What works best on mobile
The do's and don'ts of mobile photography.
Regardless of whether you use a camera you spent months saving up for, or you’re happy taking photos on your iPhone — it’s important to understand the pros and cons of your device so you can get the most out of it for your photography. And when it comes to mobile photography in particular, there are a few of those to keep in mind, especially if you’re a beginner.
Night and Day
It’s no secret that lighting can make or break a photo. And unfortunately, the cameras on our phones are even more sensitive to things like dim lighting or night scenes. So the best way to ensure you’ll get great phone photos is to avoid hash light or low light situations. Instead, try to stick to the following situations:
Prime time:
- Overcast days
- Golden hour
- Rooms with access to natural light
- Slightly shaded spots
Zoom
One setting that’s available on your phone but that you should stay away from anyway? The zoom function. And that’s because the moment you zoom to get closer to the intended subject of your photo, it jeapordizes image quality and increases the chance of a noisy image. Which means, you’ve simply got to zoom the old fashioned way and move closer to your subject. On the bright side, your shoots are also an opportunity to get a little exercise over and done with.
Stop Motion
Another aspect of mobile photography that’s a little lacklustre is trying to capture erratic or high speed movement. Unless you’re going for an intentional blur that is, in which case — by all means go for it.
With more technical cameras we’re able to manually adjust the shutter speed, aperture and ISO settings so that you can slow down a scene and freeze every moment in time forever. So when shooting on mobile, slow it down and focus on situations you have control over so your images don’t end up blurry or distorted. Think architecture shots, flower photography, and street scenes.
On-the-go
The major pro? Easy — your phone’s already going everywhere with you — so no need to lug heavy equipment around with you when you’re traveling to new places or even just taking a walk around the block. But don’t just take our word for it — Unsplash contributor Valik Chernetskyi first got started with mobile photography for exactly this reason: “Your phone is always right on hand, so it’s easy to capture interesting moments as they happen.”
We are big believers that you don’t need a fancy camera to take a great photo — but hopefully this has helped you understand the limitations, as well as what works best, on your phone when you’re out shooting. Plus, when you’ve got some photos you’re proud of, you can upload them straight Unsplash from your phone with a few simple taps using the Unsplash iOS app.