Phone Photography Tips

A collection of tips and tricks I discovered to take better photos with my phone. Most them are generic enough to apply to any phone, though some are specific to the iPhone which I have marked with a [iPhone] tag.

• [iPhone] Experiment with Photographic Styles which currently offers Rich Contrast, Vibrant, Warm, Cool options. Saves a lot of post processing.
• Bring the subject at the same level as the camera lens. This is especially important for portraits because it makes the subject look more natural. This is also important if there are straight lines in the scene because the lines will look distorted if the camera is not parallel to the subject (unless you want that effect).
• Use light exposure control to adjust the brightness of the photo. This is especially useful when there is enough light in the scene, or when the subject is backlit, or when you want to capture the details in the shadows. Make sure to lock the exposure after adjusting it to avoid the camera from changing it automatically. On an iPhone, tap and hold on the screen to lock the exposure.
• Keep the camera steady. This is especially important in low light or long-exposure situations. Use a tripod or a makeshift tripod (like a wall or a table) to keep the camera steady. If you don't have a tripod, use the timer to avoid shaking the camera while pressing the shutter button.
• Use long exposure to capture motion. This produces some amazing photos and is suited for capturing light trails, waterfalls, or any other moving subject. On an iPhone, use the Live Photo feature and select the Long Exposure option in the Photos app.
• Turn on the grid and the gyroscope level to make sure the camera is level and the subject is in the right place.