclists). It can take some practice -- and results can be hit and miss -- but when it works, it works really well and adds an extra creative element to your night shots. 

Not every phone has this as standard, though, and though there are some third-party apps that aim to replicate it, I haven't found many that really work or that come close to the quality I've achieved with the Pixels. 

I love this black and white edit of a nighttime photo. The natural contrast of bright street lights against the shadowy backgrounds translates well to monochrome.

6. Edit your shots

As with any good photo, taking the shot is only half the story; it's how you edit it that can be the biggest way to transform it into a real piece of art. I use Adobe Lightroom Mobile for most of my editing, but Google's Snapseed is really powerful as well and is totally free on iOS and Android.

By their nature, night photos may well be dark, so it's possible you might want to start by lifting the exposure. Be careful though: Low-light images, even good night-mode shots, will have image noise (a fuzzy grain) that will look worse and worse the more you brighten the image. You may need to reduce some of the highlights (especially if you've captured bright street lights) and boost the shadows a touch to balance things out. Pay attention to the details and make sure you're not pushing it too far.

From then on, it's entirely down to what you feel looks good, so spend some time playing around with the tools available and see what you can come up with. I personally find that nighttime scenes can often look great as black and white images, because the natural contrast of bright lights and dark backgrounds lends itself well to a monochrome conversion.

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Best android phones with a telephoto camera in 2024.

The zoom your pictures desperately need

When people talk about what phones have the best cameras, they are generally referring to the primary lens. While a top-of-the-line primary lens is undoubtedly important, for a smartphone to be considered a great camera phone , it must have a comprehensive lens suite. In addition to the primary lens, a great ultrawide camera should be on board to tackle scenes that require a wider field of view. The standard combinations of a primary lens and ultrawide lens are so commonplace that even the most basic smartphones often have them.

To push smartphones to the next level, manufacturers add a third lens to the mix to increase the camera system's overall versatility. On the best devices, this third camera is a telephoto lens. A telephoto lens excels at capturing subjects and scenes often out of range for primary or ultrawide lenses. The telephoto lens essentially gives the phone a proper zoom lens, allowing you to get stunning photos that would otherwise have been impossible. Not many phones come with a telephoto lens, but the following are the best models currently available to get excellent photos .

Google Pixel 8 Pro

Samsung galaxy s24 ultra, samsung galaxy s24, samsung galaxy z fold 5, google pixel fold, oneplus open, motorola edge+ (2023), top android phones with a telephoto camera.

Google's best device

The Pixel 8 Pro is hands down the best device Google currently offers. With a stellar camera setup, great overall performance, and a beautiful display, it's undeniably one of the best devices currently available. Its camera system is one area where it truly excels, offering a perfect shot almost every time.

• Stellar camera setup
• Great overall performance
• Seven years of software support
• Still gets hot when pushed
• More expensive than last year

It should come as no surprise to see the Google Pixel 8 Pro as the best overall device with a telephoto camera. It regularly places at the top of blind camera tests and features three quality lenses for a complete camera system. This three-camera combination is very versatile, and more importantly, very reliable camera system. Google’s great lens hardware and computational photography skills allow just about everyone to capture breathtaking photos.

The telephoto camera consists of a 48MP f/2.8 lens with 5x optical zoom. The optical zoom can expand up to 30x using what Google refers to as Super Res Zoom. Essentially, Google harnesses the power of AI to determine what the photo should look like, resulting in a much sharper image than normal. It even has optical image stabilization (OIS), which should help eliminate blurry photos from shaky hands. The Pixel also has a 50MP f/1.68 primary camera, with an 82-degree field of view and a 48MP f/1.95 ultrawide camera. The ultrawide has a 125.5-degree field of view for capturing breathtaking landscape images.

