Check out this video tutorial if you want to avoid the common iPhone shooting mistakes that prevent you from taking great photos with your Apple smartphone.
There is no shortage of tutorials that will teach you how to get the most out of your iPhone’s camera. Our iPhone photography section contains helpful resources for learning the basics, from getting the right settings to getting the focus right and more.
However, this time we wanted to shake things up and tell you some basic mistakes to avoid when trying to take a good photo with your iPhone. So, without further ado, check out the video at the top of this post, shot by our videographer Harris Craycraft (@_craycraft).
1. You don’t know what you’re shooting in night mode
Night mode turns on automatically when the algorithm detects that you are shooting in low light. But the way the night mode switch is implemented in the Camera app leaves a lot to be desired. I believe Harris when he says in the video that he has seen people take pictures in night mode countless times without even realizing it.
I have also witnessed such situations, and the problem is that the night mode uses long exposure times up to several seconds, depending on the lighting conditions. But people who don’t know about it just press the shutter button and put the phone down, leaving them with a blurry shot. Read: How to disable night mode until you need it
To prevent this from happening, make sure the yellow night mode icon in the Camera app is turned off. To make the app remember this setting, go to Settings → Camera → Save Settings and toggle the switch next to Night Mode to the ON position.
2. You don’t photograph people in portrait mode
A common mistake when photographing someone is not using portrait mode, which uses your iPhone’s telephoto lens and depth data to create flattering portraits. So, instead of taking advantage of portrait photography, most people simply shoot their subjects in a normal shooting mode that lacks the depth effect.
We advise you to always take a couple of shots in portrait mode when photographing a person in Photo mode in the Camera app. Just tell the subject to stay still and use the flash even in daylight.
Do not use this mode in low light because the telephoto lens does not perform well in low light. RAW lovers know that images in portrait mode do not support the RAW format.
3. You use flash when shooting moving subjects
Another common mistake is to use the flash when shooting fast moving subjects such as people running, people jumping, etc. The Camera app fires the flash multiple times to determine the amount of flash needed to adequately light the scene and then actually takes the picture.
The calculations before the outbreak take some time, but the picture has already changed. So what have we learned today? If you are trying to photograph a fast moving subject such as a car, do not use flash or you will get strange results.
4. You don’t care about bad composition
Bad composition can easily ruin your photo, so you need to learn the art of good photo composition. Unfortunately, many people take pictures without properly cropping the frame, thinking that applying editing such as cropping will solve any cropping issues. But people who are serious about photography shoot as much as possible with the camera. Read: How to make iPhone flash blink when you receive a message
This entails using the rule of thirds and enabling the grid (Settings → Camera → Grid) to crop the image. This will help you navigate the horizon in your photos and prevent images with a disproportionate border. Read: What is the rule of thirds? How it works?
The grid can even help make your photos more interesting. For example, instead of placing the subject in the center of the image, position its head at the intersection of the grid lines. Read: Composition tips for great photos
5. You use zoom instead of getting closer to the subject
Due to the design of the Camera app, it’s hard to tell if you’re using optical zoom or digital zoom. iPhone provides 3x optical zoom. In addition, the image is digitally enlarged, resulting in artifacts and blurring.
To avoid this, get as close as possible to the subject and then take the picture. The end result is a detailed, crisp image where the subject fills the frame and all the details are clearly visible. Read: 5 Ways to Control iPhone Camera Remotely
More iPhone Photography Tutorials
If you like this video, you can watch our video tutorial which shows 5 things you should do to take great photos with your iPhone.
And if you’re familiar with them, you should check out our collection of over 20 iPhone photography tips, including choosing a shooting format, adjusting exposure and focus, using the rule of thirds, and more.
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