Have you every shot a picture with a phone and felt disappointed with the outcome?
What you saw was far lower than what you had expected. “It should be better,” you said.
In determination to get a good picture with a phone, you tried over and over again.
Still, the outcome was same.
You are not alone.
I walked into a mall in excitement one day, and my mind was on how I will make good pictures with my phone.
Unfortunately, taking a selfie was out of it for me that day. I was well dressed so I need a full pix. I gave my phone to some to do the shooting.
After the shot, I collected my phone, but the moment I looked at the picture, I said thank you and put the phone in my pocket.
The picture of me I saw was like a masquerade. Funny, but that is what I get often when I ask people to make a picture of me.
Sadly, many people do not just know how to take pictures with a phone. It is beyond raising a phone and shooting a subject.
There are so many things that determine the quality of the picture that you will produce with your phone.
Here are few things to consider before you touch the shutter on your phone and take that shot.
1. Dimension
There are two dimensions that you should consider before you take a photograph.
Vertical (Portrait) or Horizontal (Landscape).
These two dimensions are available to you when you want to use your phone to take a picture.
Vertical is keeping your phone the normal way you hold your phone and horizontal is holding your phone in a flat dimension.
Each of them has its advantages and disadvantages. If you want a full image or long shot, you should consider using the vertical dimension.
If you want to do something more close tight, either a vertical or horizontal shot could work.
Basically, the horizontal shot gives you an opportunity to have more background in the picture and is often great when you want to take pictures of a group of persons. It is a reat dimension for videos.
2. Camera Level Position
This is one reason some images come with the head of the subject looking bigger than his or her body.
When you want to take a picture of someone, make sure that your camera is at your chest level and not at your head or eye level.
This is especially if the persons is your height or shorter than you are.
Having the phone at the chest level ensures that the phone captures a more appropriate figure of the person.
If the person is shorter than you are, there is need to bend and target the subject’s chest level.
3. Clean Lens Before You Take A Picture With A Phone
Unfortunately, many persons do not do this. The truth is that your phone, being something you hold with your hand, chances are that your finger print could be on the lens.
This finger print or other form of dirt could alter the quality of your image.
As such, it is important that you clean your lens before taking a picture. Clean with a cotton material or special lens cleaning material.
4. Be Sure Of Camera Resolution
This is just very important.
Fortunately, I have an article on resolution and camera setting. Taking your picture with the right camera setting is important.
It ensures that you are maximising the camera of your phone.
See Article On Camera Setting
5. Consider Lighting
This is one aspect of photography that you have to give good attention to. Having a good lighting can make a low-megapixel camera produce a great image.
Also, a poor light can make a high-megapixel camera produce a poor image.
As a result, getting your lighting right will improve your picture quality each time.
The rule is that your lens must not face the higher light source in the location.
Let us use the sun for example. To take a picture outside, with the sun up there, ensure that you, holding the phone, backs the sun while the subject faces the sun.
This ensures that the light falls on the subject.
In a room, let the light be in front of the subject or above the subject.
6. Allow Camera Focus
If your phone is set to focus automatically, allow the phone camera to focus and show the green line before you touch the shutter.
Not allowing the phone focus will mean producing a blurry image.
Watch out to see that the yellow box changes to green (if your phone has that auto focus indicator).
7. Increase Brightness Where Necessary
Increase the amount of light that comes into the lens by adjusting the exposure bias if you are in a room that has poor lighting.
This will help improve the quality of image that you will produce. See how to increase exposure bias.
8. Keep Hand Steady
A steady hand makes images great. One of the reasons images are blurry or appear like a masquerade is shaky hands.
Once your phone is shaking the phone will battle to focus and eventually you may take the picture before it focuses.
Some persons move their hands when they want to touch the shutter and that makes the image blurry.
To help the hand stay stable, use your two hands to hold the phone. Let your left hand grip the phone like a tripod phone holder.
That way the phone is stable and ready for a great shot.
9. Use A Tripod
If you are not able to achieve a stable hand, it may be necessary that you get a tripod and place your phone on it.
Here, you can use the camera timer to take your selfie.
Have You Read: How To Know A Good Phone For Video Making
Most importantly, you will overcome the issue of shaky hands once you use a tripod.
There are different tripods that are available on e-commerce platforms. Click tripod link above to see some.
10. Use Zoom Lens
If there is a distance to cover, instead of zooming in and have shakes elaborated, use a zoom lens.
Adding a zoom lens to your phone will help you capture subjects at a distance easily.
Zoom lens is great, but also remember to clean the lens before you take your shot.
If you find this article helpful, kindly share with your friends.