Google Pixel 8 Pro review: Living up to its name

The Pixel 8 Pro comes with a Tensor G3 processor, 12GB of RAM, and plenty of storage for some great performance. The Tensor G3 processor isn’t as fast as the devices equipped with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, but it won’t struggle with your daily needs. It also ships with a high-quality 6.7-inch LTPO OLED display. This 120Hz display has a peak of 2400 nits, allowing you to see your subjects on the brightest days. And your pictures will look great thanks to its 2992 x 1344 resolution.

Excels at almost everything

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is for those who aren't willing to compromise on their phone. This device excels in just about every area imaginable and doesn't have many flaws, except for taking images of moving subjects.

• Great overal camera system
• Gorgeous display that ditches the curved edges
• Performance is top notch
• Very expensive
• Cameras struggle with motion

If you want the best telephoto camera system, and you don’t care how much you have to spend to get it, then you owe it to yourself to check out the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. The S24 Ultra outdoes every model on this list, bringing four cameras to the table, and two of the cameras are telephoto.

Samsung equipped the Galaxy S24 Ultra with a 10MP f/2.4 telephoto lens with OIS and 3x optical zoom. It has phase detection autofocus (PDAF) and a 67mm focal length. The S24 Ultra also has a 50MP f/3.4 periscope telephoto lens with OIS and a 5x optical zoom. With PDAF and a 111mm focal length, you should have no trouble capturing far-away photos.

The S24 Ultra also has a 200MP f/1.7 primary camera and a 12MP f/2.2 ultrawide camera. The combination of all four cameras gives it unparalleled versatility when capturing your shots. Just keep in mind that Samsung’s Galaxy devices struggle with moving subjects, so it isn’t ideal for all types of photography.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review: Still the best, unless you take photos

Outside the camera system, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is a pure powerhouse. It comes with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, 12GB of RAM, and a 5000mAh battery that goes for days. It also has one of the best displays on the market with a 6.8-inch, 120Hz, Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2x display.

Punches far above its weight

The OnePlus 12 is a device that pushes the envelope for what you should expect out of a sub-$1000 device. It is a complete package with almost no real negatives. It even comes with specs that punch far above its weight class, making it a tremendous overall value.

• Great overall camera system
• Top-notch performance
• Amazing battery life
• Software inconsistencies
• Not available through carriers

The OnePlus 12 and Galaxy S24 battled it out for the best value device, but the OnePlus 12 prevailed, and for good reason. It’s an excellent phone that offers a tremendous amount of power at a great price. OnePlus has also tuned its Hasselblad camera system, allowing you to get some seriously good shots.

It ships with a 64MP f/2.6 periscope telephoto camera with OIS and 3x optical zoom. The telephoto lens has a 70mm focal length and PDAF. The OnePlus 12 also has a 50MP f/1.6 main camera and a 48MP f/2.2, 114-degree ultrawide. The OnePlus 12 delivers crisp photos with true-to-life colors. It also does quite well when taking low-light shots.

The OnePlus 12 is a joy to use daily thanks to its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor and generous 12GB of RAM. In addition to its power, its 6.82-inch LTPO AMOLED display is just a sight to behold. With a 318 x 1440 resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and 4500 nits of peak brightness, the panel on this phone is simply beautiful. OnePlus also did an amazing job in the battery department. With a 5400mAh battery, the OnePlus 12 can make it through a couple of days between charges.

OnePlus 12 review: All flagship, no AI

Its design, complete with a large circular camera system, isn’t for everyone. It also lags behind the competition with only four OS updates and five years of security updates. If you don’t mind the styling or its update policy, then you would be hard-pressed to find a better device on this list.

Small stature, big performance

The Samsung Galaxy S24 is the perfect device for all those small phone lovers out there. With plenty of performance, a great display, and a competent camera system, this svelte device does it all. And it does all that while being one of the smaller devices on the market.

• Good overall camera system
• Nearly perfect display
• Great battery life
• Camera struggles with motion
• Slow charging speeds

If there is one common thread among phones with telephoto lenses, it’s that they are all flagship devices that carry high price tags. The Samsung Galaxy S24 is one of the lower-priced options on this list. It’s also the smallest, which is a huge bonus for those who don’t like large devices.

