Introduction
By posting this I am not claiming to be an expert. Most everything I know about iphoneography is self-taught via luck, experimentation, and sheer stubbornness. (Laziness, too, since my DSLR is too heavy and bulky to come with me on many of my adventures.) Also, my tips may not apply to every device, since I use an iPhone for all shooting and editing. However, I do get asked frequently about the photos I post on Instagram, Tumblr, Twitter, and Facebook, so I wanted a go-to place for my favorite tips. If this is helpful to you, great. If it’s not, then that’s okay, too. And if I left out any important info, please let me know in the comments.
With that out of the way, here are some of my favorite tips for getting the most out of your phone’s camera, whether you’re posting to Instagram or another social network, sharing kid pics with your in-laws, or snapping casual photos at a friend’s wedding.
General Tips
1. Take a lot of photos and sort them carefully
Let’s be honest: The best way to ensure good photos is to take a lot of pictures and hope a few are salvageable. (I’m talking a hundred or more in a session, unless you’re absolutely positive you’ve already gotten the perfect shot. I once took over seven hundred on a single day up in the mountains.) Since you’re using a digital format, this works as long as you have the phone space and don’t mind sorting through the awful ones to get to the good. Plus the archives provide fodder for the future. (I’m still using those mountain photos all these months later). I try to sort my photos as soon after an outing as I can, immediately deleting those that are blurry or otherwise unusable, and favoriting (currently the heart button at the bottom of the screen on an iPhone) photos I want to examine for possible editing and posting. My phone automatically dumps favorited photos into a file, where they wait — sometimes for weeks or months — for me to choose one to edit. If yours doesn’t have that shortcut, you can likely copy and paste the ones you’d like to edit later into a file of your own creation. It’s a pain, but it saves time in the long run and helps you make more careful choices about which photos to spend your time on.
2. Default settings are not your friend
Most editing programs allow you to adjust filter strength. Instagram lets you turn Luxe down to be less blatant, or up if you want a stronger effect. When cropping, you can choose the area to be cut out, even zooming in if you wish. Instagram and VSCO have implemented settings to let you reorder your filters. You are smarter than your phone, so use these options and others to make your photos look the way you think they should.
3. Optimize for the screen/platform your viewers will most likely use
Different social networks have their own quirks — and all of them are subject to change at any time. If you’re planning to post on Instagram, square-format photos generally show up best in the feed and on your profile because they take advantage of the full screen space. As of this moment, Twitter does not show a full photo in the feed, so those that are cropped horizontally often display better. Because of screen and platform performance, photos that are optimized for Instagram on an iPhone screen, for example, sometimes seem a little too in-your-face edited when viewed on Tumblr, Facebook, or Twitter via a regular computer screen. It’s impossible to adjust for every network unless you edit photos differently for each (which, hello, would take a while), so unless you have more free time than I do, optimize for the sites you value the most.
4. Choose your next photo carefully
This one is going to show my perfectionistic, nerdy tendencies, but what else is new? If you want to put together the best possible Instagram profile — one that will draw viewers in and perhaps lead to more followers — look at your posting grid to see what you’ve put up recently. I just had a black-and-white photo, so I’ll probably hold off a bit on the next (since they tend to be slightly less popular than color photos — on my own profile, at least). I try to space out pictures of my cats and my food; a few are fun, but too many in a row can border on self-indulgent. (Again, on my own profile. If cats and/or food are your specialty, however, have at it. Your followers will likely be thrilled.) Flowers and landscapes are often a good choice for my particular profile. My next pic will sit right above the one of the arch with the sunshine and beside the one of the rocks, so I want to make sure they will all play nicely together. An example: Had I been paying better attention, I would not have posted the two photos in the middle over there, both with the desert and sky, since they may seem repetitive in the grid view even if they don’t when seen individually. Too late to change it now, though. NOTE: If you’re very detail-oriented, check out your Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, Facebook, etc. feeds as well, to make sure your photos work together to show the overall mood you’re going for.
5. Be Aware of changing lighting situations
When editing in the morning or evening, your room may be brightening or darkening without you even noticing. If you don’t back away occasionally, including closing your editing program to make sure your screen’s brightness is appropriate for your individual lighting, you may accidentally brighten or darken a photo too much.
