Five Minute Marketing: How to Take Better Phone Pictures
While most of us aren’t professional photographers, it’s a pretty safe bet that if you’re reading this article, you own a smartphone - in fact, you’re most likely reading this on your phone! I have watched countless people take iPhone pictures throughout the years, whether it’s a selfie at an event or a formal family picture at a wedding, and although your picture might not match the quality of a professional or their camera gear, there are a few things you can do to take the best phone pictures possible!
1) Light from the front, not the back.
One extremely common habit I’ve seen is to position people in front of a window. This creates a lighting dilemma because the light from behind almost always overpowers the light from in front, resulting in a bright white background and darker or silhouetted faces. Either face people towards the window, or turn them parallel to and a little behind the window to give good front-lighting or side-lighting.
2) Move your feet and know where to crop.
A lot of framing issues can be fixed by taking a couple steps forward or backward. Are you cutting everyone off at the ankles? Just move back a little bit and include their feet. If you’re taking a horizontal photo, step in and make sure the subject of your picture is the main focus of it. One step can make a huge difference!
3) Regularly clean your camera lens.
I can’t take credit for this advice (although I can’t remember where I first heard it!), but one huge issue is that the camera lens is dirty. This can happen so easily and so often, that it’s good practice to wipe the lens off with a cloth, your shirt, or even a tissue, every once in awhile or before taking an important photo, like a big family picture at a wedding. Ask any professional - a clean camera can make all the difference in the world!
There are a million other pieces of advice I could offer, but for the sake of keeping this a five-minute tip, these are the top three ways to take better phone pictures. Have questions or need specific advice? Leave a comment below and I’ll help with whatever issues you may be having!
If you want to go a little more in depth, click here to watch my video tips!
