Smartphone Photography: Get the Most Out of Your Smartphone Camera with These Tips

Smartphone fotografie: Haal het beste uit je smartphone-camera met deze tips

Nowadays, you don’t need an expensive camera to take great photos. Your smartphone is a powerful tool for photography and videography. Whether you’re capturing landscapes, portraits, or action shots, a few clever tricks can help you get the most out of your camera. In this blog, we’ll share some handy tips to help you take better photos and videos right away, all with your smartphone. With the right techniques, you can take your smartphone photography to the next level.

1. Ensure good lighting

The right lighting is one of the most important factors for a beautiful photo. Smartphone cameras perform best in sufficient light, so try to use natural light as much as possible. Make sure you avoid the flash, this can cause unnatural colors. Instead, use a lamp or a well-lit room. For extra beautiful photos you can also use the 'Golden Hour'. This is the hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset. At these times the light is beautiful and perfect for taking beautiful photos.

2. Keep your smartphone stable

  • Hold your smartphone with both hands for a more stable image and avoid blurry photos
  • Use a tripod or selfie stick for sharper photos. This is especially helpful in low light or long exposures.
  • Use a remote shutter. This way you can take photos from a distance, without the hassle of the self-timer. Or you can put your smartphone against something or on a tripod, so you don't have to hold your phone while taking photos.

3. Make your photo more beautiful with the right composition

  • Use the grid. You can find it in your camera settings. Turn on the grid and place your subject on one of the intersections. This will give your photo a better balance.
  • Use different angles. Shoot from above, below or at an angle for a more interesting view, this can make your photos less boring.
  • Make sure the image is natural. Leave space around the subject you want to photograph with your smartphone. Don't place a person or object right up against the edge of the photo. Extra space between the object and the edge creates a more natural and calm image. This gives a professional look

4. Choose the most suitable focus

  • Tap the screen to focus on the part you want to highlight in the image. This makes the subject clearer and sharper.
  • Adjust the exposure. After tapping the screen, you can increase or decrease the exposure. This helps if the photos are too light or too dark, for example.
  • Use portrait mode. This mode provides beautiful portrait photos of people, for example, but also works with objects. This ensures that the person or object is extra highlighted and the background becomes more blurred, so that all attention goes to the foreground.

Edit your photos for a professional photography look

  • A beautiful photo becomes even better with a little editing. For this you can use photo editing apps.
  • Use apps like Snapseed, Lightroom or VSCO. In these free photo editing apps you can easily adjust brightness, contrast and sharpness.
  • Keep your colours natural. Too many filters or editing can ruin the photo and make it unnatural. So make sure you have a good balance.
  • Crop and rotate the photo as necessary to improve the composition.
  • Remove distracting objects or elements with retouching tools if you don’t want something in the background. You can use the apps Snapseed or Adobe Photoshop Express for this. These apps have a spot-healing function that allows you to easily erase objects from your photo.

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Which smartphone has the best camera?

Here are the four best tested smartphone cameras:

  • Google Pixel Pro 9 XL : This camera is excellent and tested as the best for photography.
  • iPhone 16 Pro Max: Has the best camera for recording videos.
  • Motorola Edge 50 Ultra : is the cheapest of the list with a premium camera.
  • Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: Also has one of the best smartphone cameras for both photography and video.

Want more info on the best smartphone cameras? Read our more extensive blog article on the best smartphone cameras .

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Smartphone photography tips

  • Use the right camera mode for every moment. Every smartphone has different camera modes, such as portrait mode, night mode and panorama mode.
  • Don't zoom in digitally, move closer. A digital zoom often makes photos blurry and grainy. You don't want this, instead walk closer to the subject in real life.
  • Take multiple photos and choose the best one. Try everything. Sometimes you think something is not beautiful at all, and sometimes it turns out to be. So test from all angles and lighting.
  • Use reflections and shadows for creative effects. Mirrored surfaces like water can give your photos a fun and unique effect. Shadows can also give your photos a playful effect.
  • Pay attention to the background. A cluttered or distracting background can ruin a photo. Keep your background simple and not too busy, so your subject stands out.

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