Better Cell Phone Photography

A recent news article reported that the Chicago Sun-Times has laid off its entire staff of photographers and is now relying on its reporters to provide images. I find this not only telling about what is happening to the newspaper business, but also an indication of how we now collect and distribute images. Almost all of us are photographers with cameras within easy reach. Where news is happening, the person on the street is there taking photos or videos and often sending those photos to friends or posting them on social media long before the morning newspaper goes to print. And the news media welcome and encourage your contributions.

What has happened in photography is that cameras are not only ubiquitous, but they are also making it easier for us to take good or even great photos. Nokia recently announced a 41 megapixel cell phone camera. We can now not only capture high resolution photos, but all digital cameras are now getting smarter and able to help us with the technical aspects of taking photos.

Are you capturing some awesome images with your cell phone? Here are some tips to make them better. Some are simple and some may take some practice, but practice is free and results are instantaneous with digital cameras.

As a photography instructor, the question I am asked most often, is: “Why aren't my photos sharp?” or, more often, “Why are my photos blurry?” First, be aware that there are two things that cause blur. Focus is a serious culprit, but autofocus systems are pretty good and getting better. The second cause, and the more likely one, is that your photo will be ruined by motion blur, a very common “point and shoot” malady. There are two causes of motion blur – either the subject is moving or the camera is moving. A higher shutter speed or sports setting may help, but the camera movement is often due to the fact that you are holding your camera out in front of you at arm’s length. This is not a very steady position. Brace your camera if possible, or put your elbows against your body (hopefully you can still see your display). I almost always set my camera to a higher ISO (sensitivity) to allow for a faster shutter speed as well.

My next best advice is to learn to use your cell phone camera. Read the manual, check online resources, and play with various settings. And follow advice given for any type of camera: pay attention to your composition; use the “rule of thirds”; get close; be aware of light, shadows, and color; and use a photo editor to make final adjustments.