So, today I am back in the office following a week away working with my camera at the most amazing retreat venue you have ever seen.
Situated in the mountains of the Algarve in Portugal Joanne Mullen’s Reset Retreat venue was out of this world.
I was privileged to not only be attending the retreat as the official photographer for the week but I was also given the opportunity of an evening slot with the guests to share some tips to take better photographs straight from their mobile phones.
Below I have summarised the points I discussed in my workshop along with some photographs for reference for the guests and anyone else wishing to take better photographs today with the use of their own phones.
1.Grid lines and Rules of Thirds
This is one of the easiest and most effective ways to improve the quality of your photographs almost instantly. Turning on grid lines on your phone will place lines onto your phone screen based on the rule of thirds, a composition principle with suggests that a photograph should be broken down into thirds- this can be both horizontally and vertically. So, when taking your photographs, line up your subject along these lines or at the intersections and your photos will seem more balances and pleasing to the eye.
2. Getting Closer
Sometimes its easier said than done, but whenever possible get closer with your phone rather than zooming in. Using your smart phone camera zoom will lose a lot of fine detail, instead when possible take a few steps closer instead.
3. Lose Filter
Filters were once seen as “cool” and “popular” but try to take your photographs as they are. If you really do want to add a particular filter, I would suggest doing this as part of the editing process and not at the capture stage. There are so many good editing apps available now to use rather than those saved on social media apps and the mobile themselves. I would recommend Photoshop Express, Snapseed (which is a fav of mine) and iphoto.
4. Angles
I love practising with creating interesting angles…. my knees dont always enjoy this as much but sometimes you need to think of the end creation! Think of practicing birds eye views, reversing this and lying on the floor to take shots above you and getting down to eye level.
5. Flash
FORGET IT when using your phone. Using your flash on your camera can often give your subject red eyes and completely wash them out because its so small and close to the actual lens. Look for alternative light sources instead like passing headlights, lighting already in the environment and of course natural light.
6. Use your volume button as your shutter
Not only does using your volume button as your shutter feel a little more comfortable in your hands but it also helps to keep your grip steady on your camera too, resulting in a much sharper capture.
7. Storage
Do you often get pop ups telling you your storage is full? Yes that happens regularly to me too on my phone. Google Photos has been a game changer for me as this fabulous app automatically backs up all of my images when connected to wifi so I can free storage up on my phone.
These are just a few of the points covered in my workshop last week on the Reset Retreat and I was so thrilled at the feedback from the guests. I felt so proud watching guest putting into practice the tips and ideas I had given along with being tagged in social media posts across the week.
Photography for me has not only allowed me to make a career and business I am incredibly proud of, an online training course to shre my passion with others but its taught me an incredible skill that allows me to mindfully capture memories to enjoy forever.
If the tips above have inspired you to take more photographs for yourself/your family/ business or perhaps has inspired your to dust off that DSLR camera hidden away in a bedroom cupboard, my online photography course is starting online this week.
My 12 month online photography course will teach you all the elements of photography to not only help you to understand your camera, how to get out of auto settings but it will help you to learn to compose your photographs too.
My photography course will not only be an education but interactive too as quarterly meet ups will be arranged to keep this both educational and interactive too.
If you would like to sign up to my online camera course or know someone that would, you can find all the course details here