No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeArchive7 smartphone photography tips

7 smartphone photography tips

The digital revolution has created tools that can help anyone take great photos, even with a mobile phone. Here are some tips for achieving great photos with your smartphone:

IMG_0815 b

1. Get close to your subject. Avoid the digital zoom, as the optical quality is horrible. As a last resort, shoot and then crop the image. 

2. Try different angles. If you have the chance to shoot the subject several times, vary the angle and composition. Shoot verticals, horizontals, crouch to get lower angles, climb on chairs or other objects to get higher angles.

IMG_7769

3. Keep your lens clean. Your pocket and hands might get the lens grimy. Use soft cloth or a shirt should do the trick. 

4. Pick a better camera app than the one your phone provides. I like Camera Awesome, Camera+ and Snap Seed. They offer better options for more controlled shooting. Whichever is your pick, spend a little time getting used to it.

5. Edit your images carefully, don´t over filter them. Retro/washed out Instagramy filters are done by every other smartphone user. Balance color, crop slightly, used brightness/contrast control with moderation. A bad photo won’t improve much by over processing.

6. Be critical of your work. Choose your photos carefully. Don’t bore your Facebook friends to death with 100 photos of the same beach, no matter how gorgeous it was.

7. If your phone has panorama capabilities, try it out, not only horizontally but vertically, too.

Happy shooting and share your photos on our Facebook page!

IMG_1975 b

Trending Now

Lagoon Operator Says German Consul Was Swimming When He Drowned

The association that runs the recreation center where Germany's consul in Costa Rica died on Saturday has disputed the account that circulated internationally in...

Argentina’s Navone Hands Djokovic His Earliest Grand Slam Exit in 20 Years

Novak Djokovic’s bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title ended almost as soon as it began Sunday night, with Argentina’s Mariano Navone pulling...

Flash Flood Sweeps Away Guide and Hiker in Pérez Zeledón

Update, August 31: The excursion guide swept away in this incident was found dead Sunday evening. The Red Cross confirmed he was the only...

The Hidden Climb in Tortuguero Most Visitors Never Discover

Just beyond Tortuguero’s famous canals, Cerro Tortuguero offers a rainforest hike and one of the most impressive panoramic views on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast.

Costa Rica Limits Car Imports to One Per Year and Taxes Them at Market Value

If you are planning to ship a vehicle into Costa Rica, two things have changed and both affect what you will pay. Under and...

How El Nino is choking the Panama Canal

The Panama Canal will restrict the number of vessels transiting the crucial waterway from Friday for the second time ever due to drought caused...

Germany’s Consul in Costa Rica Dies in Alajuela Lagoon Accident

Costa Rica's Foreign Ministry confirmed the death of Mario Genz, a consul at the German Embassy in San José, who drowned Saturday afternoon at...

Why is Daniel Ortega Shutting Nicaragua’s Opposition Out of Elections?

Nicaragua approved a constitutional reform that bars the opposition from participating in elections and extends Daniel Ortega’s term in office, a measure aimed at...

US Demands Nicaragua Release Brooklyn Rivera’s Relatives

The United States on Monday demanded that Nicaragua’s government release relatives of Indigenous leader Brooklyn Rivera, who died in prison three months ago. Rivera,...
Avatar
🌴 The Weekly Pura Vida

Costa Rica, Once a Week

The week's top stories, weather & insider tips — delivered every Sunday. One email, zero clutter.

🔒 Free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Loading…

Latest News from Costa Rica

Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Car Rentals
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Travel