The Galaxy S24 has the same standard telephoto lens as its much more expensive sibling. The phone loses the periscope telephoto camera but keeps the 10MP f/2.4 telephoto lens with its 67mm focal length, PDAF, and OIS. It also has a 50MP f/1.8 primary lens with OIS and a 12MP f/2.2 ultrawide camera with a 120-degree field of view. Keep in mind that this device suffers when taking images of moving objects, so consider your subjects carefully.

At just 147 x 70.6 x 7.6mm and weighing 167g, the Galaxy S24 is pure bliss for those tight pockets. Samsung managed to cram a beautiful, 6.2-inch, 120Hz, Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2x display into this tiny frame. It also ships with the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 as the S24 Ultra, but the RAM does drop to 8GB.

Samsung Galaxy S24 review: Small but super

For the price, the Galaxy S24 is a beast of a device that excels at just about everything. It even comes with a 4000mAh battery that can easily get you through an entire day.

A tablet in your pocket

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is a cross between a Samsung phone and a Galaxy tablet. As a two-in-one device, you can use the cover display like a traditional phone or unfold it to reveal a tablet-sized display. This versatility does come with a high cost.

• Solid overall performance
• Slimmed down design
• Good camera setup
• Slow charging

Samsung loves to put telephoto lenses on their premier phones, and that continues with the Galaxy Z Fold 5. Unlike the smaller flip phone design, this foldable offers Samsung’s typical triple camera setup.

The Z Fold 5 gets the same camera setup as the Galaxy S24. It has a 10MP f/2.4 telephoto camera with OIS and 3x optical zoom. It also gets a 50MP f/1.8 primary camera with PDAF and OIS, as well as a 12MP f/2.2 ultrawide with a 123-degree field of view.

Having launched in 2023, it comes with a slightly inferior, but still very powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor and 12GB of RAM. It has a 4,400mAh battery, which is suitable, but doesn’t offer anything special in terms of battery life.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 review: Polished to a sheen

The real claim to fame with a foldable like this is its versatile displays. Its outer cover display is a 6.2-inch, dynamic AMOLED 2x display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The internal display is massive at 7.6 inches. It also has a dynamic AMOLED display with a 2176 x 1812 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate.

A Pixel tablet in your pocket

The Pixel Fold is Google's first attempt at making a foldable device. While it didn't perfect the category on its first go around, it did enough to make Samsung uncomfortable. With solid performance and a great camera system, the Pixel Fold is a quality device.

• Awesome camera system
• Great cover display
• Durability concerns

If you prefer Google’s Pixel lineup but have been craving a foldable device, then the Pixel Fold offers a ton of features. With a sky-high price, the Pixel Fold falls in line with the other foldable devices on this list. It also has a better overall camera compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 5.

The Pixel Fold ships with a 10.8MP f/3.1 telephoto lens with OIS and 5x optical zoom. It also has a 48MP f/1.7 primary camera and a 10.8MP f/2.2, 121-degree ultrawide camera. Thanks to Google’s computational photography skills, you can expect the Pixel Fold to be a fair bit more reliable than the Z Fold 5. It also handles moving subjects significantly better than Samsung’s offering.

But the Pixel Fold falls behind a bit in overall power. With a Tensor G2 processor and 12GB of RAM, it’ll handle your daily needs, but it’s a far cry from the latest Snapdragon processors. It also tends to run hot when pushed.

Google Pixel Fold review: An $1,800 rough draft

What is great is its OLED panels, which provide a pleasurable viewing experience. The Pixel Fold has a 5.8-inch 2092 x 1080 cover display and a 7.6-inch 2208 x 1840 internal display. The internal display has a 120Hz refresh rate and 1450 nits of peak brightness.

