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How to take perfect pictures on you phone
For some top tips on how to take the perfect picture on your tablet, we have spoken to professional photographer, Ben Davis, who has offered his expert advice below:
Set the focus
It only takes a second, but if you want sharp, fuzz-free pictures you need to set the focus. Simply tap with your finger on the screen on the main subject in the shot. It could be a smiling face, your fancy lunch, or a tiger in the zoo. Taking this small but essential step will ensure your pictures are off to a good start.
Banish blurry shots
As well as setting the focus to make your subject stand out, you can also keep detail pin-sharp by holding your tablet or smartphone as steady as possible.
You can achieve this by:
- Standing still with your feet shoulder width apart
- Tucking your elbows into your sides so your arms don’t wobble
- Resting your camera on a solid surface, like a wall or table
Set the right exposure
Sometimes our pictures suffer from being too bright or too dark, and this is often caused by the the light in the background being totally different to the light on your subject. If you tap the subject twice, most smartphones and tablets bring up a slider that lets you adjust the brightness.
Perfect holiday portraits
The most commonly encountered problem with holiday portraits is that the faces are too dark. To solve this, tap on the face to set the focus and the exposure. You might find the face is still a little dark, so turn on the camera’s flash to light up the face, giving you a perfect portrait with a vibrant background.
Shoot stunning sunsets
There’s nothing more relaxing than sipping a cocktail and watching the sun go down, but taking pictures of a special sunset can be a challenge. To ensure your sunset shots are nothing less than stunning follow these easy steps:
- Tap with a finger on the brightest part of the sky to set the exposure
- Adjust the brightness slider so your picture’s a bit darker and the colours pop
- Look for something that would make a good silhouette
Two ways to improve your compositions
One way to get better looking photos is to turn on the grid overlay in your camera’s settings. This will help you line up the horizon to keep it straight and avoid those drunk-looking, wonky pictures and instantly improve your shots. To make holiday snaps more pleasing on the eye and less amateurish you should avoid placing your subject squarely in the middle of the frame.
Take pictures with amazing light
For the nicest light it's best to avoid taking pictures in the middle of the day; as this leads to harsh light, squinting faces and less vibrant colours. Instead plan to take your pictures early in the morning or late in the afternoon an hour or so before sunset. This is known among photographers as the golden hour and makes for flattering, warm light with nice soft shadows.
Keep your gear safe
Tablets and smartphones are vulnerable to the sand on the beach or splashes around the pool. Avoid damaging your device by keeping in a zip-lock freezer bag when you feel it may be at risk. You can still use it and take pictures through the clear plastic, but with added peace of mind.
