Sometimes you are in a situation that you didn't bring your camera with you and you really want to take a photograph of something interesting, so you use the phone. It's a common misconception that people think that by only using phone camera it means their photographs can't be artistic or have high quality look to it. I'll try to break that myth here with some suggestions and examples.
You see, it's not the camera, but who's behind it, that determines if the photograph is good or not. If you give the newest, expensive camera to an amateur, the results will still fail compared to a professional with toy camera who knows what he's doing.
Whether you use your phone camera exclusively or occasionally I want to encourage you to hone your skills and challenge yourself to make the best out of every situation. As a curator who's digging through the posts daily, I often see the potential not being met because of the lazy approach.
All the guidelines for professional cameras apply when you are using phone camera as well:
- Make sure the horizon is straight, same as the perspective (except on special occasions)
- Don't cut people and objects at the edge of the frame. It really shows sloppiness when there's a half a person visible on the side
- Use the rule of thirds, leading lines and symmetry to create balanced compositions
- It's always better when the light is good
...and most importantly - Don't skip the edit! The photograph is not finished just because you clicked the shutter. You are not using analog films that already have designated color schemes and contrast settings. No, the normal, out of the (phone) camera photos are too bland and need some spice. Skipping edit is like eating pancakes without the topping.
There are many phone apps nowadays (for example, you can use Snapseed or Inshot) that have some predesigned looks and settings you can tweak. Have your own style and don't overdo it, but add enough touch so that the image comes to life.
Here is a collection of photos I took with my phone lately - it's usually in situations when I'm not thinking about photography and something interesting suddenly happens, like a pretty sunset, unusual cloud formations or goofy cats. :)
