How to take the best photos with an iPhone 14 Pro

These days, you don’t need a Kodak or a Canon to take fantastic pictures. All you need is a camera phone.

With Apple’s latest advancements in technology, the iPhone 14 Pro boasts an impressive camera system up there with the very best. In this blog post, we will explore some tips and techniques to help you take great photos using your iPhone 14 Pro.

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1. Understanding the camera features

The first step to taking awesome photos with your iPhone 14 Pro, is to get to know its camera features.

The iPhone 14 Pro boasts a high-resolution sensor, Apple’s first 48-megapixel camera. Compared to Apple’s previous 12-megapixel cameras, the iPhone 14 Pro lets you capture four times more detail in your photos.

Optical image stabilisation keeps your photos in focus, even if you move the camera. A gyroscope inside the phone senses that the camera has moved and corrects the blurring.

The iPhone 14 Pro has advanced computational photography capabilities. It combines lots of software tricks, like pixel correction and image stabilisation, to give you professional-quality photographs.

And don’t forget to check out the camera settings and modes, like Portrait and Night modes. These can help you achieve professional-quality shots no matter the conditions.

The features:

• Photonic Engine. Enhances your photos when the lighting is low, giving you crystal-clear images even in night mode.
• Deep Fusion. Edits your photo pixel by pixel, blurring out imperfections and sharpening shaky images.
• Portrait Lighting with six effects (Natural, Studio, Contour, Stage, Stage Mono, High-Key Light Mono). Make your photos look professional with varying lighting effects.
• Photographic Styles. These aren’t filters, they’re tones you can use to change the light your camera lets in; giving you warmer or cooler-toned photos.
• Lens correction (Ultra Wide). The iPhone 14 Pro comes with an ultra-wide lens, letting you capture more of an image than previous iPhones.

2. Master composition techniques

The way you compose a shot is super important for making it look good. A balanced and engaging photo is achieved by placing your subject off-centre using the rule of thirds.

Turn on the grid on your camera and try to place your subject where the lines intersect, rather than always placing it in the centre. This is a great way to get more interesting photos that really catch the eye.

Make your images pop with depth and interest by exploring different angles and perspectives; don’t be afraid to experiment! Oh, but make sure you have the lens correction setting turned on in your camera settings to help correct lens distortion. This will help with the selfie and wide camera too.

3. Use natural lighting where possible

Good lighting is important in photography, and the iPhone 14 Pro camera excels across most lighting situations. That said, it pays to make use of natural light when possible, especially during the golden hours (early morning or late afternoon) for a softer light and warm glow.

Be wary of the harsh midday sunlight as this can lead to overexposed or washed-out images. As a rule, it’s best to avoid a midday photo shoot.

4. Master portrait mode

With the iPhone 14 Pro’s Portrait mode, you can capture stunning portraits with a shallow depth-of-field effect.

For the best portrait shots, ensure that the subject is well-lit and that their clothes and colouring contrast with the background. To achieve the desired Bokeh effect (focused subject and nice blurry background), play around with different lighting conditions and distances. Tap your iPhone screen to help your camera know what you want to be the focus of your shot.

Additionally, the iPhone 14 Pro’s Portrait Lighting options are great for adding professional-looking lighting effects to your finished portraits.

5. Master night mode

Night Mode is another outstanding feature on the iPhone 14 Pro, helping you capture bright images in low-light conditions by automatically adjusting settings like exposure time and ISO sensitivity, resulting in detailed pictures.

Steady hands and natural light sources such as street lights and the moon can help create stunning night shots without any blurs. If you need a little extra help, why not invest in a tripod?

An iPhone tripod is specifically designed to keep your phone steady while you take photos, allowing for crystal-clear photographs. Any iPhone tripod is a good one; some even come with a detachable ring light, letting you take professional selfies by day and stunning landscape shots by night.

6. Capture candid moments

The most memorable photographs are often candid shots that capture genuine emotions and experiences.

Keep your iPhone 14 Pro camera handy to capture spontaneous moments while you’re out and about. Avoid staged poses and let the moments unfold naturally. The storytelling element in candid photos can be powerful in arousing emotions. Looking back at them in your photo album will bring it all flooding back again; hopefully in a good way!

7. How to take better selfies

The iPhone 14 Pro’s selfie camera comes with autofocus, which adjusts so that the background is blurred, and the focus is on the subject of the photo: you. You’ll also be able to take much clearer selfies with TrueDepth, a new type of selfie camera that enhances colour and keeps your selfies sharp.

The convenience and accessibility of smartphones have turned selfies into an integral part of our daily lives. But just clicking a button won’t cut it for a great selfie. A few simple tips can help you take selfies that showcase your personality and capture your best angle.

Lighting is crucial. For the best selfies, use natural light by taking them outside or near a window during daylight hours. Avoid using harsh overhead lighting or backlighting as it can create unflattering shadows on your face. Experiment with angles. Play around to find the most flattering angle for your face. Experiment with your phone’s angle or tilt your head for a better shot. Use burst mode. Burst is a great way to take action shots or multiple poses in a single selfie. Activating burst mode on your iPhone 14 Pro is as easy as holding down the shutter button to capture several photos in quick succession. Try the rear camera. The front camera on the iPhone 14 Pro is great for selfies, but there are other options that might be better. If you want better pictures, use the iPhone’s rear camera. Clean the lens. Before you take a selfie on your iPhone 14 Pro, wipe off any smudges or fingerprints from the lens. A dirty lens could ruin even your best pics.

8. Experiment with editing apps

The iPhone 14 Pro camera takes impressive photos, but editing can make them even better. Use editing apps like Adobe Lightroom, Snapseed, or VSCO to fine-tune the exposure, contrast, colour, and sharpness of your images. Balance is crucial; too much editing can make your photos look unnatural.

These are the best photo editing apps available on iPhone and Android.

9. Make your photography stylish

The Photographic Styles feature on the iPhone 14 Pro is one of its most underrated camera features, but there are many reasons to use it.

Photographic Styles are not filters; instead, they are preset levels for tone and warmth in the camera app that allow you to customise what your iPhone camera captures in real-time. The Photographic Style defaults to Standard, which gives a well-balanced appearance. You have four more options to choose from: Rich Contrast, Vibrant, Warm, and Cool.

You have the option to modify the default setting to a different preset in the Settings app or switch between presets while using the Camera app. In addition, you can personalise each preset Tone and Warmth levels to your liking. This allows you to develop your unique “style” with every photo you capture.

However, unlike filters, you can’t change or remove a style if you change your mind. So be sure to play around with this feature before using it in real time.

With the iPhone 14 Pro’s advanced camera capabilities and the right techniques, you can take awe-inspiring photos in just a few snaps. So grab your iPhone 14 Pro and start exploring the world of mobile photography.

£150 off

If you’re looking for a new iPhone, why not try out the iPhone 14 Pro? Here at giffgaff, we’re offering an exclusive deal of up to £150 off a new iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, or iPhone 14 Pro Max until the end of September. You’ll be able to pay in instalments, or all at once.

Plus, why not also get one of our great SIM only deals to go with it?

Did you find this useful? Let us know on the giffgaff community forum and share your photography tips and tricks with your fellow members. Discover our best camera phones, and shop them new or shop refurbished through giffgaff.