Specific Techniques
6. Macro photos
Ever want to take a photo of something small, but can’t get close enough without your camera’s focus completely losing it? Macro settings are the perfect remedy. Camera+ is my go-to for macro (up-close) photos like the one on the right. I never would have been able to get this close or capture this much detail with the default photo app. Zooming in when cropping helps even more, although too much zooming can lead to lost detail.
7. Vignetting and lens blur
Most camera apps have settings that allow you to darken and/or blur the edges of a photo. The two I use most for this are Snapseed and Instagram. Vignetting and edge blur (also sometimes called “tilt shift”) are helpful for making the subject of a photo pop. (Be careful not to overdo it, though, unless it’s part of your individual style.) Also, in some programs you can change the focus area for both vignetting and lens blur, moving it to another spot on the screen or increasing or decreasing the size. That way if your subject is not in the dead center (for example, if you’re employing the Rule of Thirds), you can still make it stand out. NOTE: Vignetting (edge darkening) is usually best to do at the end, as many filters include some of their own, so what looked great before applying a filter may suddenly take on a scary, gothic effect you never intended.
8. Filter layering
There’s no rule that says you can only use one filter per photo — especially if you adjust the opacity of each so they’re not too imposing. (Full-strength Lo-Fi plus full-strength Kelvin, for example, would be painful on the eyes.) Here’s how to do it via Instagram: Turn off your wifi access and turn on airplane mode. Choose a filter for your photo (preferably adjusting the opacity if you plan to layer), then take it through the steps to post it. Because Instagram is not connected to the internet, the photo will not post but it will be saved to your camera roll (provided you’ve adjusted your settings to save all Instagram posts to the roll). Open the saved version and continue to edit, either in Instagram or in another app.
9. Enhanced black & white
Want more than the typical black-and-white offerings on most editing software? This is where filter layering (above) comes in handy. I love to turn a photo into black-and-white, then import it into Instagram and add a filter overtop. It adds some nice toning.
10. Play with the light
You know how some people tell you not to shoot into the sun? That’s boring advice. Shoot into the sun. Shoot above the sun or underneath. Shoot in the shadows. See what happens. You may be surprised. Sure, you’ll most likely end up with a lot of awkward photos. But sometimes, if you’re lucky and you pick just the right angle, the light turns a delicious golden color and radiates outward. Then you have a picture you can play with.
11. Play with angles
While we’re on the subject, also play around with different angles, always keeping in mind what’s in the background and where your shadows are. Lie down on the ground and shoot up. Stand directly above a subject and shoot down. Get sideways if you want. Move closer, then back again. Take a lot of photos from a lot of different directions, and see what happens. This is where digital pics are especially handy; if the angle doesn’t work, the photo can be deleted and no one ever has to know. (Shhh!)
12. Blemish removal
If you want to remove a spot, Aviary and Snapseed both have blemish removal (called “Spot Repair” on Snapseed). While Snapseed’s is new and still a little rough, they both help you get rid of unwanted details such as zits, stray hairs, and weird shapes in the background. It usually takes a lot of patience, determination, and practice to remove something small on such a tiny screen, but it can pay off big time.
13. Spot editing
Just like default settings don’t work for every photo, changing brightness, saturation, etc. does not always work for every part of a single photo. Snapseed lets you spot-edit, adjusting brightness, contrast, and saturation for as large or small a section as you want. Currently this setting is called “Selective” and is located under “Tools.”
14. Take time away
If you can, step away from a photo for a while before you post it. Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in the editing, and to make colors too bright, edges too sharpened, and lighting too contrasty. Even a little bit of distance will help your eyes readjust so you can see the photo as it will look to others.
Final Advice
15. Accept that this is not a DSLR
Your phone can take wonderful pictures, and a variety of apps can make them even more wonderful. But your phone has a lot of jobs and one of them is not to be a DSLR. Your photos will probably not print as well as they would if taken on a regular camera. They are more likely to be grainy (such as in the Grand Canyon picture above, which was taken in low light). They are optimized for the tiny screen on which they are shot and edited, so they probably won’t look as great on a computer. But that’s okay! Enjoy them for what they are: A way to take pictures any time you feel like it. A way to be creative and artsy wherever, whenever. And a way to share your personal art with the world if you so desire, without having to use a separate camera and computer.
Wrap-up
I love to learn from readers, so if you have tips of your own, please post them in the comments! Same for if you want to share Instagram addresses — either your own, or those of photographers you admire. And while you’re here, you can see more photos on my Instagram profile. I provide shooting and editing information with nearly every picture, for those who want even more specific tips.
This is so interesting. I do a lot of photography, but don’t own a smartphone, so not this type of photography at all.
It’s a lot of fun once you get into it, Rachel!
These photos are amazing. I love my DSLR camera, but I’m the same as you. But I don’t have a iPhone. I end up just using my point and shoot when on vacation.
Thank you so much, Stina! And I’m with you — DSLR cameras are wonderful! I love mine, too. But, wow! They are HEAVY. I used to do what you did, but then I discovered there were a lot of times when I wanted pictures and didn’t have my camera with me. Upgrading my phone solved all those problems.
Wow, I now realize how little I know about my iPhone camera! Thanks for this wonderful tutorial! I’ll have to bookmark this page so I can return to it!! 🙂 Oh! And your photos are amazing!!!
I’m so glad it was helpful, Kristin! And thanks for the compliment on the photos. That’s so sweet of you! 🙂
What a helpful post and such beautiful pictures. I am constantly learning new things about taking pictures on my cell phone. I took away some great advice from your post and after trying out a few things I will have to come back and visit so I can learn even more (I can only take in so much at one without trying things first). 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
I’m so glad it was helpful, Stephanie! Honestly, it’s taken me several years to learn all this, so I can see how just working on a few things at a time would be helpful. I did it that same way!
This is super helpful – thank you!! I wish I had tips to share, but I am about as handy with my phone camera as I am with a sewing machine. Which is to say, not at all.
LOL! Despite all of my mom’s attempts to the contrary, I’m not particularly handy with a sewing machine either. It would be nice, though! And I’m so glad you found this helpful. 🙂
Wow, your photos really are amazing. I had never heard of snapseed, but it sounds perfect for photos that need areas brightened. Your before and after on that canyon really say it. Great advice.
Thank you so much!! And, yes, Snapseed is very helpful. Even if I use other programs for filters, etc. I always take each photo through Snapseed at least once.
I am off to download those apps and tinker with my pictures 🙂
Yay! Have fun, Tiana! I just noticed this morning that Snapseed had an update, and after tinkering around with it I’m so happy. (I had emailed them some suggestions after their last overhaul a few weeks ago, and they took those suggestions. Yippee!) Hope you love it, too!!
P.S. If you come up with something fun, link to it here in the comments. I’d love to see it!
Wow, this is fabulous! I’ve been struggling to take good photos with my phone camera for a while, so this is really useful. Have got to try out the enhanced black-and-white tip sometime!
On dimensions, I typically use a square image, which suffices for Pinterest even though longer images are better, and try to place any important things in the part which Twitter will include in the media preview. It’s definitely a pain to find an image that works well across platforms, though.
I’m so glad it was helpful, Alyssa! I especially hope you enjoy the enhanced black-and-white photos. It’s so fun to see what those Instagram filters do to them, especially with their cool toning effects
Great tips on dimensions, too! I usually go with square photos, too, but now it’s mainly out of habit after several years on Instagram.
gorgeous pics and these are GREAT tips! I suck at taking pics and having pics taken, and am going to have to have an author photo done I think…cue stress! this helps a ton! 🙂
Thank you, Beth! And your cat pics are absolutely adorable! They have so much personality in them. Now I want to go right home and snuggle my own kitties. 🙂
And author photos would definitely be stressful! Still, it would be kind of fun to see what came of them. Do you read Pub(lishing) Crawl? They just had a great post on getting good author photos. I looked it up in case you find it helpful: http://www.publishingcrawl.com/2015/05/15/advice-for-getting-author-photos-you-love/
you’re the best, thank you SO much! Bookmarked the page. 🙂
This is such great information, Caryn. I’m a little casual when it comes to my photos (I always put a priority on my words) and you’ve got a ton of useful hints here.
Thank you, Beth! And as a writer it makes total sense that your words would be a priority!