Everyone loves having great pictures, right? Even before I started blogging, I loved documenting the important things in my life. The problem is, though, that not all of us have nice DSLR cameras to take great photos. So today I'm going to give you a few pointers for producing awesome photos... with your smart phone!
1. Choose good lighting. Photos in bad light, especially on smart phones, will turn out blurry. Pictures taken outside are typically the way to go (Tip: Overcast days are actually the best. Shh don't tell). If you're absolutely stuck taking a photo inside and the lighting isn't great, try to open some blinds to add natural light.
2. Tap the screen. Tapping the screen after you pull up your camera app allows the camera to focus, which leads to a more crisp photo. In some camera phones, tapping different areas of the screen, like the lightest or darkest area, will brighten or darken the screen, as well.
3. Pick interesting angles. There are so many ways you can photograph a great cup of coffee. For example...
The downward also-show-my-outfit angle:
The see-what-else-I'm-doing angle:
And, finally, the table-floor-cool-lighting angle:
4. Don't center your subject. When at all possible, try using the "rule of thirds." If you look at an image and draw two equally spaced vertical lines and two equally spaces horizontal lines, you get what looks like a tic tac toe board. It's best to place your subject along those lines or intersections, but never smack dab in the center. This creates more interesting photos.
5. Edit your photos. Afterlight is my favorite app for editing photos. It costs $0.99 in the app store, and I promise you it's worth every single cent. I use it pretty much daily. It's super user friendly and allows you to crop, brighten, saturate, adjust exposure & brightness, add filters and more. So worth it.
These are small steps, but they will make a WORLD of difference, whether you're sharing your photos on Facebook, Instagram, or your blog. Most of the images on my blog have been taken with my iPhone.
Go get some practice!
