6 Tips for Taking Better Photos with Your iPhone
People who know me, know that I love my iPhone. Not only has it become my primary computing device, it’s also a pretty high quality camera that fits perfectly in my pocket, so whenever I’m inspired, I have the opportunity to quickly capture a great shot.
I don’t think I’m alone in how I use my iPhone camera, but I have discovered I’m part of the minority who has taken the time to figure out what it can really do, and how to use all of its photo-enhancing features. Understanding how to use this powerful tool can mean the difference between poor snapshots and professional grade photos. There’s way more to it than point and click.
I’ve put together a short list of some of the features I find the most valuable. Hopefully they’ll enhance your photography experience, as they have mine:
1. Catch the Moment
I know that inspiration comes in the strangest places and can strike at any moment. When something incredible happens and time is of the essence, you can swipe left for quick access to the camera when the phone is locked or swipe up for quick access when the phone is in use.
2. Use the Grid
“The Rule of Thirds” is one thing I learned in college that I still use to this day. The basic idea behind the Rule of Thirds is that by dividing a frame into thirds, it provides vertical and horizontal reference points that help create powerful composition. By using your iPhone camera grid, you can add interest and harmony to your photo by aligning the focus of the shot with the intersections of the grid lines. Turn on the camera grid by going to Settings > Photos & Camera and activating the Grid.
3. Control the Focus & Exposure
Getting the right exposure for your shot can certainly be a challenge — ever wish your natural lighting had a dimmer switch? Wish no more! Instead, you can tap on the object you want to focus on, and then slide your finger up and down to adjust the exposure in order to get the right amount of light in your shot. If you are taking multiple shots in the same environment, you can also lock your focus and exposure. Just press the screen and hold for two seconds, then slide to adjust exposure (you should see an ‘AF/AE’ lock label appear at the top of your screen).
4. Take Rapid-Fire Shots
As a father of four, I am constantly documenting my kid’s lives and capturing their experiences in action. If the subject of your photo is moving (such as someone riding a bicycle), you should use burst mode in order to take multiple rapid-fire shots. To use burst mode, simply hold down the camera button for about half a second (you should get about 10 shots).
5. Turn on HDR
Last year I got the opportunity to do a photo shoot for the Museum of Flight, which posed some interesting lighting challenges. If you are shooting in an environment with dynamic lighting, you should turn on HDR. HDR stands for High Dynamic Range and is a high contrast photo setting that digitally creates multiple exposures of the same scene and stitches them together. Basically, it creates a surreal universe where everything in the shot is properly exposed in order to give the darkest shadows and lightest areas of a shot the maximum amount of detail. You can activate HDR on your iPhone in your Photos & Camera Settings.
NOTE: With HDR turned on, your Photo Library will keep the normal photo and the HDR photo, so you will see two versions of the same shot.
6. Hack a Camera Release
Have you ever dropped your iPhone while trying to take a selfie? I know I have and that’s when I started using this last trick. You can use your volume buttons to snap photos or use your headphones as a cable release to give yourself an easier angle or some extra flexibility to work with.
Really, that’s it! With these six simple tips, you’ll be well on your way to taking more artistic and impressive photos with your good old iPhone camera. Happy shooting!