A great first attempt

The OnePlus Open may single-handedly be responsible for pushing Samsung to stop resting on its laurels. With top-tier performance and battery life, the Open came to play. The camera hardware that OnePlus managed to squeeze onto this device is where this foldable truly excels.

• Amazing performance and battery life
• Best camera setup on a foldable
• Great big screen customization
• Lacks wireless charging
• OxygenOS doesn't feel polished

The OnePlus Open is for those who are dead set on getting a foldable device, and aren’t willing to sacrifice anything. OnePlus was even able to push the category forward by proving that you could put three high-quality lenses on a foldable device.

OnePlus blows the foldable competition away when comparing telephoto cameras. They were somehow able to cram a 64MP f/2.6 telephoto camera with OIS and a 3x optical zoom into this device. It also has a 48MP f/1.7 main camera and a 48MP f/2.2, 114-degree ultrawide camera. Like most recent OnePlus devices, the cameras have been tuned by Hasselblad, resulting in true-to-life colors and rich images.

It’s also outfitted with some serious tech in the display. The cover display is a 6.31-inch, 2484 x 1116, OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 2800 nits of peak brightness. The internal display is an AMOLED, 2440 x 2268, 7.82-inch display. And the screen is fluid thanks to its LTPO3, 120Hz panel, and is easy to see with 2800 nits of peak brightness.

OnePlus Open review: What every foldable should be

With a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, it doesn’t have the same power as the recent Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor but should be more than sufficient for everyday tasks or playing the latest games. It ships with 16GB of RAM, which will help keep things running smoothly and allow you to keep a ton of apps open without needing to refresh them.

Great when on sale

Motorola sneaks on this list with the Edge+ (2023) edition and, when on sale, proves to be a great option. It has respectable performance and excellent battery life. Too bad the camera system is good, but can't keep up with the competition.

• Great performance
• Excellent battery life
• Camera system not as good as the competition
• Lack of timely updates

Nobody would blame you for thinking that only Google, Samsung, and OnePlus offer devices with telephoto cameras here in the United States. To a large degree, that’s how it feels, but Motorola incorporated a telephoto lens in its 2023 iteration of the Edge+.

The telephoto lens consists of a 12MP f/1.6 telephoto camera, PDAF, and 2x optical zoom. It’s a bit more limited than most of the devices on this list. Mostly because it’s missing OIS and only has a 2x zoom, but in a pinch, it’ll give you more range than its 50MP f/1.8 primary camera. Rounding out the camera setup is a 50MP f/2.2, 114-degree ultrawide camera. While the camera setup isn’t bad and will be serviceable, Motorola isn’t as known for its computational photo prowess, which makes it the weakest camera system on this list.

It also ships with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor and 8GB of RAM, which is good for most tasks, but lacks the overall power of the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor. The 6.67-inch, 2400 x 1080, OLED display features a 120Hz refresh rate and 1300 nits of peak brightness.

Moto Edge+ (2023) review: It's time to take Motorola seriously again

Add it all up and the Edge+ is lagging a bit behind the rest of the competition. It’s not a bad phone, but at full retail price, it faces some stiff competition. It's a solid option if you can find it at a steep discount.

The best telephoto camera for you

When looking for a telephoto camera, there are limited options. Luckily, the available models are some of the best devices currently available. Depending on what you want in a device, any one of these phones could be your next daily driver.

The Pixel 8 Pro is a standout here for those who love Google devices. It offers an amazing camera system, a fantastic display, as well as good performance and battery life. It gets seven years of software support, which will allow you to stretch that $1,000 investment.

If you want something a bit more powerful, with a gorgeous display, and a great camera system, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is your go-to device. It has the latest processor, a top-of-the-line display, and a quad-camera setup. The S24 Ultra's versatility is unrivaled and Samsung even matched Google with seven years of software updates.

If saving some money is a priority, take a hard look at the OnePlus 12. It’s far less expensive but still rivals the significantly more expensive S24 Ultra. It has an amazing display, the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, and a well-tuned camera setup.

