Many modern mobile phones (cell phones) come with built-in digital cameras that are capable of capturing images in practically the same size as dedicated digital cameras. It is possible to take beautiful, sharp photos on a camera phone, but you have to plan ahead and pay attention to the moment when you push the shutter button.
1: Keep the Phone Steady
One of the most common reasons for blurry photos is a slight movement of the lens when the image is being captured. Often, the phone moves when you push the shutter button, or you believe that the picture already has been saved and you stash the phone away, when in fact, the camera lens is still letting light through to the image sensor.
The less light there is, the longer the lens must let light through to the image sensor and the longer you have to keep the phone steady.For steadying the phone, support it with both hands or hold it against a tree, traffic sign or any solid object. If you can’t find anything to support your hands, hold your elbows against your body. It will stabilize your hands.If you are still shopping for a camera phone, consider a model that has a dedicated camera shutter button. The dedicated camera key is usually placed in a position that gives you a good and comfortable grip when you hold the unit in your hand.
2: Focus on One Object
Photos rarely do justice to wide-open scenery, no matter how beautiful the landscape happens to be. Even with a high-end digital camera, it is difficult to capture the depth and the space of a landscape. Especially with a camera phone, it is better to look around and try to find an interesting object that could be portrayed in the foreground. Then, try to find a camera angle so that the beautiful scenery is in the background.
Digital zoom and optical zoom are two totally different things. Optical zoom can be a big help when framing photos, because the camera optics brings objects closer by magnifying them. The use of optical zoom doesn’t directly affect the image quality or sharpness. Only a few camera phones come with an optical zoom, but many are equipped with digital zoom. When you use digital zoom, objects appear to get closer as if you were using
optical zoom, but that’s not the case. The digital zoom only magnifies the image in the camera software, degrading image quality in the process. Avoid using digital zoom altogether and use your feet to get closer to the object.
If you give your camera to someone who isn’t into photography and ask the person to take your picture, it is very likely that the person will position you in the center of the frame. This usually results in a somewhat dull photo. A simple rule for framing a picture is to divide the image area into three horizontal and three vertical sections. This gives you a grid of nine boxes inside the frame.
The secret for balanced photos is to position the subject into one of the intersections on the grid. These intersections, the corners of the center box in the frame, are the anchor points for the main topic of your image.
5: Look for Side Light
When you are photographing outdoors, and you can take advantage of the daylight, it is possible to take excellent photos almost anywhere. Still, avoid situations where the sun is shining straight into the lens, because the image sensor can be exposed to excessive light and the whole frame may be washed out. If the light is reflected from behind the camera and straight into the object, the object may lack contrast.The safest technique is to position yourself so that the object is lit from a side. This way, you get enough light and nice contrast for the image.
There is a delay between the moment you press the shutter button and when the camera captures an image. The clicking sound doesn’t mean that the camera has captured the photo; it just indicates that you pressed the shutter button. If you push the shutter button when a moving object already has reached the center of the frame, it is quite likely that the object will have disappeared from the frame before the camera captures the image.
It depends on the direction and the speed of the object how early in advance you have to press the shutter. If you are close to the object or if it is moving fast and sideways in front of you, you have to be well prepared and push the shutter early enough, sometimes even before the object enters the frame. Another technique for framing a moving object is to smoothly follow the movement with the lens. It is important to follow the object before and after you press the shutter.
Taking photos of objects in water or snow is tricky, because water and snow reflect plenty of light. When an object is photographed against water or snow, it easily remains as a dark, unrecognizable entity. Try to point the lens on different spots on and off the object in order to find an area that doesn’t have such a high contrast between the dark and light areas in the frame. Another technique for avoiding excessive light from the water or snow is to find a creative camera angle that doesn’t let so much light into the lens.
You can make your photos more dynamic by experimenting with different camera angles. For example, point the lens to the subject from a lower or higher angle than you would normally do. Hold the camera at some other level than your eye level. If there are people blocking your view, raise the camera above your head and point it to the subject.
