Mobile photography is gaining popularity and acceptance among professionals and novices alike. They have fallen in love with phonenography and mastered the art of using their mobile devices to record memories and their surroundings in rich detail. Have you ever wondered how they did it? Bring out your mobile device and try the tips that we have below and take your skills to another level.
Using Your Mobile Phone to Produce Captivating Photographs
Good photography isn’t about the gear. You can take amazing shots using a camera phone if you only know how to use it to your advantage. Knowing its strengths and weaknesses is almost winning half the battle. So far, Nokia Lumia 928, offers a great imagery output. It has an 8MP sensor with an aperture that opens to f/2.0. It has the latest Pureview Technology and a Xenon flash. These features greatly help in producing crisp images even under low-lit conditions.
Photo from Midorisyu of Flickr
1. Look for the best source of light. Try to take your subjects outdoors during the “Golden Hours”. Correct lighting is helpful in getting clear and crisp shots. Indoor lights can also be used. Don’t forget to use the correct white balance setting so the color of your subjects would appear more natural. It’s okay to use the flash on your device, just diffuse it a little. Cameras have available flash diffusers; you need to be a bit more creative to lessen the glare when using a phone. Use a piece of tissue paper to hold over it before pressing the shutter.
2. Learn how to apply the rule of thirds on your photographs. Don’t put your subject in the middle of the frame every time. You can always experiment using different angles to give a more interesting feel to your shots. The best thing about digital media is that you don’t have to worry about the number of shots you can take (as long as you don’t save them all on your memory).
3. Digital zooms are disastrous to use. If you don’t want to end with an image with a tiny far-off subject, you adjust to your subject. Editing is an option, but cropping an image closely distorts it. The result might be a more disappointing because of an unusable final image.
4. Keep your hands steady. Shaky hands result in blurry and often times unrecognizable images. There are several mobile tripods available in the market. A cheaper alternative would be to use a solid object and lean on it while taking the shot. It will help you keep your hands steady. If you think you made a mistake, don’t be too quick to discard them. Wait until you get to a computer before making a decision. You might be surprised to see that the mistakes can be used to make abstract art when you start editing them.
5. Don’t sacrifice memory space for a low-resolution image. High-resolution photographs can admittedly take up space on your memory card, just think that the higher the resolution, the clearer the photo becomes.
6. Like other digital cameras, you need to keep your lens clean. Most camera phones do not come with a lens cap, which increases the risk of damages. Check the lens often and use a soft clean cloth to clean it.
Photo from Ian Caroll of Flickr
7. Lastly, keep in mind that you need to respect others when taking a photograph. If you are attending an event, like a wedding, don’t get in the way of the professionals so you can take a memento shot to post on your Facebook page. Let the professionals do their work first and then ask for permission to take your own shot. Do the same thing when out in the street. Ask permission before taking photos of strangers.
Do you have any more tips to add to our list? We want to see your lovely captures. Send us a Tweet. In addition, you can always find interesting photos, tips and discussions on our Google+ page. Join our growing community. You can always leave a comment below to start a lively discussion.
About the author
Nadia Hyeong likes to talk anything that involves technology, gadgets and games. During her spare time, you will see her listening to music or playing games. You can always find her on Google+ (gplus.to/NadiaHyeong) or Twitter (@NadiaHyeong).
