Take Better iPhone Photos | Tips & Tricks from a Photographer

“The best camera is the one that’s with you.” - Chase Jarvis

Let’s be honest, for most of us (yes, even us photographers) the camera we most often have on us is a cellphone or an iPhone. I’m writing this from an iPhone user perspective because that’s what I use. Sorry Android folks.

Here is a collection of my favorite iPhone photography tips - some based on iPhone settings and some based on you as the photographer.

1. Burst Mode. I cannot stress this one enough if you are photographing moving subjects. (ie. humans & animals. Burst Mode is used simply by holding down the shutter button when taking a photo. You will hear a series of light clicks letting you know your camera is taking a long string of photos. You’ll have to sort through the images to find the best one, but it’s so worth it when you find you’ve captured the perfect expression/pose.

2. Turn off Live Mode. Let me start this by saying I really love Live Mode. SOMETIMES. It is valuable in its own way. But if your goal is the sharpest, highest quality photo, turn it off. Live mode majorly degrades the quality of the image.

3. Shoot from different angles. It’s easy to get in the habit of only taking photos at chest level, never bothering to change angles. Shoot from down low (this is especially good for children/pets) or shoot from up high. Interesting angles create an interesting image.

4. Post process your images. You can do basic edits like exposure, contract, etc. right within your iPhone. If you want to go beyond that, you can use presets (aka filters) to give your photos a matching aesthetic. One of my favorite third party apps with very tasteful presets is Tezza.

These are just a few of my favorite tips — a small scratch in the world of iPhone photography. There are endless resources at your fingertips. If you want to keep improving, don’t stop researching, reading, watching, and digging for new information.