Gone are the days of capturing photos using labor-intensive processes. We can all imagine the degree of hassle and inconvenience our ancestors have faced — from the “camera obscura” of the 16th century to disposable cameras of the 1980s and 1990s. Thanks to technology, we can no longer have too many bells and whistles in creating quality snapshots. Yes, the answer can fit right at the palm of our hands: our smartphones. Nowadays, we can take great photos at the convenience of our mobile phones. All we need is to have our mobile devices and photo editing applications ready in order to take high-quality images.
Check out these few tips to level up your smartphone photography game:
Make the most of the golden hour
There’s a reason why professional photographers fancy the golden hour. To those who don’t have a clue, the golden hour is the period before sunset or after sunrise. During this time, the daylight is softer and redder, making your photos more captivating. Golden hour is considered the best light for different types of photography. It’s also ideal because it makes the skin glow on portraits. Take your photos during the golden hour and let the warm daylight do its magic. Not only will your photos look flooring, but it will also garner you tons of likes on your social media.
Tackling the direct sunlight
Direct sunlight can create unappealing images since it gives out bad shadows and blows out your photo’s highlights. There would be times that you can’t avoid capturing a shot during this time of the day, so we have a few tips for you. The first thing you can do is to look for shade. Capturing photos under the trees or roofing allows you to limit the harsh light striking your subject. If you’re forced to shoot in the open, then do it before or after 12 noon because it’s during this time the sun is the harshest or highest in the sky. Finally, you can adjust your exposure settings to avoid losing your highlights. Otherwise, you’ll lose details once you edit your image.
Find balanced lighting on overcast days
We can’t expect the sun to shine in all its glory all the time. There are times when clouds cover the source of your natural light. Well, there are also benefits during overcast days. When clouds dominate the sky, it diffuses the light, creating a soft yet balanced exposure. This also results in a photo that looks like it was taken in a studio. It also creates bluish tones, so if you want to achieve a moody look, capture photos during this time of the day.
Be creative with your phone’s flash
There may be times when you’re in a poorly lit location or, worse, one with no electricity at all. How do you take photos? Well, here’s a pro-tip: don’t use your phone’s flash to illuminate a subject. Instead, ask someone to use their phone’s flash and use it from the side. You can also invest in your own lighting equipment. You can acquire cheap LED panels nowadays for only $20 and below. They’re brighter than your phone’s flash and do the job well. Trust us, a lighting kit is a good investment.
Try doing long exposures
If you don’t have any light source around, you can try doing long exposures. Long exposures allow you to brighten up your dark or shadowed images to a huge degree. To do this, you need to download apps such as Camera+ 2. Open up the shutter, and you’ll collect and shoot whatever light is available at your spot. Take note that you’ll also need a phone tripod to avoid blurry images.
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