Simplified and actionable photo tips, with a dash of creative inspiration, to improve your phone photography skills and build your confidence as a new photographer. Start taking photos with consistency and intention to make a bigger impact, capture attention and build trust. Distilled from over 15 years of professional photography expertise.
Three iPhone Photo Tricks To Try in 2024
Here are three fancy iPhone photography tricks that are super fun to use ...but don't necessarily make you a better photographer. ;)
(Side note: It can be tempting to chase the newest iPhone camera tricks, thinking that it'll magically make our photos better. But I'm a big believer in learning the foundational principles of photography
☀️ lighting
🖼️ composition
📖 storytelling
🎨 editing
to become a better photographer.)
But the fancy tricks are a fun bonus!
Here are three iPhone camera tricks that I love using:
Trick #1. Long Exposure
Find a subject with consistent movement. Waterfalls or traffic headlights at night work well. Open your iPhone camera and make sure you're in Live Mode.
Hold your camera steady (use a tripod or rest it on a solid surface) and take a photo. Go to Photos, click on your photo, then select the "Live" drop down menu. Select "Long Exposure". It will then convert your static photo to a long exposure image, revealing the movement streaks.
Trick #2. Focus Point Switching
Open your iPhone camera and go to Portrait Mode. Take a photo of a subject with distance between it and the background.
If there is a warning message saying "move closer" or "place your subject within 2.5 meters", your photo won't be taken in Portrait Mode and the trick won't work. To avoid this, make sure the subject is in focus or that the subject you are focusing on isn't too far off in the distance.
Next, go to Photos and select your photo. Make sure the f PORTRAIT drop down menu is in the top left corner. If it's not there, this trick won't work on that photo.
Click on EDIT in the top right corner. Make sure the f icon in the top left corner is selected and yellow.
Tap on a blurry area in your photo to refocus your photo. You can continue tapping on different distances in the photo until you are happy with the new focus choice. Click DONE.
Note: this only works on iPhone 13 models (and later) with iOS 16 or later.
Trick #3. Background Blur Adjustment
Take another photo in Portrait Mode (follow the same directions as above). Next, go to Photos and select your photo. Click on EDIT in the top right corner. Make sure the f icon in the top left corner is selected and yellow.
Below the image, you'll see a DEPTH slider scale. Move the scale back and forth from f 1.4 to f 16, and OFF. You'll notice the range of blur from high blur range (near the 1.4 side) and from low blur and high sharpness throughout the image (near the f 16, and OFF side).
These three tricks are fun ways to play with your photos after you take them, rather than having to make all those creative choices on the spot while shooting.
Just remember to have LIVE MODE or PORTRAIT MODE on before taking the photo.
HAVE FUN!
A Deeper Dive
If you want to go beyond the tricks and learn the foundational principles of photography, the same tried-and-true principles that have created the best photographers since the 1800s, join my online course. The only gear you need is a mobile phone camera:
| learn the fundamentals |
All the best to you in 2024 with your camera!
-Gabrielle
Level Up Your Phone Photography
by Gabrielle Touchette
Simplified and actionable photo tips, with a dash of creative inspiration, to improve your phone photography skills and build your confidence as a new photographer. Start taking photos with consistency and intention to make a bigger impact, capture attention and build trust. Distilled from over 15 years of professional photography expertise.
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