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

Virgin Voyages’ Brilliant Lady Makes Debut in Costa Rica’s Limón Port

The cruise ship Brilliant Lady from Virgin Voyages docked for the first time at Puerto Hernán Garrón Salazar in Limón on January 19, marking...

Djokovic opens Australian Open with clinical win as 25th major chase resumes

Novak Djokovic started his latest run at a record 25th Grand Slam title with an efficient, no-drama first-round win on Monday night, rolling past...

Australian Open 2026: Cerundolo Leads Latin Efforts as Alcaraz Progresses

Melbourne Park came alive on Wednesday as the second round of the Australian Open delivered a mix of straight-set cruises and grueling five-set battles....

How Scammers Use Real Photos to Steal Deposits on Costa Rica Getaways

As Costa Ricans and tourists finalize plans for Semana Santa and mid-year breaks, authorities and consumer groups issue fresh alerts on a persistent scam...

Ocaso Music Festival Returns to Costa Rica with International Lineup

The Ocaso Underground Music Festival prepares for its ninth edition, set to bring house and techno beats to the central Pacific coast from January...

Brazilian Star Beatriz Haddad Maia Falls in Australian Open First Round Upset

Beatriz Haddad Maia, Brazil's leading women's tennis player, saw her Australian Open campaign end abruptly on Sunday with a first-round defeat to Kazakhstan's Yulia...
Avatar
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica