For a long time people have been asking me for iphone photo tips and I kept putting it off and putting it off so that I could format it into a post that would be the record-breaking best shit to ever be repinned on pinterest and then I'd see 5 or 10 'Instagram Tips!' posts already out there and shrug my shoulders, because what the hell could I have to add to that? 1. Stand still No, seriously. I'm not really sure what's happening, is your phone inside a cloudy plastic bag underwater? Are you currently jumping up and down? Is your hand made of bees? Hold your phone/camera with two hands and rest your elbows on your chest. Stabilize yourself against a nearby wall. The nicer your camera the easier it is to get a tack-sharp image BUT, even the older models can get fine results if you're careful. Some people are born with a smooth, steady hand and some of us have to work at it. Stop walking, stand still, concentrate. 2. Look for the light So you've got yourself still, the second part is getting your subject still. Since most of us are trying to snap shots of kids/pets/people it's not always possible to get your subject to cooperate and stop wiggling around. Good news! With some trial and error your camera can capture things in motion! Your wildest dreams are coming true! Having a "nice" camera can help, but picking up a DSLR that you don't know how to use isn't going to magically solve all your problems. You can get equally effective results with a snap-and-go camera IF you know how to work with your camera's strengths. The most important factor to combat subject blur is light. The brighter the light, the better your shutter will be able to stop the motion: Toddler walking in dim living room = difficult, blurry Dogs running full-speed in bright daytime at the park = BAM! crispy If you want sharper, less blurry pictures move to a place with good, natural lighting. Period. Especially with the limited settings on a phone camera it's really the only option you have to instantly improve the quality and combat shutter lag. If you really really need to capture your kid booping around the living room at 9pm go for it, but know ahead of time that you're going to compromise your picture. (The exact reason you won't find many pictures taken in our very low-light living room. I don't bother because I know I won't be happy with the results.) Not only does good light help your picture stay in focus it also makes the image more interesting. Finding good light is sometimes more critical than finding something interesting to take a picture of (or even amounts to the same thing). Some of the least dynamic images are ones with flat, even lighting or a big, unnatural spot flash that washes out the subject. Unless you're rocking the #flashclub or you're getting fancy with some light bounce cards it's not doing you any favors. 3. Learn your camera Some cameras always go dark, some always go light, some hang to the left and itch on Tuesdays. Your camera is a unique individual, and if you think I'm being ridiculous FINE BE THAT WAY, but I'm just trying to help you out. Learning the specific quirks of your machine allows you to take better pictures because you're tuned in to what's going on. Example: When I switched to a new phone every single picture came out much darker than I was used to. I started adjusting the exposure (more on that below) to offset it, whamzam, problem solved. My camera also loves cold weather and any picture I take in dim, indoor light will look like a grainy pile of junk. These are facts I know because my phone and I are xoxo BFFs. 4. Cull the herd On today's digital cameras you aren't going to wear out the shutter. It's okay to take 25 pictures just to get 1 you like. Take 30. Take 50 different angles. Most importantly delete all of them except the best one/two. Scan through them and pick out the one that best captures the mood/moment and isn't blurry and save it; nix the rest. You don't need 45 pictures of your kid eating a cookie if you have one super- adorable one that actually looks great. Moment = captured, storage space = saved. The above are all general tips that can apply to anyone using any camera, but from here on out we're busting into the specifics of what I know best- the iphone camera. Peace out 'droid fools because this is not going to interest you one little bit. A few technical details: The camera I use is an iphone 4s. The cameras on the 4s and 5 are extremely similar, however the difference between the 4s/5 and the 3g/3gs cameras is well, significant. If you have an older phone and you're wondering why your pictures don't seem as sparkly as your friend's ding ding ding! that's probably the critical factor that's holding you back. Phone cameras have made huge leaps in the last 2-3 years. The older models can take fine pictures, but you're going to have to work a lot harder to get them. Today-1