Such a good camera

The Pixel 8 Pro is the best device overall thanks to its blend of performance, battery life, display, and camera system. It does it all and does much of it very well. Google's camera system in particular is always impressive and that continues here. You can't do much better than this.

iPhone Photography Basics: How to shoot a 365 project

W hat better way to learn the iPhone photography basics than by capturing an image every single day for a whole year? A 365 project might sound like a daunting task, but when you consider the thousands of photos that likely already exist on your iPhone or on iCloud , it’s an entirely doable challenge. In fact, there’s a good chance you use your iPhone camera almost every day anyway. The only difference here is that you’re going to be taking your photography that little bit more seriously so you can develop your skills as an iPhone photographer. 

Embarking on a 365 project will immediately give you a goal to work towards, adding a sense of purpose to the photographs that you capture. And if you plan your days effectively, you’ll be able to throw in your fair share of challenges along the way. This is integral in allowing you to develop your photography skills, just make sure you don’t become too ambitious too quickly. Just like an endurance race, a 365 project is a marathon, not a sprint. Shoot three sunsets and four sunrises in the first week and there’s no way you can keep that level of commitment up. 

So, if you’re thinking about starting a 365 project today, here are a few tips to help you avoid throwing the towel in so you can journey forth and become a better photographer…

Brainstorm photography ideas

There is quite simply no genre of photography that doesn’t benefit from planning. And a 365 project is no different. If you leave capturing your photo to the last minute every day, you risk running out of ideas and becoming frustrated. You certainly won’t be capturing your best work. 

As soon as you commit to a 365 project, brainstorm your ideas. Your iPhone’s Notes app is a great way of doing this, so you have access to them at all times. Write down the various genres you’d like to try and then get more specific with particular mini projects you’d like to work on. You can then start to plan your time more effectively and shoot more ambitious images.

Avoid unrealistic expectations

Vowing to capture 365 images in a single year is a huge undertaking and it’s easy to become disillusioned, especially if you set unrealistic expectations. A 365 project is anything you want it to be: a visual diary of your life, an excuse to take photos or a practice regime that allows you to build your skillset. Just don’t expect to capture an award-winning iPhone image every single day. Even the world’s best photographers would struggle to shoot their best work on such a consistent basis. 

Instead, allow yourself to find creative ways to come up with easy wins on days when you’re busy and save more ambitious projects for the days when you’ve got the time. If all you manage to capture is an artistic ray of window light, highlighting the cup on your desk one day, that’s not a problem. And while you should try your best not to miss a day, if you do, simply shoot two photos the next day and move on.

Keep a camera with you at all times

If you were shooting with a dedicated camera, this would be an extremely important step. But it highlights the real beauty of iPhone photography and why – even as a seasoned photographer – I take my iPhone Camera seriously . It’s the camera that’s always by your side, making it arguably the best camera you could use for a 365 project.

Whether you’re on your way back to the office with your lunch and you spot a fantastic piece of architecture, or you’re walking the dog in the evening and are met with beautiful golden light, or you’re off on a city break, your iPhone is the camera that’s always by your side.

Experiment with genres and iPhone tech

Experimentation is key if you want to use your 365 project to develop your skills, but it’s also a great way to get to know your iPhone camera inside out. I’m willing to bet that most iPhone photographers keep their camera on the main wide-angle lens and don’t deviate further. This is your chance to experiment with different lenses: try shooting a fun portrait with the ultra-wide-angle lens or if you’re lucky enough to have an iPhone 15 Pro Max , put that brand-new 5x telephoto lens through its paces. Explore functions like Pano, Portrait, and Night modes. Apply a filter and shoot in black and white or finally get round to learning how to edit iPhone photos the right way by delving into the Photos app’s editing functions. 

