Phonetography Tips
I once heard at a social media conference that “the best camera to start with is the one in your pocket.” This advice resonated with me because I am a big believer in exploring passions without a high cost of entry. I’ve always been one that was more comfortable working my way up to the best tools - after proving success in a specific niche - versus going all in financially on a hobby that might not pan out. With that in mind this month I am sharing with you my best tips for taking better photos with your phone!
I still remember the days when a night out included throwing both my digital camera and my cellphone in my purse. I remember sitting in my dorm room the next morning, plugging my phone into my Dell laptop, and uploading pictures to Facebook the next day. Nowadays, we all have fairly powerful cameras integrated right within our phones - it really is such a convenient time to be alive.
Whether you just want to take better photos of your family or you actually want to earn income by being an influencer and/or social media manager, here are some easy ways to be a better phonetographer:
First, artificial or indoor lighting can be harsh and nothing beats natural lighting. So if at all possible, take your photos outside, near a window, or in a room with a lot of natural light. The best time to shoot outside is mid-morning or early evening, never high noon! Try to avoid having your subject looking directly into the sun and/or catching shadows in your photos. This will help avoid squinty or closed eyes.
Second, go to your phone’s camera settings and turn on the photo grid! This will help you take more centered photos. And if you are feeling really spicy you can easily start playing with the rule of thirds. The rule of thirds is where you fill one-third of the photo with your subject. They say this type of framing feels very compelling and is easier on the human eyes to take in. I am also a fan of using this type of framing for images that I need to add a quote, logo, or some other sort of text on. The open two-thirds of the photo is perfect for combining graphics over your photo.
Next, always carry a microfiber cloth! There are times when my photos look blurry or the lights look weird (like they have rings or bars coming out of them). Believe it or not this can come from a dirty camera lens. I almost always have a microfiber cloth in my purse to clean my sunglasses AND my camera lens. There have been so many times I’ve thought my phone camera was somehow ruined, but it turns out it was just dirty. We carry our smartphones everywhere with us, so it totally makes sense they’d get a little greasy.
Lastly, don’t be afraid of some editing. I am not saying to go full on Kate Middleton (too soon?) but I am saying there are some simple things you can do right on your phone, before uploading to social media. I almost always will adjust my crop, straightness of the overall photo, and adjust my lighting. Some of my favorite iPhone lighting settings are: vivid (especially for outside photos), vivid cool, or dramatic cool. Speaking of settings, your social media feed will feel more cohesive if you can pick a few filters and stick to those. I tend to always want to lighten my photos, but you might want a different feel. In addition to those on board filters you can also go in and adjust highlights, brilliance, shadows, etc. You’re doing real big girl editing at that point! If you do end up upgrading to a DSLR someday, you will certainly have a better handle of default settings than most.
So, there you have it - just a few of my tips for taking better photos with your phone. Try a couple out and let me know how they work for you, Happy snapping!
XO - Olivia
