Table of Contents
- Clean the camera lens
- Use natural light
- Use the grid
- Know and apply the rule of thirds
- Adjust manual focus
- Try different angles
- Use the timer
- Use Portrait Mode
- Use HDR Mode
- Use Night Mode
- Try on accessories
- Try mirroring the front camera
- Try Burst Mode (quick capture)
- Avoid using flash
- Meet the panoramic photo
- Adjust the exposure
- Take advantage of the edit mode
- Take photos in RAW
- Keep the phone steady
- Adjust the white balance
Photograph with cellphone has become an increasingly accessible and essential habit today. To obtain better results, it is important to know and apply some basic photography techniques. In this guide, we've put together some great tips for taking photos that make the most of your camera from your mobile phone, helping s to perfect your clicks and create amazing images.
Most of the tips were offered by photographer specialized in cell phones, Igor Helal, which has a vast portfolio with diverse experiences. Let's go?
Clean the camera lens
Although it may seem like a silly tip, know that it can help you in many situations: it is essential. clean your cell phone camera lens. Lenses often accumulate dust, dirt or fingerprints that can affect the quality of the photo, leaving it blurry or with unwanted smudges. Use a soft, clean cloth, preferably microfiber, to gently wipe over the lens. This will ensure that your photos come out sharp and without any blur or unwanted interference.
Use natural light
Lighting is one of the most important factors in photography. Whenever possible, use daylight — at a low or moderate level — instead of using your phone’s flash, which can create harsh shadows and unnatural colors. If you’re indoors, move closer to windows or doors to take advantage of the daylight. Outdoors, avoid photographing directly in sunlight at noon (or periods when the sun is more intense), as strong light can create shadows that can compromise the quality of your photo. Prefer times like early morning or late afternoon, when the light is softer and more golden.
Use the grid
Most cell phones offer the option to activate a grid on screen, which divides the image into nine equal squares. This is useful for applying the rule of thirds, a technique that helps you compose your photo better (we’ll talk about it later). By aligning the important elements of your image along the grid lines or at the points where the lines intersect, you create a more balanced and visually appealing.
Know and apply the rule of thirds
A rule of thirds This is a basic composition technique that can make a big difference in the quality of your photos. Most, if not all, modern cell phones have the ability to display a grid that divides the screen into 9 squares. Try to position the main element of your photo at one of the points where these lines intersect, rather than in the center of the image. This creates a more dynamic and interesting composition, guiding the viewer's eye to the main focus of the photo.
Adjust manual focus
Don't just rely on your phone's autofocus. Tap the screen at the point you want to focus on to ensure the main subject is sharp. This is especially important when taking close up photos, where focus can easily get lost. For example, if you want to take a photo of a flower, stand close to it, point the camera, and tap the screen where you want the focus to be. Manually adjusting the focus allows you to experiment with different planes of sharpness, highlighting what’s really important in your photo.
Try different angles
Photograph of different angles can transform an ordinary image into something unique and creative. Instead of taking all your photos at eye level, try getting down low, shooting from above, or even tilting the camera to get a better view. different perspective. This can highlight details that would go unnoticed in a photo taken from a more conventional angle.
Use the timer
O with a timer is a simple but very useful feature, especially if you want to avoid blurry photos. Set the timer to 3 or 10 seconds, place your phone on a stable surface, and you’re done! This tool is also great for selfies or group photos, where you want to be in the picture without having to stretch your arm.
Use Portrait Mode
O Portrait Mode, available on most modern cell phones, allows you to capture photos with a blurred background effect, known as bokeh. This is ideal for highlighting a person or object (similar to the manual focus tip) by creating a clear separation between the focus of the photo and the background. Experiment with different distances and settings to find the level of blur that works best for your photo.
Use HDR Mode
HDR (High Dynamic Range) is a feature that helps balance light in scenes with high contrast, such as when there are very bright and very dark areas in the same photo. When you activate HDR, your phone captures multiple images at different exposures and combines them to create a more balanced photo, where both light and dark areas are well detailed. This is very useful in landscapes or photos with lighting that makes it difficult to take a good photo.
