These days, pulling out your phone to capture a beautiful moment or a mesmerizing view is much easier than lugging along a catastrophic kit full of accessories, lenses, and cameras.
What’s more, the smartphone cameras of today are so good that you may never need to purchase a new point-and-shoot device, ever. However, when it comes to preserving memories for posterity, positioning your phone in the direction of the view and tapping to take a picture isn’t enough.
You want your travel photos to be nostalgic and beautiful. Not something you’d look upon in mourning and say, “If I had taken these from a DSLR, they wouldn’t be so dreary.” Thus, learning the art of smartphone photography can help you capture those vacation memoirs.
Yes, lighting, settings, composition, and scene modes can all play a part, but the key to great vacation photographs is knowing how to make the most of your phone’s camera.
So here are a few of the most helpful smartphone photography tips that will help you capture amazing shots and make the most out of your trip.
Use HDR mode
High Dynamic Range, or HDR, is now a standard feature in smartphone camera apps. It’s ideal for portrait and landscape photography, especially when there’s a significant contrast between your image’s darkest and lightest parts.
The disadvantage is that photos in HDR mode take a little longer to process while your smartphone’s camera and software figure everything out.
Moreover, suppose you’re searching for some guidance and inspiration regarding how HDR pictures should look and what details they must have. In that case, stock photography is the way to begin.
There are countless websites, with Gratisography being one of them, from which you can seek a tremendous amount of creativity and editing tips.
By focusing on individualistic, unique, and eye-catching photography, Gratisography is becoming one of the most creative image clouds around.
Always remember to wipe your camera lens.
It’s incredible how often we forget to clean the lens. We keep our smartphones in our handbags or wallets, where they collect dust and foreign particles.
A photograph captures a fleeting moment in time that cannot consistently be replicated or recreated. It’s sad knowing you captured a memorable moment with a smudged lens – often a case with travel photos.
The rule of thirds
The rule of thirds is a photography principle that refers to the composition of a photograph. It’s all about off-centering the most critical aspects to create a balanced and serene design.
Putting your subject off-center in your photos makes them more attractive. If you want to improve your photography, you should first master this principle before putting your spin on it.
You’ll be able to develop your style and display your best photos if you learn how to master the rule of thirds.
Focus
Tap the screen to focus on what you want to see. This feature is available on the majority of smartphones, but it is easy to overlook.
That will adjust the lighting in the photo while keeping the focus on the subject. (Isn’t it true that you can catch two parrots in one cage?) With a single tap, you can instantly improve the aesthetics of your photograph.
Locate the focal point. Instead of simply photographing the sea, look for something that stands out in the frame. The rest of the shot should revolve around that focal point; a sailboat or a pattern in the sand.
Focus on the foreground to add depth to the photo, even if the backdrop is what you’re after.
Keep time-lapse in mind.
Time-lapse is an exciting feature that can be used to capture moving clouds, sunsets, and sunrises. Because it appears to speed up time, the viewer can enjoy hours of slow-moving nature in a matter of seconds.
If you choose to shoot in time-lapse mode, allow plenty of time for recording your subject. Moreover, it will take approximately an hour to capture just a couple of minutes of footage.
Use unique camera apps.
Your native camera app is most likely not allowing you to capture the images you desire. With a third-party camera app, you’ll be able to shoot in Raw (an uncompressed file type that allows for more editing) and set your settings for each photo.
That is similar to converting your smartphone into a DSLR in that you can play with the settings to get the type of photo you want.
Remember to study the fundamentals of shooting photographs in manual mode before your trip.
You can continue to use your native camera app for fun moments during your vacation. But if you want to take serious shots, switch to an advanced camera app.
Use stabilization
Enable this option in your smartphone’s camera settings bar if you don’t want your travel photos blurred. This feature causes the image to be captured by the camera only when it is stable. Numerous smartphone models offer optical image stabilization.
The quality of your photos will vary depending on your smartphone’s camera and software (the more updated, the better). Furthermore, keep in mind that a good photograph comprises more than just technique or camera features.
Taking the right shot at the right time often necessitates sensitivity.
Avoid digital zooms
Digital zoom degrades image quality, often resulting in pixelated images. As a result, if you want to photograph something very close and not miss any details, get as close as possible!
The image can then be zoomed in on a photo-editing app or your desktop without compromising image quality. You won’t have to worry if your phone has an optical zoom feature.
Conclusion
By now, you must be well-equipped to take pictures of your travel from your cell phone. However, don’t expect yourself to become a pro after reading the tips mentioned above.
As they say, practice makes perfect; as with everything else in life, you must put the effort in if you wish to improve your phone photography skills.
Also, never get so caught up in your phone that you forget to live your travel experience, meet new people, and observe beautiful scenery.
Remember to have fun while you still can. Don’t stress about capturing a lousy picture because you can delete it later.