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

Costa Rica Dollar Supply Hits Record 20 Years After Colón Devaluations Ended

The dollar sits near ₡452 as Costa Rica marks 20 years since ending planned colón devaluations. Here's what is driving record dollar supply.

Costa Rica’s Cambronero Bridge to Reopen

The Cambronero bridge on Route 1 is scheduled to reopen Tuesday, November 3, restoring traffic through a stretch of the Inter-American Highway closed since...

Lufthansa to Drop Costa Rica Route in 2027 as Sister Airline Adds More Flights

German airline Lufthansa will stop operating its flights to Costa Rica in December 2027, but travelers will not lose the connection to Europe. Instead,...

Costa Rica Uses Smartphones to Create 3D Maps of Pacific Coral Reefs

A Costa Rican conservation organization is using ordinary smartphones to create detailed three-dimensional maps of coral reefs along the country's Pacific coast, giving researchers...

Wha Happen? 13 Patois Phrases for Costa Rica’s Caribbean Coast

Heading to Puerto Viejo or Cahuita? Learn 13 Mekatelyu phrases, from wha happen to mek wi go, before you go.

Costa Rica Hotel Wins Two World Travel Awards, Putting Tárcoles in the Spotlight

A hotel on Costa Rica's Central Pacific coast has won two international tourism awards, bringing attention to Tárcoles, a area known for its crocodile-filled...

El Niño Leaves Gulf of Nicoya Fishermen With Catches Too Small to Pay for Fuel

Fishermen in the Gulf of Nicoya say the unusually warm water El Niño has pushed against Costa Rica’s Pacific coast has left their nets...

Guards Find Sharpened Spoons as Costa Rica’s Megaprison Tops 600 Inmates

Costa Rica's new maximum-security prison held more than 600 inmates by Tuesday, eight days after the first transfers. Guards there have already found weapons...

Costa Rica Researchers Study Pollution Exposure in Ostional Sea Turtles

Researchers are examining olive ridley sea turtles at Ostional for exposure to antibiotic-resistance genes as part of a broader investigation into marine pollution. Details...
Loading…

Latest News from Costa Rica

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