Photography rules to help improve photos taken with smartphones

Today, TipsMake will share the main rules you should always follow to improve your smartphone photography.

1. Manual focus

When first starting to learn how to use a DSLR camera, the best thing to do after learning the basics is to exit auto mode. And while you have less flexibility with your smartphone in this regard, it's still something you should do. The best way to make your images look better is to manually choose where you focus.

Most of the time, you can do this by tapping a specific part of the screen. Once you've done that, you can usually lock the focus so your phone doesn't overwrite your settings.

2. Choose a main subject

Another great rule for better smartphone photography is to choose one main subject. Minimalism will draw your audience's attention to a specific part of your photo. Therefore, they will find it much easier to know where they should look.

The subject can be anything you want. Sometimes, it might be a building - and in other cases, it might be a bird. It doesn't matter which subject you choose, as long as you tell an interesting enough story.

Of course, you can also experiment with different subjects to see what works best for you.

3. Standard curve

Calibration is one of the best ways to get great composition in smartphone photos, and it's also one of the easiest photography rules to follow. Simply put, the baseline involves focusing on any aspect of the photo that leads somewhere. A road or river is an easy-to-understand example of a standard line.

Calibration lines are a great technique to improve your smartphone photography because the user's eyes are immediately drawn to a specific line.

It's important to note that just because you include a baseline in your photo, it doesn't automatically make it a good photo. However, it will certainly improve your images as a baseline.

4. Color theory

Color theory is a great strategy for improving your photography in ways that many beginners don't think about. Color theory is basically when two colors work well together. It applies to red and green, blue and orange and similar combinations.

You can learn color theory using some of my favorite tools, Adobe Color. Having a book or card that shows the different colors and how they work can also be a good idea if you want to keep them close at hand. You will have to try many different things because this is not something you can learn immediately.

Also, consider learning more about complementary colors and how to use them in design (the same principles apply to photography).

5. Reflection and symmetry

Reflection and symmetry are another simple way to make smartphone photos look outstanding, and they're one of many smartphone photography tricks that really work. Try looking for reflections right after a shower. You'll almost certainly find some interesting puddles that will offer a unique perspective.

Regarding symmetry, you will find this everywhere. You can use windows and mirrors to do this. If you can add a subject in between these, such as a person, you may find that your photos look even better.

Another way to find symmetry in photos is to take photos in narrow spaces, such as between buildings.

6. Use texture

Photos taken with a smartphone can look quite flat. However, things have certainly gotten better as phone cameras have evolved - and they now use textures much better.

You can use texture in smartphone photos in many ways. Examples include clothes, carpets, tree bark, grass and even pet hair. If you're going to do this, you should get as close to your subject as possible so your phone can capture every detail.

7. Edit photos

Subtle editing, at least at first, is a good idea. You can break out of the mold as you gain more experience.

You can use a number of photo editing apps on your smartphone, including native apps built into the device (e.g., Apple Photos). However, if you want flexibility, you should use a more powerful application, such as the Adobe Lightroom mobile application.

However, there are many other tools you can use to edit photos on your smartphone. For example, VSCO and Photoshop Express are another good choice. Both are free but have premium options; whereas, Lightroom always requires a paid subscription.

To ensure that you don't spend too much time editing your photos, consider learning how to streamline your smartphone photography process.

8. Control brightness and aperture

Controlling aperture on your smartphone is one of the easiest ways to make your photos stand out. If you have an iPhone, you can use Portrait Mode to do this. Some third-party camera apps also have tools that let you control aperture.

Adjusting the brightness manually is also a good idea. You can do this in your camera by moving the slider with the sun icon up or down, depending on whether you want to increase or decrease the brightness.

Taking photos on a smartphone requires a lot of time and effort, but following a few rules is a great way to ensure you take better photos. Once you're proficient enough, you can start thinking outside the box.

David Pac

Update 27 August 2024