Smartphone photography tips for iPhone and Android

There’s one thing iPhone and Android users can agree on – smartphones make for great cameras. This means you’ll need some smartphone photography tips if you want to use it as a camera.

Smartphone photography tip #1

You could easily rely on your autofocus when framing your photograph, but why settle for the basics when you have so much power in the palm of your hand? A single tap on your subject will ensure the focus is in the right area and also ensures that the exposure is set right. Tapping and holding on the one position locks the focus, allowing you to move about without the auto focus kicking back in. A sharp image is a good image, which is why this is the first and most important smartphone photography tip.

Smartphone photography tip #2

Know the limits of your smartphone. Companies need to make decisions on what they are going to offer in their newest models, and part of that decision is what is going to generate the most profit. This isn’t to say that all smartphones are built with cheap equipment and internals, but not all smartphone photography options are created equal.

A high quality camera is a mix between high quality glass on the lens, a powerful processor, megapixels and a high quality sensor. When choosing a smartphone you’d like to use for photography, do your research on all of the major brands. Most importantly, don’t be fooled by a large megapixel limit – it does NOT result in a better photo each time.

Smartphone photography tip #3

Take your time. This is one of the most important smartphone photography tips. Smartphones are not on par with the DSLR camera manufacturers such as Canon and Nikon. Photos will need more tender loving care than those taken on DSLRs. Take your time, keep the subject still, and don’t settle for ‘close enough’.

Smartphone photography tip #4

Use a smartphone photography app to edit the image. Both iPhone and Android have some editing tools built into their camera apps, but there are some really high quality editing tools out there on both smartphones. The most popular apps are VSCOcam, Photoshop Express and Fotor. Each offer different interfaces and features, so your preference will need to be discovered on your own.

Smartphone photography tip #5

If you shoot it, share it! The best part about your smartphone doubling as a camera is that you can share your photograph on-the-go. If you aren’t already on Instagram, Tumblr, Facebook or Twitter – that’s your next step!

I hope you’ve found these smartphone photography tips useful.