Professional Photos with iPhone

I bet there has been a time when you were filing through Instagram or some type of social media and you were impressed by someones amazing photo.  Would you believe me if I told you, you can to take similar amazing photos like that with your iPhone? The iPhone can take some incredible photos, with the tools that are built into the camera app and with these tips and tricks you too can take some Instagram worthy photos!   In this blog I will be going over the basics of the camera app working with the new IOS 14 features as well as going through Live Photos, Portrait, Pano, Time Lapse and Slow Mo.

Know the Basics

Let’s start with a  quick lay out of the camera app.  The camera app opens up to display the shutter click butter in the bottom middle, the camera flip button to the right of that and the return to your gallery button on the far left.  On the top right of the screen is the Live Photo button which captures 3 seconds of footage, 1.5 seconds before and 1.5 after, to create a moving image.  In the top middle is a pull down menu for controlling flash, live photo, adjusting your image size, timer and filters, and in the top left is an easy click on click off flash option.  In the new update, Apple added a Quick Video option by pressing and holding on the shutter button and swiping right to lock it.  To take burst photos you now have to click on the shutter button and drag it to the left.  Now the first thing you will need to take professional looking photos is the grid option.  Go to Settings > scroll down to Camera > Grid > switch to on.  This will allow you to break the image into 9 equal parts to help frame your photo for a more appealing shot, a process that is called The Rule of Thirds.

Live Photo

Live photos is a fun way to capture more than a photo and less than a whole video.  It’s great to use when you are taking a photo that has any kind of movement to it.  To view a live photo simply click down on the screen and hold.  When taking multiple Live Photo shots of the same subject you can view them all at once by clicking the first picture and holding it through the whole video.  You can save this as a video also by selecting all the like Live Photos > press the export button > save as video.  You can also change the effects of your Live Photo by going to one of your Live Photos and swiping up on the screen, displaying Live, Loop, Bounce, and Long Exposure options.  The loop option will put your Live Photo on repeat showing the 3 second clip.  The bounce option will turn your photo into a picture moving back and forth like a boomerang on Instagram.  Now the Long Exposure option is my favorite.  It allows the photo to look as if you slowed your shutter speed down on a camera and created a blurred effect.  Take a Live Photo shot of running water and use the long exposure option, the water will look smoother with a little blur to it.  Look at you being a professional!

Portrait 

If you swipe left once on the camera screen it will take you to Portrait mode.  Portrait mode allows you to take amazing close up shots, blurring the background while keeping the subject sharp.  To take a portrait photo place your subject in a well lit place (for best results) and go to portrait mode on your phone.  Adjust your phone closer and further away until the words on the screen turn yellow, now you are taking a portrait photo.  In the top right of the screen is a cursive F which stands for Focal Length and is referred to as the “f-stop”, which controls the depth of your photo that creates the blur.  You can now control your “f-stop” in portrait mode by clicking it and scrolling back and forth until you get the blur you want.  Portrait mode also works on the selfie camera as well to upgrade your selfie game.  Now while on Portrait mode, click the bottom of the screen and scroll.  These are additional light options that include Natural Light, Studio Light, Contour Light, Stage Light, Stage Light Mono and High-Key Light Mono.  Each option adds studio quality lighting to enhance your photo that can now be controlled in the top right next to the “f-stop” button.  The Stage lighting options are awesome for isolating your subject in a spotlight along with the High-Key option that adds a white background behind a grayscale subject.  

Pano

Now if you swipe left on the camera screen twice it will take you to the Panoramic lens.  This allows you to take a 360 degree shot of your subject.  To take a normal panoramic first click on the arrow shown on the screen to get the direction you want to take the picture.  Then click the shutter button and follow the direction of the arrow shown, keeping the arrow on the straight line tracker.  For best results make sure to have a motionless background.  Now panoramic shots aren’t just great for taking great landscape shots but can also be used for taking really tall shots.  Turn your phone sideways and click the arrow so the arrow points upwards.  Then stand in front of a tall subject (buildings, trees, signs), start from the bottom and click the shutter button moving your phone upward.  Perfect, now you have mastered the art of taking panoramas! 

Time Lapse & Slow Motion Video

I know I said we were taking pictures but I had to throw in these video options because they are very handy.  A Time Lapse video is a video sped up and a Slow-Mo video is just a video slowed down.  On the iPhone you are accessible to both of these options.  Start with your phone, open to the camera app, and swipe right twice to get the Slow-Mo option.  You can change how slow you want your video in the top right by clicking on the numbers.  120 FPS (frames per second) 240 FPS are the two options, 240 being slower.  When viewing the video in your gallery press edit and at the bottom of the screen you will be able to adjust the start and stop of the slow motion.  Slow-Mo is great because it adds a dramatic effect to your videos.  Some of my favorite Slow-Mo shots are waves, people jumping, and waterfalls.  Now if you swipe right one more time you will come to the Time Lapse option.  Time Lapse videos are great for catching the sunset, going through city streets, or speeding up the process of moving clouds.  My favorite time lapse video is our Bali flower pool.  You will want to make sure that you set your phone in one place without moving it and for best results leave sitting for 2-5 minutes AT LEAST to get the best shot.  Wow.  You guys are basically professionals now! 

Now that you know how to take more professional photos with the device in your hand and pockets right now what are you waiting for?  Go out there and take that perfect selfie, that hilarious Slow-Mo, and that perfect boomerang.  You can DM the pictures you take to our Instagram and we will pick one to post on our page with your name!  Until next time. 

With Love, 

Brandon 

P.S. Send in your photos to @onbrandtravels on Instagram!