1. Keep Your Hands Steady
Compared to a DSLR, smartphones are so much smaller that people tend to think they can just snap pictures on the move. Realistically, you won’t get a clear shot one-handed while walking down the pavement, whatever the lighting conditions, so stop for a moment and make sure you get the best shot possible.
If you’re taking a picture, you might as well get the best one you can, so stop moving, use both hands on the phone, and keep things steady as you take the shot. There’s plenty in photography you can’t control, so it’s worth doing your best to manage what you can.
2. Choose The Right Shooting Mode For The Scene
Whatever your phone model, chances are the built-in camera software has different shooting modes for different situations. There will of course be some kind of “auto” mode, but you’ll usually also find a “night” mode, a “sunset” mode, maybe even a “party” or “action” mode. Take a look through the different modes and use whichever suits the situation.
A night mode will lower the ISO and slow the shutter speed to keep things smooth and bright, while an action mode does the opposite, freezing moving subjects in their tracks. It may take some trial and error to see how each mode performs, but taking a few seconds to pick the right one is worth it for a shot you wouldn’t otherwise get.
3. Post-Process Your Images
Even the best photographers with high-end cameras don’t just take a picture and post it straight away without editing. So while smartphone camera software is pretty good at processing each photo into a decent JPEG, there’s always room to improve the look further. Whether you just crop and rotate using the built-in photo editor on your phone, or reach for a popular editor like Snapseed or VSCO Cam, a few extra minutes of editing can be the difference between a good photo and a great one.