Phone photography tips

Smartphone cameras have come a long way in recent years, and now you can snap photos so good they look like they’ve been done with a professional camera. It’s also possible to shoot entire films with nothing but an iPhone.

Check out some of our DIY phone photography hacks so you can take pics like a pro.

Gridlines

Turning the gridlines on when taking pictures on your phone can help you achieve the professional quality you’re after. You can improve the framing of your picture by following the gridlines, especially if you have multiple objects or people in the same photo.

Apple has built an indicator into their cameras to show whether you’re holding your iPhone level. Say goodbye to wonky photos.

Turn off the flash

Phone cameras have improved rapidly over the past few years, and the flash function is now almost redundant. The flash will drain your battery and can also delay the photo being taken. You might think the photo has been taken and move your phone, which will result in a blurry photo.

The flash can also cause the colours in a photo to appear altered or washed out. The best thing to do is simply to set your exposure high if you think the flash might be necessary and keep your camera still while taking the photo.

Get the lighting right

The way the lighting appears in your photos can mean the difference between a professional grade shot and an amateur snap.

The best way to utilise the light for great phone photos is to have it directly, or at least partially, behind you. This way all the colours in your photo will be saturated and you won’t have any glare either. Of course, once you get more confident you can change up where your lighting is for more creative shots.

Clean the lenses

You’d be surprised how much difference cleaning your camera lenses can make to the quality of your phone photography.

Most smartphones have an oleophobic coating which repels oil and grease, but it doesn’t hurt to clean the lenses every now and then. The best way to do this is to wipe them with a damp cloth before drying them with a clean, dry microfibre cloth.

Have fun with it

While there are a few things that are photography faux pas (like putting your thumb over the lens), most photography comes down to personal taste.

So, whether you always use the same filter for your photography, or enjoy taking photos at an angle, if you’re having a good time and enjoying it, you should just do what makes you happy.

Try it yourself

If you want to try some phone photography yourself but want to upgrade your phone before, buy one from giffgaff. Our new and refurbished phones have great quality cameras, ready for you to try your hand at photography.