While a DSLR or point-and-shoot camera can be an amazing tool for photography, smartphone cameras have progressed leaps and bounds beyond their original incarnations. Most people go everywhere with their smartphones, which makes them easily accessible when you want to document a particularly beautiful flower you encounter on your way to work or when you want to grab a snapshot of your toddler doing something cute.
The transition from using a regular camera to just the camera on your phone takes time, but there are a few things you can do to make it much smoother.
1. Keep It Nearby
The primary benefit of using a smartphone camera over a regular camera is its accessibility. This benefit is lost, however, when you keep your phone in the bottom of your purse or tucked away in a briefcase.
Consider purchasing a smartphone cover that will clip to a belt loop or the side of a bag, or make a place for it in the outside pocket of your purse. That way you can reach for it immediately when a photo op presents itself.
2. Back Up Photos
With my regular camera, I always remove the memory card after shooting and dump all the photos onto the hard drive of my computer. A smartphone, on the other hand, stores the photos, so backing up isn't as much of an automatic response to taking new pictures.
If you want to retain your photos, however, establish a system. You can store photos in the cloud or you can transfer them to a flash drive or external hard drive. Establish a day of the week, for example, on which you will back up your photos, then observe that ritual religiously.
3. Experiment with Apps
Smartphone photos sometimes look flat when viewed straight out of the camera, especially to those who are used to using regular cameras. You can rectify that problem, however, by experimenting with the multitude of apps available for Android phones and the iPhone.
Some apps will add delicate touches, like vignetting and color correction, while others can create more extreme changes to your photos. From Lomo to monotone variations, to pseudo HDR and vintage film, there are hundreds of filters that can bring life and interest to your photos.
4. Learn the Settings
My smartphone's camera offers several settings, including zoom and exposure compensation, but other phones offer even more. Take the time to get to know yours. Which buttons control which settings? How do you adjust white balance settings? And can you adjust the picture size and quality?How do you activate the flash?
Learn also how to find your photos in your phone's storage. This way, you'll be able to access the photos and show them off to friends.
5. Play to the Smartphone Camera's Strengths
A smartphone camera isn't necessarily inferior to a regular camera. It just offers a different set of features. The more you understand your camera's strengths, the better your photos will be.
For example, most phones don't allow the adjustment of aperture, which means you'll always have a larger depth of field. Use leading lines and the rule of thirds to create depth to photos since everything will be in focus.
Use your phone's camera in good light if possible; the smaller flash might not me enough in the dark. Or, learn how to use motion blur artfully.
It might take time to transition from regular camera to smartphone camera, but practice will make your photos better, and you won't have to worry about carrying two devices around!
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