Photos on your phone

Today, more than ever, mobile photography is redefining the way we see & share our worlds. Here are 11 tips to stunning photos—right from your phone. Yes you can do great photos on your phone.

It’s long been said that the best camera is the one you have with you. That’s never been more true than today thanks to the growing sophistication of the cameras in our mobile phones and to the limitless apps that go with those photos. One scroll through your Instagram feed and you may look twice, wowed by the quality of photos coming from the phone.

Behind the emergence of a these incredible mobile photos are countless amazing photographers who – everyday – redefine and push the limits of this new art. And so – we asked the world’s best mobile photographers just how exactly they create art with their phones. Here are their 11 tips & tricks to stunning photos…right from your phone.

Explore the way they see the world, how they approach their craft and learn what’s in their toolkit.

1. Create Blur On Purpose

For blur on purpose shots, I almost always use the app Camera+, although any app that lets you lock exposure and focus separately will do. It’s pretty simple really. I wait until around sunset when car lights start coming on, and I find a good street that will make for nice bokeh lights. I then open Camera+ and lock the focus on something very close (I usually hold up my hand right to the lens). Then I’ll compose my shot and tap the screen where I want the exposure to expose on. This works well on rainy days too because of the extra bokeh reflection in the water on the ground. I’ll take a few shots before I have to flee the street and avoid getting run over.

2. Look For Leading Lines

When composing, look for lines (literal or figurative) that will provide a sense of movement and direction to your image.

On an iPhone 5s and occasionally use the Optrix Wide Angle lens attachment. To process my images, There are many aps to use depending on the photo: Image Straightener, VSCO Cam, Snapseed, Touch Retouch, SKRWT,Squaready.

3. Get In Close

Have a plan for your photo but don’t be afraid to modify as you’re in the middle of it.  Get in close and shoot as many frames as possible. Small changes in the subjects expression can greatly change the way one observes the image.  Shoot late in the day or early in the morning for a nice diffused light and more flattering look. A great hint for Photos on your phone.

4. Chase the Sun

Shooting directly into the sun can be a little tricky, so I think the most important part of creating this photo was finding the best angle to approach the subject so that the silhouette would be warmly backlit without the intense light washing out. For photos on your phone my phone I use my camera to illuminate the image without over-doing it. I worked with the opacity of the subject to control the exposure of the shot rather than manually selecting a focal point/exposure with the iPhone camera.

5. Patience Makes Perfect

Photography is all about patience. I like to find interesting pockets of light and wait for the right set of circumstances to happen. Sometimes that intersection of life and light doesn’t happen and you have to move on to the next possibility – but then sometimes all things line up and you come away with something interesting.