Camera phones sometimes get a bad rap for having low quality photos, especially when compared to professional quality DSLR cameras. But the reality is, nobody likes lugging around a bulky dSLR camera everywhere 24/7. Camera phones are typically within reach wherever we are. And really, camera phones have better quality than most consumer cameras from years ago. For everyday photos for Project Life which are usually printed at a max of 4×6, camera phone photos are just fine.
Here are 5 easy ways to get better photos with your Camera Phone for Project Life.
- Keep your camera phone handy.
Most of us already do this, but make sure you have your camera phone handy at all times to make it easier to capture photos quickly. Place a shortcut to your camera app on your screen so taking a photo is no more than a tap away. That way you are ready whenever a photo opportunity comes up.
- Use more daylight (while still being in the shade). The more natural light you have , the better quality the photo will be. So if indoors, open your curtains, windows, doors and let the sunshine in! When outdoors, find a shade that is even so there are no uneven shadows on faces.
- Avoid flash when possible. Flash creates hard shadows so try to use natural light as much as possible.
- Avoid using the digital zoom in your camera phone. The digital zoom on the camera degrades your image quality, so use your camera at the wider angles and “zoom in” with your feet instead of the digital zoom.
- Avoid mixed light temperatures. Lights have different color temperatures and cameras are very sensitive to this. Household bulbs are usually tungsten which emit a warmer, yellow glow. Fluorescent lights emit a cooler, green glow. Sunlight and daylight bulbs are usually neutral white. When shooting, your camera phone typically adjusts its white balance settings to the dominant color temperature. But when you have mixed temperatures, the camera will adjust for one of the temperatures and not for the other, giving you a photo with an ugly color cast that is hard to fix. So when shooting, just use one color temperature if possible. If shooting inside, either use just the household bulbs and close the windows so there is no sunlight seeping in, or open the windows and turn off the household bulbs. You can also just change out your yellow household bulbs for daylight light bulbs
that have the temperature of daylight.
What tips do you have to get better photos on your camera phone?
