Smartphones have emerged as the predominant tool for modern-day photography, serving as the preferred device for capturing moments. Globally, people are amassing an astounding volume of photographs. According to data from Photutorial1, the year 2021 witnessed a staggering 1.2 trillion pictures taken worldwide. Forecasts indicate an increase to 1.72 trillion in 2022 and a projection of surpassing 2 trillion by 2025. Impressively, a substantial 92.5% of these images are captured using smartphones1. These devices effectively unlock the latent photographer within each of us, enabling rapid skill enhancement. With their multitude of features, contemporary phone cameras simplify the process to a mere point-and-click action.
As World Photography Day approaches [Scheduled for August 19], we offer a collection of ingenious tips and techniques to refine your photography aptitude and extract the finest results from your smartphone camera:
Familiarize Yourself with Your Smartphone Camera: Begin by acquainting yourself with your smartphone camera. If it boasts manual settings, explore these options as well. Pay heed to attributes like focus and exposure. Experiment with diverse settings and scrutinize the distinctions. In today’s realm, numerous phones can even capture 8K video, while 4K or UHD has become commonplace. Enhanced resolution translates to heightened video detail and clarity. Utilize high-speed microSD cards, such as the SanDisk Extreme microSD card, to facilitate this. The most effective strategy to acquaint yourself with your phone camera is through extensive photography. The more shots you take under varied settings, the more adept you become at selecting the optimal settings for different lighting and scenarios. Avoid restricting yourself to one setting; instead, explore the full spectrum.
Leverage Natural Lighting: Endeavor to capture images outdoors under natural lighting conditions. Outdoor shots typically exude richer and distinct aesthetics compared to indoor ones. Illumination not only governs brightness and exposure but also establishes the tone and ambiance of the photograph. When feasible, ensure subjects are well-illuminated from the front, preventing silhouetting caused by strong backlighting.
Ample Storage Capacity: Avoid finding yourself in a predicament where your photography session is disrupted by a “storage full” notification. Preserving memories shouldn’t necessitate the deletion of existing images. An array of storage solutions exists, such as the SanDisk Extreme microSD card boasting up to 1TB1 capacity. This card is ideal for recording outdoor escapades, weekend getaways, or sports events while maintaining seamless continuity. Further options encompass the SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive USB Type-C, designed to liberate space on your smartphone and facilitate content transfers between various devices like smartphones, tablets, and laptops. The rugged SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD presents another viable option, enabling you to directly connect to your phone and safeguard your memories using on-the-go storage solutions.
Ensure Stability for Clear Shots: Even the slightest movements can compromise a shot’s quality. Thus, ensuring stability is paramount. You can provide support by steadying your smartphone against a fixed object, such as a wall, rock, or branch. Alternatively, consider investing in a small, cost-effective tripod tailored for smartphones. This stability becomes even more critical under low-light conditions, where prolonged exposure times are prevalent.
Embrace Photo Editing: A plethora of editing applications are available today, many of which offer basic functions free of charge. Rather than confining yourself to your smartphone’s built-in editing options, harness the potential of these apps to introduce depth, tone, and mood enhancements to your images. Several apps even feature “one-touch” fixes that can spectacularly transform your picture with minimal effort on your part.
In essence, consistent clicking is the key to evolving as a photographer, and armed with adequate storage, you can continue crafting memories without the concern of deletions.
