These days, with pretty good cameras in most people’s pockets, it has become a lot easier to capture and save memories. You can just pull out your phone and take a photo, then upload those photos and print them off, ready to be framed and put up on the wall or the mantelpiece.

If you want to take some high-quality photos for framing without spending a lot on camera equipment, then we’ve got some tips to help you improve the quality of photos you take with your smartphone.

Select the focus

On modern smartphones, it’s easy to select an element of the photo you want to focus on, if it’s different to whatever your phone automatically decided to focus on. You don’t have to mess around with different settings, all you have to do is tap the subject on the screen. The camera settings will automatically adjust to focus on that element.

Adjust the lighting

There are various settings you can adjust within your camera app to improve your photos you take. How much you can utilize these will depend mostly on your technical knowledge when it comes to photography. Even if these pro settings go way over your head, there’s a simple adjustment you can make when taking photos; the brightness. Each smartphone camera will differ slightly, but you should be able to simply increase or decrease the brightness to get the best out of your subject.

Avoid flash

One aspect of smartphone photography that still has some catching up to do is the flash. When used for taking photos in the dark, the flash tends to produce photos that are grainy and overexposed, or still too dark. Wherever possible, rely on external sources of light to highlight your subject so that you don’t have to rely on flash.

Only zoom if you have to

Zooming in with your camera phone can also result in low-quality photos, especially if you’re zooming in a lot. Try to physically get closer to your subject if you want a more zoomed in photo, rather than relying on the zoom tool itself. If you can’t get closer, then try simply taking the photo from where you are (with just a little zoom if needed) and then cropping it to get the desired frame.

Consider buying accessories

If you’re willing to spend a little more money, there are lots of great accessories to help boost the capabilities of your smartphone’s camera. You can buy attachable lenses that allow you to zoom in better and achieve different perspectives. There are LED lights that attach to your phone to achieve better lighting. Or you can use a tripod or stand designed for smartphones to help you stabilize your photos.

If you have photos that you want custom framing, then get in touch with Tanglewood Art and Frame in Clemmons, NC.