Better Photography With Your Smartphone Camera

smartphone on a tripod
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Do you realize the smallish camera gadget in your smartphone is actually one of the most innovative technologies? It has not only enabled people to enjoy better photography, but it has also dramatically transformed how we perceive and view the world through social media. In fact, do you not agree that the social media tech giants should thank us, the users by paying us for making their platforms so successful, instead of us paying them to publish ads on the platforms.

Most people are probably also not aware of the impact of smartphone photography in disrupting industries. For example, before our smartphone cameras became so advanced, we would pay quite a hefty sum to professional photographers and videographers to capture memorable moments for us.

Since you hold such an innovative technology in your hands, why not take a moment to look through the advanced features in your smartphone camera? You might just find some settings that would help you shoot better quality photos to awe your audience:

  • Your modern smartphone camera is likely to be equipped with multiple lenses. E.g. there should be a specialty lens for wide-angle shots, telephoto or macro photography. You should seek to better understand which specific lens better suit your type of photography. For example, you can use the macro lens to capture more details of the diamond in a wedding ring. Macro photography also enables you to get that nice depth of field that professional photographers commonly aim for.
  • Even a very basic smartphone these days should come with a panorama feature. Capturing a perfect panoramic image requires refined technique though. So take time to practice before you shoot the real thing. A fantastic shot of a beautiful landscape scene would definitely spice-up a social media banner.
  • If memory space is not a concern, remember to maximize the resolution of your photos. High resolution photos produce sharper details, and it is also better for editing as every edit will remove visual details. If your camera allows you to choose different file formats, you should use PNG to capture more details. PNG is a must if you need transparency in your image e.g. for editing purposes later. If your image will be uploaded to the Web, go for JPG or JPEG to minimize its file size.
  • Some modern smartphones include OIS to reduce blur from camera shake. This is a feature that can be particularly useful in low-light conditions e.g. a dimly lit restaurant. In order to capture clearer photos under this kind of condition, your camera will automatically compensate for the lack of light by opening the shutter longer to absorb more natural light. Whenever the camera shutter is open, any minute shake will cause blur to appear in the photo. If your smartphone does not come with OIS, then consider getting a steady tripod for your smartphone to capture those sharp and beautiful images in low-light conditions.

colorful smartphones with beautiful covers
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