Who doesn't love to be recorded like a pro straight from their smartphone? Smartphones these days allow for sharp photos, especially portraits, but often we miss good clicks because we don't follow the basic steps.
Whether you have an Android or an iPhone, most phone cameras have "portrait mode". some brands just give it different names. These modes basically highlight the face and blur the background, making portraits look beautiful. And if your phone doesn't have portrait mode, don't worry and buy a new phone. There are apps for that.
Here are six simple tips to help you get better photos of yourself or people with a smartphone.
Context - What is behind the person posing for the photo is crucial. Keeping a consistent background with solid colors or patterns always works best. If you don't have one, look for a background with minimal distractions, especially behind the person's head; for example, an object like a pole behind a person's head can be quite distracting.
Avoid direct sunlight , especially in strong light. Try to find shaded areas where there is enough light to "glow" the person. The time of day you take the picture also plays a role. If you're filming in the middle of the day when the lights are at their harshest, you can follow the tips above. However, if you are shooting early or a few minutes before sunset, use the Golden Light time interval.
Horizontal or vertical? Depending on the purpose of the photo, you can take horizontal or vertical photos. Vertical is recommended for posting on social media platforms. However, there is no hard and fast rule. Pro tip: shoot in both orientations and you can choose which one you prefer.
Distance: Portraits look good when you keep a good distance between the person and the background. What is a "good distance"? Try to stay at least two to three feet off the ground. The phone will ask you to get closer to the person if they are far away. Some phones let you control how much blur you can blur. In photography, this is known as bokeh, which creates a blurry, blurry background or blurs part of the photo. Let's save the technical details of how it works for later! But it certainly makes the picture stand out.
Cleaning the Lens: It may seem silly, but it's one of the most important things people overlook. Before you take this beautiful photo, be sure to clean the phone camera with a clean cloth. Camera lenses tend to accumulate fingerprints, built-up dirt, oil, and grease; these end up making the photo soft, blurry and indistinct. Better to use lens cleaning liquid or clean cloths. If you don't have one, wear a soft t-shirt or clean handkerchief.
Use apps to edit: On Android and iPhone, the standard gallery app allows you to edit the photo as you wish. If your phone doesn't have portrait mode, applications like Snapseed, Open Camera, AfterFocus, Adobe Photoshop Camera, etc. are some good options. Some free apps come with ads, and there are some fake ones, so be careful with them. Personally, I use Snapseed to edit most of my photos and it suits me better.
Bonus: Includes tips from the previous issue, "How to Shoot Like a Boss with Your Mobile Phone," which provides basic tips to improve your game when it comes to taking great photos with your mobile phone.
While smartphone pictures are great to view and post on social media with a backlit camera, a DSLR camera outperforms phones when it comes to portraits. This is mainly due to the controls, which a professional can adjust manually as required. But there will always be
someone who can take a good photo no matter what device you use.
Lenscraft is a monthly column about everything related to photography - tips, tricks, and everything in between.
The author is a photojournalist who tells stories with his pictures. Find her photos on Twitter and Instagram @pushkarv
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