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Photographers Share Their Top Tips for Your Best iPhone Photos Ever

Easy ways to quickly improve your food pics and portrait shots.
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Reunion dinners, sumptuous meals, gatherings with family and friends—there’s no better time than now to get snapping to capture those happy moments. Looking to take some of your best pictures ever? Some of the world's leading photographers have come together to share their best photography tips and tricks for capturing photos with your iPhone.

Here’s how to get the most out of your smartphone’s camera.

Javan Ng | @javan

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Photos shot on iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR.

Tips:

1. Taking a photo through glass or a reflective object? Move around and position your camera in such a way that it doesn’t capture yourself or other unnecessary objects in your shot.

2. When shooting indoors or in a low-light environment, it’s best to make sure the Smart HDR is enabled. This helps to bring out more detail, avoid nasty shadows, and balance highlights.

3. When recording a slo-mo video, I like to start recording two to three seconds before the action I want to capture. This way, you will be able to capture what you want perfectly.

4. For quick and easy video edits and creation, I’d recommend the Spark Camera - Video Editor app. It’s not expensive and is a simple and powerful video app.

Scott A. Woodward | @scottawoodward

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Photos shot on iPhone XR.

Tips:

1. The best images always make interesting and powerful use of light. Dramatic lighting can make even the most mundane subjects appear outstanding, so be on the lookout for beams of light or make use of long shadows and try to use backlighting to silhouette your subjects.

2. Look for dynamic and creative angles. Hold it high and shoot without looking at the screen or put it on the ground and tilt it up. The more creative you get, the more you’ll learn about what works and what doesn’t.

3. Because mobile phones are unobtrusive, people are less likely to stop what they’re doing or pose for you when shooting with a mobile phone. Use this to your advantage to shoot candid, more evocative street photography.

4. For portraits, get physically closer to your subject so you fill the screen with your subject’s face. This will allow you to capture all the details and as Robert Capa famously said, “If your pictures aren’t good enough, you aren’t close enough.”

Yais Yusman | @yaisyusman

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Photos shot on iPhone XR.

Tips:

1. Frame your shot
This allows the audience to focus on a particular object or person in a frame and also gives more context to the photo.

2. Capture moments with Live Photos
If you know you’ll be capturing a moving object or a person doing an action, be ready to catch the moment with Live Photos. This gives you a chance to get a unique shot and be right in the moment.

3. Grid lines
Compose your photos better by using these as a guide. When it comes to symmetrical photos, the rule of thirds apply. Tip: Make sure the subject is in the middle.

Yudhi Aristan | @aristan89

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Photos shot on iPhone XS Max.

Tips:

1. The devil is in the details so pay attention to patterns and form to get the most out of your photos.

2. Depth of field, the distance between the closest and farthest objects in a photo, can enhance your photos. To achieve this, tap and hold onto the yellow box when shooting to get a nicely focused image. Result: A blurred background that can enhance the details of the foreground.

3. For a backlit situation, tap on the dark and shaded area to bring out the colour and brighten the overall image.

Ernest Goh | theanimalbookco

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Photos shot on iPhone XS Max.

Tips:

1. Get in close and look for details to create interest and compelling composition.

2. Use your environment, find the best light and wait for a great moment.

Jason Lim | @jsnjnr

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Photos shot on iPhone XR.

Tips:

1. For Portrait mode, focus on a subject before snapping the picture. You may preview and adjust the depth by tapping the “f” symbol located at the top right corner of the camera app to better ensure you’ve got your focus ready.

2. To create a depth of field without using portrait mode, place an object closer to the camera lens and tap on your subject of focus. This ensures sharpness and creates a contrast using depth of field.

3. For slo-mo videos taken in well-lit conditions, change your slo-mo video settings to record 1080p @ 120 fps – this reduces the amount of flashing.

4. When taking a time-lapse video, tap on your subject to blur out the rest of the screen and avoid moving your phone to create a better time-lapse. For better results, record at least for a minute or two.

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