Amy Hopkins gives us her tips on how to take great iPhone pictures
Think about composition
It sounds obvious, but put a bit of thought into your photo before you take it. An easy composition rule to remember is the rule of thirds. This involves dividing your screen with three horizontal and vertical lines, so you’re left with twelve parts. Lining up your subject so that it sits at a point where the grid lines intersect will usually result in a much stronger image than plonking it in the centre. Some apps will help you by placing grid lines on your screen, but they’re easy to visualize on your own. Another thing to bear in mind is that camera phones can’t isolate subjects from their backgrounds. To tackle this, either set your subject against a blank background, or let your subject fill the screen. On the other hand, if you’re shooting something dynamic – like a crowded street – do the opposite and embrace the busy background! There are dozens of nifty tips for good composition, but by far the best is: don’t be afraid to experiment!
Pay attention to lighting
Without doubt one of the most important factors in photography – lighting can make or break a picture. Make sure your subject is well lit, and if you’re shooting indoors, keep the light behind you. Unfortunately the iPhone has a single LED bulb, which isn’t very powerful, drains the phone’s battery and – worst of all – casts your photos and videos with an unflattering greenish light. Happily you can get round this by attaching LED light to your phone. Until now, using an external light with the iPhone has been difficult, but KLYP by Manfrotto is a brilliant little device that makes it a whole lot easier. KLYP is an iPhone case designed specifically to attach the lighting accessories you’ll need to turn your amateurish snaps into photos worthy of publication!
Love your phone!
If you’re going to take pictures with your phone, look after in the way you would a state-of-the-art SLR camera. Get to know it inside and out, figure out its shortcuts and quirks, and grasp as much as you can about its mechanics. For instance, phones aren’t the speediest cameras on the market, so working out the exact moment when the shutter closes will help no end in capturing those one-off moments. Also, treat your camera phone to a few extras – make the most of the staggering array of photography apps and specialist phone camera accessories on the market. You’ll be amazed by what you can achieve with a little help from Instagram, a fisheye lens or Manfrotto’s KLYP. And above all – keep those mucky fingers off the lens!