Practice
Find different perspectives. Taking photos from a unique, unexpected angle can make them more memorable — it tends to create an illusion of depth or height with the subjects. It also makes the image stand out, since most mobile phone photos are taken either straight-on or from above. Try taking a photo from a slight distance and playing with the sky as negative space, or at a slight downward angle.
Take candids. Candid shots of people doing things or interacting with others can be far more interesting than posed photos. That's because candid photos are better able to effectively capture the emotion and essence of a moment. To capture this kind of shot, take as many photos as possible. The best photos often happen when everyone's eyes are open, one person is tilting their head just so, and you finally get a shot of your chronically closed-lip friend smiling with his teeth.
Learn How to Use Light
Understanding how to use light effectively is crucial for capturing captivating photos. The way you use light can completely transform any photograph. To improve your phone photography, figure out how to harness light. Try using the golden hour in the morning or evening for warm and soft lighting, or create dramatic shadows with a harsh spotlight. Remember to adjust the exposure to make the most of the light you have.
Use natural light whenever possible, even after dark. This gives you a chance to play with shadows or create a silhouette with other ambient sources of light, like windows or surrounding buildings. You may also want to try backlighting, where your main light source is behind your subject instead of in front of it. Once you've taken the photo, consider adjusting the exposure in your favorite photo editing app to make the image slightly brighter without making it too grainy.
Play with reflections. Our eyes are drawn to reflections, so look for opportunities to incorporate them in your photos. There are plenty of out-of-the-box places to find reflections:
- Puddles
- Large bodies of water
- Mirrors
- Sunglasses
- Drinking glasses
- Metallic surfaces
If you use flash, only do so during the day. Unless used expertly, flash can make a photo look overexposed, negatively alter colors, and make human subjects look washed out. In already well-lit spaces, a flash can help to soften some dark shadows behind or beneath your main subject. When framing your next shot, look for any dark shadows you might want to remove and flip on the flash manually in your camera app if needed. Just remember to turn the flash off again when you're done.
Compose Each Photograph
Composition is a vital aspect to consider. One of the easiest and best ways to improve your mobile photos is to turn on the camera's gridlines. This feature superimposes a series of lines on the screen of your smartphone's camera based on the "rule of thirds" — a photographic composition principle that divides an image into thirds, both horizontally and vertically. According to this theory, if you place points of interest along these lines or at their intersections, your photo will be more balanced and engaging.
Use leading lines. In some photos, there's a line that draws the viewer's eye toward a certain part of the frame. These leading lines can be straight or curvilinear — think staircases, building facades, train tracks, roads, or even a path through the woods. Leading lines are excellent for creating a sense of depth and can make your photo look purposefully designed.
Look for symmetry. Pictures that contain symmetry can be incredibly pleasing to the eye and are a simple yet compelling way to compose a photo. In photography, symmetry usually means an image has two equal parts that are mirror images of each other. Use gridlines to line everything up in a visually appealing way.
Focus on One Subject at a Time
Compose your image with a clear focus on one subject at a time. Many of the best photos include just one interesting subject. When you're taking a picture of a single subject, spend extra time setting up the shot. Consider the placement of your subject within the frame to enhance its prominence. Some professional photographers suggest that the subject shouldn't fill the entire frame, advocating for two-thirds of the photo to be negative space to help the subject stand out even more.1
Make sure to tap the screen of your smartphone to focus the camera on your subject. This ensures that your image is sharp and has optimal lighting.
Once you've taken your photo, you can enhance it further using filters and apps. These tools allow you to make the subject even more vivid or crop the image to perfectly frame the subject. You can also adjust the brightness, contrast, and saturation directly from your phone. Editing apps like Snapseed or Lightroom offer comprehensive tools to fine-tune your images, ensuring that your subject remains the focal point.
By concentrating on one subject at a time, you'll create visually striking images that resonate more effectively with viewers.
Photo by nicolasladinosilva on Unsplash
The key to improving your smartphone photography is practice. The more you experiment with different techniques and perspectives, the better your photos will become. So grab your phone and start capturing the world around you in new and interesting ways.
- Smith J. The Art of Composition in Photography. J Vis Commun. 2018;34(2):123-135.
