In collaboration with PhotoWeekly
Whether it's a group picture, an Insta-story or a selfie, photos taken with a smartphone have long since become an integral part of our lives. The tiny sensors and the integrated camera software really have a lot to offer these days. Portraits, macros and food photos are almost indistinguishable from pictures taken with high-priced cameras. But if you think that smartphones are taking over photography all by themselves, you are far wrong. Even though the quality of the small camera sensors is improving all the time, it's still up to you to decide whether a photo is a success. We'll show you 5 simple tricks to get the most out of your smartphone photos.
Table of contents
1. Clean lens
2. The perfect light
3. The right focus
4. Quite sharp
5. Special perspectives
It may sound banal, but it is by far the most common mistake: a dirty camera lens. You have to imagine how often you pick up your smartphone during the day. The lens is hardly protected from dirt. If greasy fingerprints end up on the glass together with dust, it becomes difficult to take brilliant photos. Even if the dirt is not always directly visible: Get into the habit of cleaning your lens of dirt with a clean cloth or piece of clothing before each photo. You'll be amazed at how much clearer and contrastier your photos will look as a result.
Be aware that even with sophisticated cell phone cameras, not all light is equally good for taking pictures. Daylight is usually better than artificial light, twilight is always better than the midday sun. Sunlight falling vertically from above makes landscapes look flat and gives portraits unattractive drop shadows. Backlighting can also be a real challenge. You'll have much better lighting conditions in the morning or afternoon, however, when the sidelight evenly illuminates your subject. Indoors, the best results are achieved near a window. Another tip: Don't be afraid to adjust the aperture yourself and don't always accept the automatic system as the ultimate. You'll quickly get a feel for how to find the right exposure on your phone.
Focus is also important. Always make sure that the main protagonist of the image is the center of attention. You can achieve this, for example, by blurring the background or by removing distracting elements from the surroundings. Reduce small details in the photo and thus direct the focus to your main subject. You can focus by tapping with your finger on the element in the image that you want to be in focus later.
Speaking of sharpness, shaky pictures are usually not that cool. That's why we advise you to always take pictures with both hands, if possible. If you also rest your elbow on a solid surface, you'll be well equipped against camera shake. This creates a kind of three-point stabilization that helps you to take sharp pictures even in difficult lighting conditions. Of course, you can also use a tripod instead, such as the JOBY PodZilla. Now simply set the 3-second self-timer and enjoy sharp photos afterwards.
And then there's cropping. Just as when taking pictures with high-quality cameras, you should also get to grips with the right perspective when taking smartphone photos. This is where it pays to get out of your comfort zone. Take a step forward, stand on a chair, lie on the floor, do something - but dare to do something! Especially because Samsung, Apple and Co. make it so easy for us to take photos, you should avoid the normal perspective from a standing position. Because anyone can do that! Try showing your main subject according to the rule of thirds. Use the grid lines in the display to help you. Also think about the placement of the horizon: In the vast majority of photos, it ends up exactly in the center of the image, which often looks boring. Instead, you could give the sky more space and place the horizon at the bottom of the image. Just try it out a bit and break the usual rules. This is the only way to create unique images.
Cover photo: Small, handy and uncomplicated: With the cell phone you can quickly shoot quite beautiful pictures
