Photographers at The Denver Post are often asked about cameras. Not a week goes by that one of us doesn’t hear, “What’s the best camera to buy?” People see our professional gear and want to know, “What camera will help me get photos of my kids playing sports that aren’t blurry?” or, “What camera takes great landscapes but is light so I can carry it while hiking?”
In photojournalism, there is an age-old saying: the best camera is the one you have with you. So, we often respond that their phone camera is all they need. People are usually very surprised by this and ask, “Then why do you have those big cameras hanging on your shoulders?”
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying there aren’t better cameras out there. There are, and we use them. What I am saying is that your cell phone camera is quite capable of doing a good job. To prove the point, all the images included in this article were taken with my iPhone.
If you have the money, interest, and time to buy a fancy camera like the one we use for our work, and learn how to use it, it’s much better than phone cameras. But even as professionals, Post photographers often use our phones for our personal lives. I lug two big cameras around for work all day, so when I’m off the clock the last thing I want to do is carry that stuff around some more. On vacations or while doing family activities, I almost always rely on my phone camera to capture moments that are truly important to me.
With almost 20 years of professional experience as a photographer for The Denver Post, being a father of two active children where I am constantly taking photos of them in their activities, and having a camera in my hands since I was five years old was, I’ve learned a few simple tricks along the way that help me capture the moments I want, no matter what type of camera I have in my hands.
The following tips for taking great photos with your phone don’t require any changes to your settings or features on your camera phone or whatever camera you’ve chosen to use. These are things to think about when taking photos, and doing so will elevate your photography.
Use light to your advantage
Photography is all about light. No matter what camera you use, it doesn’t change. So, taking pictures in interesting light will make interesting pictures. Think about the time of day you take photos. If you are photographing indoors, is there better light in another room or another part of the room? Can you add light to change the mood of your images?
For example, you drive home late one night and see your neighborhood park has a Christmas tree all lit up. You think it would make a great photo for your holiday cards. It’s too late to stop that night, so you make plans to come back. This is when you need to think about light. You know the photo is about the lit tree, so immediately you know you want to photograph the tree when the tree lights are on. But is there a specific time that can enhance the photo? If you photograph the tree in the afternoon sun, you probably won’t be able to see the lights on the tree. For example, think of early morning or evening. Before the sky gets completely dark, you may be able to see the horizon line in the background and catch a deep blue color in the sky. Or do you want the background to be completely black and isolate the lit tree during a darker part of the night? It’s all up to you, but know that photographing the tree in different light will change your image.
You can do fun things to add different types of light. Park your car where your headlights help illuminate the scene. Maybe use a flashlight to do the same thing. Try out different things and see what works for you. If you change the light of a scene you are photographing, you change the mood of that image. Find the right light that gives you the mood you’re going for in your image. Photojournalists often say, “Go early and stay late.” Sometimes you have to be patient to get the photos you want. Sometimes you have to wait for the light you want.
Cut with your feet
These days, most phone cameras have the ability to zoom in and out with a snap of your finger, but remember to use your legs. It is often better to move further into or out of a situation rather than zooming with your camera. For example, if you are able to get down to floor level to take pictures of your children during a holiday recital, the eye-level images will often feel more personal and dynamic than those shot from the schoolroom.
Check your backgrounds
Watch what you put on your background. A clean and simple background can often elevate your images. Sometimes it’s nice to have things in the background that add information about the scene, but remember what’s important in your photo. Try to have the star of your image that is important. So, if you have all the cousins lined up on the ski hill and the background behind them is a distracting orange fence pushing skiers toward the chairlift, that bright fence on the white snow hill will draw your eyes away from the cousins and toward the hedge. Consider what is important in your image and look for a background that highlights rather than distracts from what you want to focus on.
Remember the details
This brings me to an important idea to remember: don’t overlook the details. Sometimes we get into the bad habit of only photographing the big picture. The kids are tearing open presents on Christmas morning, and it looks like a tornado has passed through your living room. Yes, it’s great to photograph your kids during all the craziness, but sometimes it’s the little details that will make photos you’ll cherish. After the chaos of Christmas morning, go back into the room and look around. All the wrapping paper is scattered along the carpet. Ribbons and bows thrown freely. Photographing the small details can add photos that bring you closer to something. A detail can tell you more. They can also be artistic and graphic in nature, which can sometimes make for frame-worthy photography.
You will miss 100% of the photos you don’t take
Last but certainly not least, if you don’t take the picture, you won’t have the picture. One of the best things about digital photography is that you don’t buy film or pay for processing. Why not try? Even if you don’t make a great picture, the process of doing it will teach you more about what to do next time. And as in the game of golf, it’s ok to call a mulligan. You can do it again. If your kids are dancing in the holiday parade, but you end up not getting the photos you wanted, you can try again. Your kids will still look super cute in their costumes after the parade is over. You really wanted to send grandpa and grandma a great photo of them during the performance, but from where you sat, the kids were in complete shadow. There’s nothing wrong with taking a few pictures of the cute kids after the performance. The costumes are still on. You get a street light that they can stand close to for better light, and you get some fun photos where they look good, and best of all, grandpa and grandma can see their faces and costumes. The photos may not be from the performance, but you probably won’t care once you see the new photos you’ve taken.
The photo department here at The Denver Post hopes you all have a safe and wonderful holiday season, and I hope these tips help you capture the season a little better in your photos. Happy holidays from all of us.
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