5 tricks for better iPhone pictures

June 9, 2014 by

Joe Garcia

The best camera you have is…the one that is with you!

As much as I love my DSLR camera, sometimes I find myself armed only with my iPhone camera. It has its limitations, but here are 5 tips that will help you improve your iPhone photography. It's actually a great camera.

1

DO NOT zoom with your camera phone

The zoom on phones is a digital zoom and it only magnifies the pixels to get the size you want. This makes photos look horrible.

The solution: Zoom with your feet. Physically move closer!

2

Use both hands

The secret to any super sharp and in focus image is to steady the camera as much as possible. Especially with a camera phone. Use a table, wall, or friend to steady the camera as much as possible. (I always use the Volume + button to snap my iPhone pics to prevent as much camera shake as possible.)

3

Lock your focus and exposure

Most people know that they can tap the screen to focus on a particular part of a photo. If you CLICK and HOLD, your iPhone will lock the focus and exposure until you snap the picture. This is very handy when you have dark shadows and highlights, or when your phone doesn’t focus where you want. Just lock it down.

4

Turn on your grid lines

The grid lines are very handy to help you determine the rule of thirds or to make sure that the horizon is perfectly straight in the background.

In iOS 7 this is done by going to Settings >> Photos & Camera >> and turning on Grid for the Camera.

5

Find good light

Find places inside that are well lit and not in the dark. When you’re outside, don’t make people look into the sun. Have the sun at their back or move to the shade and use Tip #3 to get the exposure you need.