When it comes to great print marketing, high-quality images can make all the difference.
Since most people today have a smartphone they use for taking pictures rather than a digital camera, here are five do’s and don’ts for taking better pictures with your iPhone.
DO’S
1. Do use portrait mode when capturing pictures that focus on people.
Many forget to make good use of the portrait mode when capturing a friend or family member. Portrait mode will focus on the person only and blur out the background. This mimics the effect that a professional camera reflects.
2. Do keep your “live” feature on when taking pictures of moving objects or people.
Using the “live” feature comes in handy for things or people that move quickly, for instance – a busy baby or a sports game. After the live picture is captured, you will be able to go back, edit the picture, and choose which frame you’d like to be the key photo.
3. Do make sure your camera lens is not foggy or smudged.
This is something that is commonly overlooked when pulling your phone out to take a picture. Wiping off the lens with a cloth or t-shirt will make a marvelous difference in the clarity of your picture.
4. Do use the “auto” edit wand for each picture.
It’s as easy as it sounds! Clicking that auto edit wand will do wonders on your pictures if you don’t know where to start. It’ll auto-adjust the white balance, color tone, exposure, etc.
5. Do use natural lighting for better color and clarity.
Use sunlight at every chance you get. The more natural lighting you use, the less grainy your images will look. For example, standing near a window when indoors will allow natural lighting to come into your picture.
DON’TS
1. Don’t use the front camera for anything except selfies.
The front camera on an iPhone is usually a lower megapixel than the rear-facing camera. The images taken with the front-facing camera will turn out more “grainy” than images captured with the rear-facing camera.
2. Don’t stick to the default filters that Apple provides.
There are many other filters available, especially on Lightroom and for purchase, that provide better color for your pictures.
3. Don’t expect as high of quality when using iPhone pictures at a larger scale.
iPhone has a great camera, but it can’t be compared to a $2,000+ DSLR camera. If you’re looking to enlarge a picture for a canvas or banner, it’s best to rely on the use of a professional camera rather than a smartphone.
After following these tips, your iPhone pictures will be worth more than a thousand words. And, when you’re ready to get those pictures out to the world through great print marketing, give us a call!