Photography has been a hobby of mine since the age of 12. I took a break during my teenage years, then revived this passion thanks to the invention of smartphones and Instagram. These days, I use my smartphone to shoot on a daily basis, whether it’s street snapshots, timelapse videos, or even portraits.
Portability is what makes smartphones a great photography device. And another factor that plays into it is that it’s a device that you always have around. In my sharings through articles, panels, and talks, I have always put in a lot of emphasis on capturing the mundane everyday life but with a unique frame and/or perspective. For this very purpose, portability is important, as you never know when a perfect moment presents itself. But with portability, comes limitations in other areas. To compensate for these limitations I like to carry a range of accessories.
Smartphone accessories have improved over the years. Here are a few essentials that I always use:
When shooting timelapse videos, the most important thing is stabilization. With a final cut that has multiple aspects moving at the speed of light (not literally), it is important to ground the video with quality stabilization. I use a PIXI EVO 2-Section Mini Tripod with TwistGrip universal smartphone clamp. The clamp is easily adjustable to fit any smartphones, and it’s extra helpful when you have a thick case so you don’t have to take the case off every time you shoot.
A tripod is great for timelapse, but if you’re looking to do video work that require movement, using the TwistGrip universal smartphone clamp along with the TwistGrip is perfect. It has a better grip that provides you more control over your phone, minimizing shakiness which usually happens when you’re just holding onto the phone. The TwistGrip also has a wrist strap, so for people like me who’s usually quite careless, your phone wont drop onto the floor easily.
Low light is a troubling issue when it comes to smartphones. Although, the tech has jumped leaps and bounds in only a decade, the small, handy, multi-purpose devices are not kind in capturing in the dark. You could do everything right, but ‘grainy blotches’ can ruin the composition and tarnish your skills. Whenever I expect to be shooting through the light of day and onto the night, I always find room in my bag for the Lumimuse. It’s a handy little led light that is just as portable as your smartphone and attaches sturdily onto the TwistGrip providing for a professional setup that could fit in your jacket pocket.
Hope you enjoyed this article and found it helpful. If you have any questions, feel free to send me a Direct Message on instagram.com/lielaine.