Smart & Connected Life Travel Tech 438 438 people found this article helpful Tips for Mobile Photography Snap amazing pictures on the go by Brad Puet Writer Brad Puet has written for the Huffington Post and other outlets about music and photography. His commercial photography has appeared in the Washington Post, VICE, and Slate. our editorial process LinkedIn Brad Puet Updated on July 07, 2020 reviewed by Michael Barton Heine Jr Lifewire Tech Review Board Member Michael Heine is a CompTIA-certified writer, editor, and Network Engineer with 25+ years' experience working in the television, defense, ISP, telecommunications, and education industries. our review board Article reviewed on Feb 25, 2021 Michael Barton Heine Jr Tweet Share Email Travel Tech Digital Cameras & Photography Tips for Mobile Photography Mobile photography is on the rise as camera technology improves with each new model. Want to learn how to take great pictures on your phone? You'll be a pro in no time following these 10 tips. It's All About the Light Artur Debat / Getty Images It's true. It's all about the light. That's what will help make a good image a great image. Check out the shadows that the sun makes on subjects. Notice the reflective light off buildings. Practice during the 'golden hour,' the period of time shortly after sunrise or just prior to sunset. Watch how the light from a window falls inside a room at different moments. The smartphone is not the greatest in low light situations. It's best to capitalize on lighting conditions your device functions under best. Avoid the Zoom Brad Puet Do not ever use the zoom on your smart phone. Zooming in could be the first mistake made when taking a picture. Often the images will come out grainy or hazy. Instead, move closer to the object so you don't have to rely on the camera. This is mainly due to the size of the lens. If you had a larger lens, the quality of the zoomed image would be clearer. Stabilize Your Shots Ekely / Getty Images Camera shake when taking pictures is a factor on all cameras. The key to fixing this is to practice how you hold your phone. Hold it horizontal at all times instead of vertical to get a wider image Try burst mode when snapping pictures of moving objects. Know what you will use for your shutter (either the button assigned, a software shutter button, a timer, or the volume on your headphones). The idea is to get you to a place where you take clear images with no camera shake. You'll be happy with the result. Try a tripod for stability. This frees you up to focus on better pictures. Mix up Your Angles Brad Puet Change your perspective on things. Trying different angles not only gets you a better shot, it also shows how you see the subject. So get down on the ground, climb up on a high vantage point, move to the side and change your point of view. Try as many different angles on your subject as possible. Try Some Apps Danielle Tunstall / Getty Images Mobile photography is awesome because of the thousands of apps that are dedicated to the camera on smart phones. These apps are incredibly helpful in editing your work. While you can't correct problems like bad lighting, you can improve other details to make a subject look acne-free, sharpen specific aspects of an image, add text or other effects over the photo. Find your favorite photo app, learn to use it well, and you can take your already awesome image to the next level. Keep It Clean Sinan Saglam/Getty Images Clean the glass on your lens. Much like when you have a dirty windshield, cleaning it can give you sharper view and improve results. A shot with a clean lens is always going to be better than a shot through a greasy thumb print. Experiment With the Flash Shutterbug75 / Pixabay Even though your phone camera doesn't have as powerful of a flash as a digital camera, you can still get some interesting results by using it. The flash can help emphasize shade, make colors brighter, and add other interesting effects. Experiment by taking one photo without, then one with the flash. Make notes and compare the differences. Quality and Quantity Brad Puet Don't be afraid to take another shot. Snap away at anything and everything that suits your fancy. The important thing here is that the more photos you shoot, the more comfortable you will get and the more you will determine the direction you'd like to take your mobile photography. The only thing holding you back is how much storage is on your phone and how long your battery can last. Use Reflections for More Interesting Shots Brad Puet Mirrors, glasses, puddles and bodies of water, smooth and shiny surfaces all make for good reflections. Push yourself to look for reflective surfaces and place your subjects at angles or in direct comparison to the reflection. Even simple shades of light can make amazing reflections. Have Fun Brad Puet This is the last and really the only rule that you should stick to. If you don't listen to anything given here, "Have Fun" is the one rule that you have to promise yourself that you will use when getting into mobile photography. Join in photo walks with other photographers and communities in your area. It's always fun when you do it alongside others who are learning and enjoying the art. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Email Address Sign up There was an error. Please try again. You're in! Thanks for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. Thank you for signing up. Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit