Camera phones are great…. they are with us all the time and perfect for catching those moments (and selfies) that we can then share instantly with the rest of the world. I use my iPhone camera quite a bit, for the very reason that it is always there. All the pictures in this post have been taken with my iPhone and I have included a ‘before and after’ with the tips.
As with all photography there are some basic things you need to think about if you are one of the many thousands of people out there who have ditched any other form of camera:
1. You need light. Your phone camera may work in the dimness of your bedroom but your image will be grainy and look blurred. If you can, move an object towards the window or switch the light on.
2. There are some basic rules of composition that apply to ALL pictures. We may not be conscious of them but they are the sorts of things that make us prefer one picture to another. This is a whole post in itself, but consider leaving space around your subject. If things are moving place them to one side in the frame, so they look as though they are running into or out of the picture rather than right in the middle. Landscapes always look better if the horizon is a third of the way up or a third of the way down the picture. A big thank you to Rosie for taking these pictures of the view from her house to make the point!
3. Kids and pets look way better if you get down to their level… bend your knees. The tops of their heads may be gorgeous but their faces and expressions are usually even better.
4. If you need to take a picture of yourself make sure it’s not a picture of half your face sticking out from a phone… and be warned our arms are not really long enough to avoid double chins so if you reverse the camera for your selfie raise it above you and look up. Selfie sticks are great as they give you the extra arm length you need for a decent self portrait! Make sure the light is falling on your face so that you are not a grainy silhouette. Never light yourself from below…. VERY unflattering. I took these with 2 minutes of each other before my guests arrived for supper. You can see how grainy the badly lit one is, but by moving across the room, a whole three feet to a brighter light, the picture is way more flattering. It’s a long way off perfect but much better.
5. Check your picture. If it’s blurred or not quite right then take it again if you can. Use the in phone editing software to crop and change things to improve them. Make sure the thing you were photographing is the thing that is in focus, rather than a blur on a crisp back ground. Many new smart phones will focus on the area that you select on the screen so tap the screen on your subject and make sure it is focussing on what you want it to focus on.
All this best practice is all well and good, but if there is a moment to be captured it is better to get it than to miss it by not trying! Here are some of Digby that I quite like:
Do share some of your favourites with us!
Last week was a fabulous week on Image of the Week – 15 lovely people linked up: Regulars and newbies, lovely to see you all! As ever, we have picked two favourites. First was Karen Baker – and her incredible shot of Lake Zurich and the silhouette figure. Just stunning. See the image here. Second was from When the Dust Settles and the most stunning portrait of their daughter – the portrait carried so much character! See this image here
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