Back in the day, taking professional photos was only possible through the use of DSLR cameras, while mid-level images taken from casual events were created with the help of budget-friendly digital cameras. Taking professional photos or even amateur shots from mobile phones is far-fetched and somewhat ludicrous considering their extremely low resolution at that time. But this is no longer the case, as modern smartphones are more than capable of capturing stunning photos with DSLR-esque qualities, especially those offered by flagship brands. In this article, you will learn how to take professional photos or videos using your smartphone that will capture special moments in great detail and wow your followers on social media. So without further delays, let’s get right into today’s article.
Straightforward Steps in Taking Professional Photos with the Help of Your Smartphone
Gone are the days when mobile phones used to have notoriously low-resolution and grainy images that are often blown out or super dark when sufficient lighting is not available. However, not most people are aware of the potential of their handheld devices’ capability to generate stunning images. Below are some simple tips and guidelines on how you can fully optimize your phone’s camera in capturing your special moments either for private reminiscence or for sharing on social media.
Take Shots with Intention
I believe the most important aspect of taking photos or videos with your smartphone is the intention behind it. In fact, it is more than tinkering with camera settings, editing apps, or using filters since having the intention in the first place gives you the desire to produce the images you want. Think of it this way—imagine the possible outcome of an event taken by a person with great awareness from an individual who is taking pictures thoughtlessly. Furthermore, such intentions are what sets apart an amateur from a professional. With this being said—it all starts in your mindset and you must treat your mobile phone as an essential for photography for you to improve your skills in the field.
Photo Apps and Camera Settings
Now that you have cultivated your mindset, we now have to turn our attention to the most crucial part of the step which is to select your go-to photo apps and adjust your camera settings. Your typical mobile software has a default camera app, but it may not be suitable for taking professional photos and you may have to identify the program that best fits your style and needs. To find the best photo app, you may undergo a period of trial and error until you find the app with the features you need. As for the camera setting, one of the recommendations you will see over and over again online is to enable the gridlines and utilize the power of thirds which is also the foundation of the basics of photography. To turn on the gridlines, you have to open your camera app first and open your camera settings which is typically represented by the burger icon or the three horizontal lines on top of the dashboard. And then, find the grid mode and enable it.
Try to Get Better with Composition
Another foundation in photography is composition. This part of the process requires a lot of practice to gain the skills that capture your audience’s attention, so to speak. A good starting point here is to angle your shot. It may compel you to go lower to the ground or tiptoe or whatever it takes to position your camera at the best angle. To get better at taking good photos, you may practice with fences, buildings, trees, bushes, foot traffic, etc. Then, pay attention to the lighting and how it interacts with the shadows of your subject. Finally, determine the line or where the subject is positioned within your camera gridlines. It may take a lot of work, but the results are proven to be fulfilling once you master your style through composition.
Lighting
You have to bear in mind that the lighting determines how vibrant or dull your photo may turn into. Thus, it is important how lit the area is to produce a photo that is full of life and emits a sort of sense of emotion to whomever it was shown to. Again, lighting goes back to shooting with intention and managing your compositions—is the lighting interacting with the subject in a way that captures its most stunning angle? Or is the subject properly aligned in my camera view so that it provides sufficient vibrance? Such consideration allows you to ascertain the best angle and when is the best time to take the shot.
Editing Mobile Apps
Last, but definitely not the least is to take advantage of editing apps. Although we do not have the benefit of Photoshops and other PC software, a few good mobile applications can help you polish your photos. For example, such applications supplement you with the advantage of adjusting the lighting if you are not satisfied with the end result, crop some parts of the image, or even clear out blemishes if needed.
Final Thoughts
As for the conclusion of this article, allow me to reiterate that taking professional photos is available for anybody as long as you have the deep desire and intention we discussed earlier. In addition to managing your mindset and dedicating yourself to the process, you must bear in mind the foundation such as compositions, lighting, camera settings, and taking advantage of editing apps. Let me also add that your camera phone plays a significant role as well. One of the best mobile phones for your consideration is the HONOR Magic7 RSR Smartphone, which features a 200MP main camera that produces 2160p resolution and makes it perfect for your mobile photography needs.
