Good photos put value in your posts, whether the posts be on Steemit or any other social media platform you use. Amazing photos dazzle the reader's curiosity about your story as they travel through it, word by word. Plus, as they say, a picture says a 1000 words and it's true. If you're posting on Steemit then most likely you're writing some type of article-like piece and amazing photos would only compliment your write-up.
These days, almost everyone has a smartphone and despite the horrible zombie-like smartphone addiction plaguing our society, these smartphones can take amazing photos. Knowing that however just remember, amazing photos do not take themselves. There are core concepts and techniques passed down from generation to generation. Though all technology becomes obsolete at some point, some core concepts remain the same. In our case, it's about taking some amazing photos.
I fell in love with photography in high school because I've always been a huge fan of visual art. Thinking of my high school photography classes reminded me that when my photography journey began, we were printing our photos in a dark room with trays of chemicals. I wonder if they still even do that (LOL). Time waited for no photographer in my graduating class and here we are 30 years later. I'm sharing my top 2 techniques that carried over to our modern handheld smartphones (with 1 new one) and what I look at when I'm looking to capture images.
Master the Rule of Thirds
The 4 intersecting points when having 2 lines horizontally and 2 lines vertically evenly cross on a camera screen, is called "rule of third." Having your subjects off center and in one of these specific intersecting points often creates the "wow factor" in most photos. Photos using the rule of thirds are usually more eye-catching because of how the human eye naturally moves when focusing on images and specific subjects.
Most smartphones these days come with a built-in 3 x 3 "rule of thirds" screen grid, which makes using the rule of third much easier.
To use the rule of third, start by identifying the point of interest or subject of interest and move around until it lines up on one of the points. Press the autofocus on the smartphone screen and practice taking pictures. The strongest points are said to be the upper left and corner, followed by the bottom left-hand corner.
I view most of my everyday life in the rule of third because I fell in love with photography years ago. I do this so whenever that great image presents itself, I can grab my camera or smartphone to capture it. When it comes to the rule of thirds to me, I stay ready so I never have to get ready to capture that breathtaking shot. Even if it's shot with a smartphone.
Only Shoot in Natural Light
Remember what this article is about. It's about taking amazing photos from your smartphones for your social media posts. I never use flash on a smartphone. Sure, if you're at the club with your friends and the only way to capture that moment of dark drunkenness was a picture with flash, then take it. Take it to capture those types of moments but for posts, you're already pushing the limitations of amazing by using a smartphone to take pictures. The odds are already against you versus someone using a Nikon 7100 so you want to maximize the "wow factor" as much as possible.
Chances are if it's a natural shot, it can be edited to look amazing to average. Natural shots and light controlled shots are pleasing to the eyes. Photos with direct flashes on them, often create a visual uneasiness.
My favorite times of the day are morning and late afternoon (just like the peak times). I usually have the subject facing the sun during the day and I usually avoid outdoor pictures at high noon. This is just my instinctive awareness about photography throughout my day, especially if I'm traveling through new terrain. I always decide if I can take a great image after finding the subject's best angle and from how much natural light is on that subject.
Always Edit Your Photos
I know it sounds so simple but there are a lot of photos out there that are just happily from smartphone to post. That's great for the standard user but we're trying to get some amazing photos out of our smartphones to make our posts even more appealing.
My go-to photo editing app is SnapSeed because of personal familiarity but there are countless useful apps that have the same purpose. To make your photos look amazing. My quick "on the go" edit would be to play with the light, and HDR. You can't always turn up the HDR without blackening certain shadows, so you have to practice to get the artistic look you want. Some photos I like the "grainy" options, but most photos I like the natural look. These are just my personal edit preferences.
Almost all photo editing apps for both IOS and Android also have preset features. You can even use these preset to look like an experienced photographer. The crop is when you can place subjects perfectly on the rule of thirds, and even rotate slightly uneven photos. Great edits take time and experience and that part of the fun in every person's photography journey. Take and edit lots of photos that are customized to each post. With each edit, you'll see your self-improvement in putting amazing smartphone photos together.
The Path to Smartphone Photography
I fell in love with photography during a very analog era and am honored to have made it this far during its digital era. The only new technique in my 3 go-to tips during this time span, are the photo editing apps. The images that some people can do from their smartphones and from these photo editing apps are phenomenal. It takes practice and that's part of the fun of photography. I hope my 3 super tips for taking amazing smartphone photos help you maximize every post, on Steemit and all social media platforms alike.
Authored & Photographed by: