Tips on How to Shoot Quality Photos from your Cellphone

There was a time when the only way to get quality photographs was with the use of a professional camera with big zoom lenses that are just a little smaller than the manual typewriter. Those days are gone. Now, a lot of the high quality pictures that we are seeing on websites were taken from cellphones. If you are fond of taking photos from your cellphone, here are some tips to improve the quality of your shots.

1. Shoot at Close Range

Images are all about light and there are times when the background is brighter than the subject you are shooting. If the background is too bright, your subject won’t stand out. To get the clearest and most colorful photo of your subject, close in on it and include the least possible background in the frame.

2. Don’t Apply Pre-Set Filters, Edit it!

Your cellphone might come with pre-set filters for your camera. Sometimes, these pre-settings can produce great effects on your shots; however, the problem with these pre-settings is that their effects are irreversibly. It is best to take your photos without filtering to prevent losing the natural colors. Remember, pictures are moments of time that you can’t go back to. You can’t shoot that same scene again but, you can always edit contrast, saturation and hue later in Photoshop. And when you have edited the image, always keep a file of the original unedited photo so you can always go back to redo your edits.

3. Don’t Blur

When editing; don’t blur the background of your subject. The objective of editing a photo is to make it look like it was not edited. It is very hard to create a natural transition from the clarity of the main subject to the blurriness of the background. Shooting close to the subject should already create that effect and there’s no need to exaggerate it.

4. Don’t Zoom, Crop it

Cellphones’ have a “zoom in” feature in their camera function but you’ll immediately notice that the image becomes blurred the moment you use it. When you zoom in on the subject, your camera is just enlarging the pixels. Instead of zooming, you’ll get better quality on your photos by cropping.

5. Don’t use Flash, Be creative with the Available Lighting

What about shooting in a dark place? The flash on your cellphone is just a flashlight. All it will produce is pale white skin and demon eyes. If you are shooting in a bar, it is best to shut off your flash and take your photos near the dim-lit bar or next to any soft neon light. Taking pictures in concerts will involve perfect timing. You can capture the best images when the pyros go off.

6. Clean you Lens

Now, even if you apply all of these techniques, you won’t get a clear photo from a dirty lens. If it was a real camera, you will put your cellphone in a special casing. But it’s not, so it’s just probably in your pocket; that place where you also wipe your hands inconspicuously after eating something greasy. You might not see the grime on your lens but it’s there. Most cellphone lenses are durable and are not easy to scratch. Your photos will be clearer if you wipe your camera lens before shooting. You can use your handkerchief or even just the bottom part of your shirt to clean it.

Applying these techniques might not be enough to win a Pulitzer Price or a National Newspaper Award but, you get quality photos to represent the most important events in your life. After snapping these photos with these new hot tip,  stop by your local CVS and  print these photos.