Use Night Mode
Photographing at night or in low light environments can be challenging, but the Night mode helps you capture more detail without having to use flash, which can cause harsh shadows or blow out the image. This mode automatically adjusts exposure and increases light sensitivity, allowing your night photos to be sharper and clearer. to keep your phone as steady as possible while capturing, as Night Mode often takes longer to take the picture.
Try on accessories
Accessories like tripods e ring lights can elevate the quality of your photos, especially in low light situations or when you need stability. A tripod is essential for night, panoramic or long exposure shots, while a ring light helps to provide soft and even lighting, eliminating shadows and highlighting details. These accessories are compact and easy to use, making them excellent allies for those who want to improve their photos.
We have brought some suggestions for each of these items:
- Tripod 2,1 meters;
- Tripod 1 meter;
- 10 inch ring light + tripod;
- Ring light + tripod + remote control.
Try mirroring the front camera
When you take it off selfies, photos may look different than what you see in the mirror, as the front camera does not automatically mirror the image. Many phones allow you to enable the option to mirror the front camera, so that your photos come out exactly as you see yourself. This can be a good option if you prefer your selfies to maintain the same perspective as when you look in the mirror.
Try Burst Mode (quick capture)
O Burst Mode It’s great for capturing quick moments, like people in motion or sporting events. When you hold down the shutter button, the phone takes multiple photos in succession, allowing you to choose the best image from among them. This increases your chances of capturing exactly the right moment, without missing any important details.
Avoid using flash
O cell phone flash can be useful in some situations, but more often than not, it can ruin a photo by creating harsh shadows and unnatural colors. Instead of using flash, look for natural light sources or use the Night mode to improve image quality in low-light environments. If you need to use the flash, try partially cover it with a finger or paper to soften the light.
Meet the panoramic photo
The function panoramic This mode is ideal for capturing wide landscapes or large groups of people. When you turn on this mode, your phone lets you take a photo at 180 degrees or more, moving the camera from one side to the other. It’s a great way to capture the grandeur of a scene, like a vast landscape, but it’s important to keep your phone steady and move slowly to avoid distorting the final image.
Adjust the exposure
Adjust the exposure Manually is a simple way to ensure your photos have the right lighting. When you tap on your phone's screen to focus on an object, a sun icon usually appears on the side. By sliding this icon up or down, you can increase or decrease the amount of light captured, preventing the photo from being too bright or too dark. It is suggested to use this feature in scenes with uneven lighting.
Take advantage of the edit mode
Once you've taken your photo, don't underestimate the power of editing. Even the photo editors simplest built-in cell phones offer options to adjust brightness, contrast, saturation and apply filters. Use these tools to enhance details, correct minor flaws, or add an artistic touch to your image. But to don't exaggerate; the idea is to improve the photo while maintaining its naturalness.
Take photos in RAW
Photograph in RAW may seem like an advanced step, but it is an excellent way to improve your skills. Unlike the JPEG format, which compresses the image, RAW captures all scene data, allowing for much more flexibility in post-production editing. If your phone s this format, use it for photos where you want more control in post-production, especially in challenging lighting situations. Some of the most popular devices that can shoot RAW photos include:
- iPhone 12 Pro or later;
- Galaxy S21 or later;
- Xiaomi Mi 11 or later;
- Asus ROG Phone 5 and ROG Phone 6;
- Huawei P40 or later.
Keep the phone steady
One of the main causes of blurry photos is camera movement during capture. To avoid this, use both hands to hold the phone firmly and, if possible, lean on a stable surface, such as a wall or table. If you are taking photos in low-light environments or using Night Mode, this tip is even more important, since the phone needs more time to capture the image correctly.
Adjust the white balance
And finally, a great tip is to know that white balance is responsible for ensuring that the colors in your photo are natural and are not affected by the lighting in the room. In some cases, the light can make the photo look yellowish tone ou bluish. Adjust the white balance manually in the camera settings to correct this problem, adapting it to lighting conditions such as daylight, fluorescent, or incandescent.
And you, what did you think of the tips? Are you ready to take your photos too? Tell us in the comments!
See also:
The best smartphones to photography out of 2024.
Text revised by Alexandre Marques in 05 / 09 / 2024.
