Smartphone Photography 101: Easy Settings, Smarter Composition, Better Photos

Almost everyone carries a capable camera in their pocket—but great photos still take a little know‑how. Here’s a concise guide to getting sharper, better‑composed shots on your phone, plus a few apps to level up when you’re ready.

Make the most of your phone’s cameras

• Use the right lens: Most phones offer ultrawide (0.5x), wide/main (1x) and telephoto (2x/3x/5x). Prefer the native steps (e.g., 1x, 2x, 5x) and avoid in‑between digital zoom for best quality.
• Portraits: Stick to the main or tele lens to flatter faces and reduce distortion. Portrait mode can look great, but watch for haloing around hair or edges.
• Ultrawide wisely: Great for landscapes/architecture; avoid it for close people shots (edge warping).
• Clean the lens: A quick wipe with a soft cloth prevents haze and smears that ruin detail.

Nail focus and exposure (the only setting you often need)

• Tap to focus/expose: Tapping a subject sets focus and exposure. If it’s too bright/dark, use the on‑screen brightness slider to adjust.
• Lock it in: Press and hold to lock AE/AF when shooting multiple frames of the same scene.
• Macro shots: Try close‑ups with the main or ultrawide camera for leaves, textures, food and small objects.
• Flash sparingly: Use only when necessary—ambient light usually looks more natural. Try a brighter exposure first.
• Be ready fast: Learn your lock‑screen shortcut (e.g., recent iPhones’ Capture button or swipe‑left; many Android phones: double‑press Power) so you never miss a moment.
• RAW (optional): Shooting RAW gives more editing latitude but bigger files and a learning curve. Keep it for special shots.

Composition: the biggest upgrade you can make

• Rule of thirds: Enable the 3×3 grid and place key subjects near intersections. Avoid splitting the frame 50/50 unless intentional.
• Symmetry & leading lines: Center docks, hallways or tracks; use roads, rails and edges to guide the eye.
• Diagonals and foregrounds: Diagonal lines add energy; include nearby objects (leaves, posts, people) to frame the scene.
• Go low, go close: Lower angles (even phone upside‑down) make scenes more dramatic; step closer instead of over‑zooming.
• Light and shadow: Embrace contrast; backlight for silhouettes; nudge exposure down to deepen shadows and protect highlights.
• Black & white: Strip color to emphasize form and texture when scenes have strong lines or contrast.

Power‑user apps when you’re ready

• VSCO (iOS/Android): Manual controls for exposure, shutter, ISO and white balance; RAW support; creative filters. vsco.co
• Lightroom Mobile (iOS/Android): Great exposure tools, RAW capture and robust editing—on the go. Adobe Lightroom Mobile
• Halide Mark II (iOS): Deep manual control, excellent RAW, focus tools and exposure aids. halide.cam

Quick checklist before you shoot

• Wipe the lens; boost screen brightness for composing.
• Choose the right lens (1x/2x/5x); avoid heavy digital zoom.
• Tap to focus; adjust exposure; lock if needed.
• Mind the edges and background; use the grid for alignment.
• Take a second angle: lower, closer, or with a framing object.

Tip: Keep edits simple—gentle tweaks to exposure, contrast and white balance often beat heavy filters.

Discussion: What’s your biggest struggle when shooting on your phone—harsh light, blurry subjects, or flat compositions?