musicMagpie Blog

There's an amateur photographer in all of us. Whether you like snapping key moments, or abstract images, having the ability to do so through our smartphones has been life-changing. There's no need to lug around heavy photography equipment when all you need is at your fingertips!

So, if you'd like to take more photos on your phone, we have some tips to take as good a quality image as possible.

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Wipe the camera lens

We use our phones so often that we almost forget to keep them clean. Stuffing your device in your pocket or bag makes it easy for it to get grubby. So, before you start getting snap happy, take a moment to properly clean the camera of any dirt or dust that might be sitting on the camera lens. That way, your pictures will be clearer.

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Use natural light

Lighting is detrimental to the quality of an image, and there's nothing better than natural light. Using natural light will take away the need to use your camera's flash so your picture will look better, and you can create a better effect by using shadows. Try to take pictures where the light is behind the subject. Whatever you do, avoid the flash! As it typically sits so close to the lens, your photos end up looking overexposed. No flash means to dreaded red-eye.

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Use grid lines

You may have heard the "˜rule of thirds' mentioned when it comes to photography, but if not, we'll explain. The best images follow this rule, so the picture should be broken into nine squares; thirds split equally both horizontally and vertically. If points of interest sit in the corners of these thirds, you'll have a better-balanced picture. You can use this rule by adding gridlines to your camera app, so you can gauge where the points of interest sit.

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Take bursts

Use the functions of your camera app to the best of your ability and take bursts of images rather than just resting on one. A burst of images will allow for more choice, and often, a more natural image. Once the burst has been taken, you can pick which you'd like to keep, and which you aren't sold on.

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Use a photography app

We love visuals, and we have so many apps at our disposal to enhance our pictures! Use the filters in the built-in camera app on your phone, and play about with the many photography apps in your app stores. By spending time on them, you'll soon learn which filters you like, and how you like to enhance your photography.

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Use the highest resolution

This should make your pictures as clean and crisp as possible. You might even want to print your photo out after and frame it "" so using the highest resolution will allow for the best physical photos. Lower resolution images can appear grainy or blurry, so check your settings before capturing your moment.

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Focus on one thing

Cramming a whole bunch of objects, or points of interest just won't work for a good image. So, try to keep your focus on the one thing you'd like to capture. Embrace any empty space around it, and keep your camera steady! Tapping on your screen will allow the camera to focus.

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Experiment with angles

Don't be afraid to take images from a range of angles. We take pictures face on so much that some photos end up getting blurred into others. Try taking photos from above for a different perspective, or underneath and utilise the space around the object. Your photo will end up being more striking and memorable.

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Use HDR

You might have noticed this when you have your camera app open, but not tried to use it. HDR stands for High Dynamic Range and it will bring out the lightest parts and the darkest parts of your picture so there's a better balance of colours. It's best used for still shots rather than a moving subject.

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Don't zoom in

Trying to enlarge the subject of the photo means you lose the clarity of it. Zooming in can distort the image; it becomes blurry and colours can become dull. You'll have a much better image if you simply move closer to the subject you want to shoot, rather than relying on the zoom option "" it's not quite the same as a camera so you'll lose quality.

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If you're itching to take more pictures, you're going to need a phone with a good camera. We don't expect this to cost you the world! Why not look at the phones available on the musicMagpie Store? Your new phone will come with a 12 month warranty and FREE delivery!