Challenge yourself

Just as you don’t want to set yourself unrealistic expectations, you also don’t want to go too far the other way. If all you do is take a quick snap every day, with little thought regarding composition , the quality of light, or whether or not you’re using the right lens, you simply will not improve as a photographer. You need to push yourself out of your comfort zone at certain times throughout the year. This might be trying a different genre like street photography or portraiture, it might be learning more about your iPhone camera and using the various features to their fullest. Either way, you have to push yourself to get better.

Share and collate your images

There really is something special about seeing a body of work. In a world where digital photography means we can shoot and move on, and the time-sensitive nature of digital media means articles and images are soon lost to the annals of time, seeing a collection of your images in one place is a really satisfying way to chart progress. It’s one of the main reasons why Instagram became so popular, after all. 

Creating an Instagram account for your 365 project is a fantastic way of collating your work and sharing it with others. It also gives your project an additional purpose and allows you to receive constructive criticism, garner inspiration from other accounts and receive positive comments to motivate you further. And if you don’t want to share your project online, you can create a folder in the Photos app, so you can still collate your work and browse through it in one place.

Find a photography partner

Persuading a friend, or even a group of friends, to partake in a 365 project is a great way to stay inspired and motivated, while also introducing a healthy dose of competition. This allows you to really immerse yourself within the project. Encouragement will spur you on and constructive criticism will help you develop. You may even find yourselves heading out together and becoming more ambitious with your efforts. But easily the most valuable by-product of teaming up, is an added sense of accountability. If you ever find yourself disillusioned or lacking the motivation to continue, your photography partner will be there to lift you up and encourage you to push on.

But I’m too busy to take a photo every day… 

Photography should be about having fun. Force yourself to embark on a 365 project and it could have an adverse effect. If your life is simply too busy for a 365 project right now, you can still use almost all of the tips above, but apply them to more manageable, mini projects. This might be taking a photo every time you walk the dog, only capturing black and white photography for a month, or focusing on a street photography project during a city break. Multiple ‘mini projects’ throughout the year may prove just as valuable as a 365 project. You're on the right track as long as you’re motivated to capture photos regularly.

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THE 10 BEST Dzerzhinsky Sights & Historical Landmarks

Dzerzhinsky landmarks.

• Monuments & Statues
• Churches & Cathedrals
• Points of Interest & Landmarks
• Sacred & Religious Sites
• Architectural Buildings
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• District South-Western (YuZAO)
• Butovo North
• Good for a Rainy Day
• Good for Kids
• Budget-friendly
• Good for Big Groups
• Adventurous
• Hidden Gems
• Good for Couples
• Honeymoon spot
• Good for Adrenaline Seekers
• Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. Nikolo-Ugreshskiy Monastery

2. Church of the Savior Transfiguration of Ugresh Monastery of St. Nicholas

3. Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin in the Ugresh Monastery of St. Nicholas

4. Temple of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist of Ugresh Monastery of St. Nicholas

5. Chapel of Phenomena Image of St. Nicholas in Nikolo-Ugreshskiy Monastery

6. Temple of the Mother of God of All Who Sorrow Ugresh Nicholas Monastery

7. Monument to Dmitriy Donskoi

8. Peter and Paul Church in Ugresh Monastery of St. Nicholas

9. Cathedral of St. Nicholas

10. Monument to Creators of Missile Shield of Russia

11. Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God

12. Sculpture Crying Boy

13. Chapel of the Passion of Nikolo-Ugreshskiy Monastery

14. Monument to Dzerzhinskiy

15. Dmitriy Donskoi's Temple

16. temple of holy spirit.

17. Temple of Makariy Nevskiy

18. Palestinian wall of the Nikolo-Ugreshsky monastery

19. Chapel of Our Lady of the Perishing

20. Pamyatniki A. S. Pushkinu

21. Memorial of the Great Patriotic War

22. Monument to Veterans of Local Wars

23. Monument-bust to academician B.P. Zhukov

24. Monument to St. Nicholas

25. Tserkov' Pitmana Ugreshskoy

26. pamyatnik prepodobnomu antoniyu kiyevo-pecherskomu.

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