Smartphone Photography in easy steps

Covers iPhones and Android phones

Nick Vandome

• Publisher: In Easy Steps Limited
• Year: 2020
• ISBN:
  9781840789102
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: Digital Media

Smartphone cameras have evolved from being useful for taking quick snapshots, to being powerful and sophisticated devices that, for many people, have replaced the need to use a separate camera. It is now possible to take high-quality photos, edit them and then share them in a variety of ways, all from your smartphone.

Smartphone Photography in easy steps looks at all aspects of using your smartphone or tablet as a one-stop shop for all of your photographic needs. These include:

• Showing the functions and controls of smartphone cameras, so that you get the most of the available options.
• Using basic techniques so that you can feel confident using your smartphone camera in any photographic situation.
• Showing how to get the best compositions for your photos.
• Looking at lighting conditions to help take your photos to the next level.
• Becoming a portrait expert when taking photos of family and friends.
• Getting the best photos of the environment around you, including buildings and landscapes.
• Looking at the range of photo editing apps that are available for editing photos on smartphones and tablets.
• Showing the basic editing tips to improve your photos in a few taps.
• Detailing the range of options for improving the exposure and colors in your photos.
• Using creative techniques to give your photos a sense of fun and style.
• Showing how to share your photos in a variety of ways, such as directly to social media sites, and also printing them out at home with wireless printing.

Smartphone Photography in easy steps reveals the exciting world of taking photos with your smartphone, and shows how to enhance them so that you can create memories of which you can be proud.

Covers iPhones and Android phones.

Table of Contents

• Photos on Mobile Devices
• Photo-taking Basics
• Composition and Light
• People and Portraits
• Buildings and Landscapes
• Using Editing Apps
• Editing Basics
• Color Editing
• Making Selections
• Creative Effects
• Sharing and Printing

1

Photos on Mobile Devices

Digital photography has evolved rapidly since the first digital cameras were developed. This chapter looks at how the smartphone has now become essential in the digital photography world.

The Changing Face of Photography

Default Camera Apps

Third-party Camera Apps

Accessing Camera Controls

Accessing Camera Settings

Smartphones and Tablets

Photos with Apple

Photos with Android

The Changing Face of Photography

It is only a couple of decades or so ago that digital photography was the new kid on the digital block. The idea of capturing photos onto a memory card, using a collection of digital data rather than on traditional film was revolutionary at the time, but it quickly became popular with photography enthusiasts and the wider consumer market. The instant nature of digital photography was one of its great selling points: as soon as you took a photo you could see it on the camera, without the need to wait hours or days for a camera film to be developed and printed.

One of the initial drawbacks about digital photography was the expense of the digital cameras themselves. However, the technology advanced quickly, to the point where, within a few years, owning a digital camera was a realistic option for most people taking photos. As the popularity of digital photography has increased and become more widespread, we rarely think of it as a separate entity: digital photography is usually now considered simply under the banner of “photography”.

Following the introduction of digital photography, the next big game-changer was the use of digital cameras on smartphones and tablets. This has had a significant impact on the way in which people deal with their photographic needs: in a lot of cases, the advantages of using a smartphone for taking photos has led many people to use this instead of a separate camera. The benefits of undertaking photography on a smartphone are numerous:

•Convenience. These days, most people keep their smartphones with them at all times. This means that they are also ready to take photos whenever they want.

•Portability. Smartphones are generally smaller than digital cameras and easier to carry around in a pocket, so that they are always to hand.

•Two cameras. Most smartphones have...