When you take photos indoors, use the flash or find a location with plenty of light. Nothing will save you from murky, unrecognizable faces if there isn’t enough light for the lens. If you have a new phone model that came with a built-in flash, use it. The average camera phone flash won’t do miracles in poor light, so you should take a test picture to verify the image quality.
3: Use Digital Zoom with Caution
Digital zoom and optical zoom are two totally different things. Optical zoom can be a big help when framing photos, because the camera optics brings objects closer by magnifying them. The use of optical zoom doesn’t directly affect the image quality or sharpness. Only a few camera phones come with an optical zoom, but many are equipped with digital zoom. When you use digital zoom, objects appear to get closer as if you were using
optical zoom, but that’s not the case. The digital zoom only magnifies the image in the camera software, degrading image quality in the process. Avoid using digital zoom altogether and use your feet to get closer to the object.
4: Pay Attention to Framing Your Shots
If you give your camera to someone who isn’t into photography and ask the person to take your picture, it is very likely that the person will position you in the center of the frame. This usually results in a somewhat dull photo. A simple rule for framing a picture is to divide the image area into three horizontal and three vertical sections. This gives you a grid of nine boxes inside the frame.
The secret for balanced photos is to position the subject into one of the intersections on the grid. These intersections, the corners of the center box in the frame, are the anchor points for the main topic of your image.
5: Look for Side Light
When you are photographing outdoors, and you can take advantage of the daylight, it is possible to take excellent photos almost anywhere. Still, avoid situations where the sun is shining straight into the lens, because the image sensor can be exposed to excessive light and the whole frame may be washed out. If the light is reflected from behind the camera and straight into the object, the object may lack contrast.The safest technique is to position yourself so that the object is lit from a side. This way, you get enough light and nice contrast for the image.
6: Perfect Your Timing When Shooting Moving Objects
There is a delay between the moment you press the shutter button and when the camera captures an image. The clicking sound doesn’t mean that the camera has captured the photo; it just indicates that you pressed the shutter button. If you push the shutter button when a moving object already has reached the center of the frame, it is quite likely that the object will have disappeared from the frame before the camera captures the image.
It depends on the direction and the speed of the object how early in advance you have to press the shutter. If you are close to the object or if it is moving fast and sideways in front of you, you have to be well prepared and push the shutter early enough, sometimes even before the object enters the frame. Another technique for framing a moving object is to smoothly follow the movement with the lens. It is important to follow the object before and after you press the shutter.
7: Pay Attention to the Light Near Water and Snow
Taking photos of objects in water or snow is tricky, because water and snow reflect plenty of light. When an object is photographed against water or snow, it easily remains as a dark, unrecognizable entity. Try to point the lens on different spots on and off the object in order to find an area that doesn’t have such a high contrast between the dark and light areas in the frame. Another technique for avoiding excessive light from the water or snow is to find a creative camera angle that doesn’t let so much light into the lens.
8: Try Different Camera Angles for More Dynamic Images
You can make your photos more dynamic by experimenting with different camera angles. For example, point the lens to the subject from a lower or higher angle than you would normally do. Hold the camera at some other level than your eye level. If there are people blocking your view, raise the camera above your head and point it to the subject.
9: Use Flash for Indoor Photos
When you take photos indoors, use the flash or find a location with plenty of light. Nothing will save you from murky, unrecognizable faces if there isn’t enough light for the lens. If you have a new phone model that came with a built-in flash, use it. The average camera phone flash won’t do miracles in poor light, so you should take a test picture to verify the image quality.
10: Take Extra Photos
Whenever you are taking pictures and the situation allows it, take a couple of extra photos. A camera phone is an excellent device for capturing all kinds of photos, but in the heat of the moment, it may be impossible to tell if the image you shot was a masterpiece. Take the extra photos; you can easily remove the failed pictures later.
More information:
How-to use a mobile phone as a digital camera, music player, GPS navigator, camcorder, and for Internet access on Avec Mobile
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