4 Genius Photography Hacks Using Your Smartphone Camera

In the era of posh DSLRs, we thanklessly overlook what we can do with our regular Smartphone cameras. Whether it is a primitive 2 Megapixel camera from an earlier model or the 8, 16, and even 64 MP cameras that phones offer today, each model in the range can provide a certain artistic flair.

With such high-resolution cameras installed in phones, top-notch captures can be made. Smartphone cameras no doubt have their limitations, but when used in line with their best features, you can get some interesting clicks.

Many are unaware of how camera settings can be tweaked in their phones to churn out some really great pictures. People tend to go for camera apps with pretty filters even before they have explored their authentic default camera on their phones.

Your default camera might have many features and tools that you can play around with to get the most natural pictures. Listed below are some simple tips that you can use to click quality pictures using your smartphone.

Pick out some natural light

When using your phone to click some picturesque scenes, it is better to use natural lighting instead of flash photography. You don't want an overexposed picture that can be genuinely unflattering.

If you're clicking outdoors, there's nothing to compete with the dear old sunlight! Choose an angle that lights up the central subjects well. A lot can be done with scenic photography in natural lighting. You can also play with some indoor sources of light, such as coloured lamp lights or candle lights for some exciting clicks.

The Famous Celebrity and Editorial Photographer, Prabhat Shetty shares some photography insights with us. He shares, "The basics of photography apply to smartphone photography too. The compositional guides, 1/3rd rule, watching the lines, and looking for the graphic aesthetic, direction of light, backlit to create mood, etc. You can play with the setting in edit, to control the highlights and shadows to get the light right. Of course you can play with the other setting too to create mood, but avoid overdoing it."

Make the best of burst shots

Smartphones offer precise control for moving shots, whether it be a fun series of selfies or a click of a playing pup. Set up a timer for burst shots to take a series of pictures and then pick out the best. You can use the portrait mode for a shallow depth of field to give a professional look.

Avoid zooming

Even if you are an amateur, who has used their phone camera, by now you know that zooming in is no good! The picture only gets grainier with very little left to frame or edit. Try using different angles to click the same subject. Experiment with exposure to get the shadows right!

Frame your shot

Finally, don't forget to frame your shot! Just like any pretty painting, a picture needs a solid frame. In the case of a photograph, the subject should be framed with either an aesthetic branch or a doorway that adds character. Use your instinct to frame your shot creatively.

"But when outdoor, on holiday in picturesque locales and you feel like capturing the moment with you and your friends full length in the frame and the background showing, opt for the wide angle option if you have and go low, squat down and see how it looks-vertical/ portrait modes usually look better," says Shetty.

As is popularly said, it is not the camera but the person behind it that truly captures the picture! Smartphone photography has become a genre on its own on many forums. It is no surprise that people use the flexibility of their phones to capture rare and casual clicks. The essence is in the naturally captured scenes of spaces where one wouldn't necessarily carry a big camera. You can truly do a lot with the compact camera on your phones!