How do you take beautiful smartphone photos and how can you keep them safe?
Nowadays almost every smartphone has cameras with high resolutions and megapixels. A camera with many megapixels is one thing, taking a nice picture with it is two. Whether a nice photo is taken with it depends a lot on the user of the camera. And although we are sure that you can take beautiful photos, we are happy to help you with a number of tips to ensure that you can take the best photos with your smartphone. If you have taken the photos and you want to store them safely, you can easily do that in the cloud. If you want to add an extra security layer, you can consider using a VPN connection, more about that later.
First the tips!
1. Switch on your grid
When you switch on the grid on your smartphone, a number of lines are activated that run across your screen. These lines divide your image into 9 areas. This division of 9 blocks is also called the “rule of thirds”. If you put the subjects along one of these lines, you get the best composition. If you align the horizon with one of the horizontal lines and the subject you want to photograph along one of the vertical lines, you get a good composition. This ensures dynamics in the photo. In addition, the lines in the grid ensure that you can verify whether you have the horizon straight in view. The grid therefore helps you to take straight photos and help you create a good composition.
2. Have a clean lens
If you think you have taken a nice photo, there are all blurred spots on the photo. Chances are it is due to a dirty lens. You can easily clean a lens with a bellows, microfiber cloth or lens pen. Avoid using your sweater or t-shirt, which will cause dust and lint on the lens.
3. Choose the correct composition
Choosing the right composition can make the difference between an okay photo and a good photo. By applying the “rule of thirds” (as explained above) and looking for lines in the image you can choose the right composition. For example by photographing someone along a wall following the lines of the wall.
4. Use the self timer
Taking a selfie by hand is of course very easy. But if you really want to take a good selfie, use the self-timer. Handheld, but it is even better to put your phone against something or use a phone holder. This way you can easily take better pictures of yourself. Choose a good angle, set the timer and quickly get to the right place.
5. Use a tripod
A tripod can be useful in various situations. For example, when it gets darker, less light enters the sensor of your smartphone and the photos become less sharp when you take the photos by hand. If you place your smartphone on a tripod with a smartphone grip, you can take better photos when there is less light. In addition, the use of a tripod is also recommended when taking group photos.
6. Pay attention to the available light
Light is of course very important. Photographing is also referred to as “writing with light”. Just before sunset, the light is often warmer, also known as “golden hour”. If you shoot more in the middle of the day, the light is a bit brighter and harder. Take the light into account when taking a photo if, for example, a shadow falls over the object. Set the exposure manually so that your smartphone has less trouble with the shadow.
7. Focus on the subject
Smartphones themselves can focus well automatically. But does your smartphone just not cooperate or do you want to focus on another object? Then tap the screen on the object you want to focus and the camera focuses on that point. If you want that point to be in focus for longer, keep your finger pressed a little longer on the point.
8. Do not use flash
The use of a flash usually doesn’t really make your photos look better. The flash is quite bright and can cause color changes in faces or objects. Do you still need extra light? Then stand near the window or switch on a lamp and play with the positioning of the lamp. That often gives a good result.
9. Use the HDR function
HDR stands for High Dynamic Range. If you enable this function on your smartphone, multiple photos are taken in succession with a different exposure each time.
Usually three photos are taken; underexposed, normally exposed, overexposed. These photos are then digitally merged into one photo that is “perfectly” exposed. The advantage of this function is that you have much more detail and elaboration in a photo.
Photography with a smartphone is of course not the same as with a good camera, but hopefully you can take almost as beautiful photos with these smartphone photography tips as with a camera!
Store your photos securely in the cloud
Taking beautiful photos is of course a lot of fun, but how can you store your photos in an easy and safe way?
To safely store your photos in the cloud, we recommend two options, iCloud and Google Photos. If you have an iPhone you can easily use iCloud. If you have an Android phone, Google Photos is a good choice. Of course you can also use Google Drive & Google Photos with an iPhone. Your photos are then automatically synchronized so that they are safely stored. We recommend iCloud and Google Photos as these are the most accessible and used storage methods for iPhone and Android. If you want to add an extra layer of security, we recommend the use of a VPN. With a VPN you can surf the internet safely and anonymously, and therefore also safe with your photos. If you want to safely view your photos in the cloud while on vacation, a VPN is indispensable.
