When it comes to photography, the iPhone can produce stunning results, but as always, knowing your tool and all its features is essential. Of course, you already know how to take pictures with your iPhone, but there are a bunch of often-overlooked features that may help you create better, more artistic, or just more enjoyable shots. These iPhone camera hacks will help you to easily take stunning photos.
Is your iPhone camera being used to its fullest potential? You may have never seen some of your iPhone’s camera features unless you look for them specifically. Once you locate them, your photography will soar to new heights. This is similar to how many haven’t realized how best to use their iPhone speakers.
You already know the fundamentals of launching the camera app and snapping a picture. You’re also aware that there is a myriad of amazing photo-enhancing apps like Instagram, Pixelmator, VSCO, and Adobe Lightroom that let you add filters or do desktop-style image editing.
What we’re looking for here is professional-level features only.
If you’re looking to enhance your images and have complete control over your iPhone camera, keep reading to learn these secret iPhone camera hacks and tricks.
iPhone Camera Tips You Should Know
1. Hardware shutter iPhone camera hacks
Suppose you’re holding your iPhone at an unusual angle. In that case, you may use the volume buttons on the side of the phone rather than the large onscreen button to snap the picture. This also applies to headphones with inline volume controls on the cord, such as those that came with your phone.
Professional photographers use this kind of cords with their big, expensive SLR cameras to eliminate camera shake. Pressing a physical or virtual button can cause the camera to shake just when you need it to be still. So using a cord with a button on it and the camera on a tripod eliminates this problem entirely.
Another option is to use Bluetooth headphones with volume buttons as a shutter trigger.
2. Exposure and Focus
Two of the most significant camera settings on an iPhone are focus and exposure.
You need to ensure the subject is in excellent focus. Your picture will seem amateurish if the subject is blurry.
In photography, exposure refers to the brightness of the picture you are photographing. A photo that is either under or overexposed will not appear nice. You need to keep the balance.
But how do you adjust the focus and exposure? Not many people know of these camera features.
Your point of focus should be your main subject.
Adjusting exposure (brightness) is possible after you’ve established focus.
Simply slide up or down on your phone’s display to alter the brightness. Make the picture brighter or darker by swiping up or down.
In addition, you may use the AE/AF Lock function to lock the focus and exposure.
Focus on a certain area of the screen by pressing and holding the screen for a few seconds. At the top of the screen, a yellow box with the words AE/AF LOCK will appear.
This setting will be added to the camera so that the focus and exposure settings may be saved for the next time you snap a picture.
This feature is great if you want to capture many shots of the same subject and in the same location. It means that you don’t have to adjust the focus and exposure for each new photo, saving you time and effort.
To access the camera’s focus and exposure controls, just touch anywhere on the screen.
Focus and exposure are two important iPhone camera features that you should master if you want to improve the quality of your images.
3. Viewfinder and trigger with your watch
This is an iPhone camera tip not many people know about.
The Apple Watch can be used to view what your iPhone’s camera is seeing, which may be handy in unexpected scenarios like searching the tops of cabinets for missing stuff or taking a shot in places your eyes cannot reach.
Your watch can also work as a remote shutter. It can also come in handy if you want to take a group photo.
After positioning for a group photo and verifying the composition on your wristwatch, you may press the three-second delay timer on your watch. Then, put your hands in your pocket, strike a nice pose and smile as the picture is taken.
4. Eliminate camera shake
It’s come a long way now and improved greatly, but the iPhone still struggles in low light, whether it’s at dawn, dusk, or even indoors.
A longer exposure is needed to compensate for the low light, so if you’re not keeping your iPhone perfectly still, the image will seem a little blurry. Though optical image stabilization is included in the 6 Plus and 6s Plus models to assist combat this.
Using a stand for the iPhone is a good way to eliminate the shake, but a stand is not always available. You can lessen camera shaking by using some tested-and-trusted methods like resting your elbows on a low wall or simply supporting your iPhone in both hands while tucking your elbows under your body, which stops your hands from shaking too much.
The two-second self-timer is also a good option to consider. You may use this method to avoid clicking the shutter while taking a picture and shaking the camera. You set the timer, press the shutter, and then brace yourself and hold the iPhone firmly for two seconds before the camera snaps the picture.
5. Burst mode for fast-moving shots
This is another iPhone camera trick that most people only discover accidentally when they hold the shutter button for too long. You may take many shots in rapid succession by holding down the shutter button.
This is one of the greatest iPhone camera techniques you can employ when capturing moving objects. It’s much easier to obtain a terrific action picture when you know you’ll get at least one amazing shot.
Burst mode is a great feature to use when there’s a lot of action or anything unpredictable going on. It may be used for sports photography, wildlife photography, street photography, and action photography, to name a few.
Consider using it while photographing animals or youngsters who are prone to moving about. You may also use burst mode for spectacular water splashes or crashing waves.
To achieve burst mode, hold the shutter button down while the subject travels through the scene.
Once you’ve taken a series of shots, you may choose the best and discard the others.
Open the images in the app and click on the burst you just took to choose the photos you wish to preserve. Then, at the very bottom of the screen, tap Select.
You can see the whole burst of photographs by swiping across the screen. Make your selections, then select the ‘Done’ button.
Burst mode is a great iPhone camera option for taking pictures of moving objects.
6. Portrait Mode for Blurred Backgrounds
The iPhone camera has a feature that allows you to blur the background.
For the most part, DSLR cameras are the only tools that can achieve such a narrow depth of field.
You can get a narrow depth of field in Portrait mode on several of the newest iPhone models.
The iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max all have the portrait mode function. The iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, Apple’s iPhone X, iPhone 8 Plus, and the iPhone 7 all have it as well.
To use portrait mode, open the Camera app and tap Portrait at the bottom of the screen.
Keep your target between two and eight feet away from the lens. Portrait mode won’t work if the subject is too near or too far away until you get the desired distance.
You’ll notice the words Natural Light in yellow when Portrait mode is ready.
While your subject is in focus, the surrounding will be nicely blurred, giving your image a professional feel.
With iPhone XS, XS Max or XR most recent models, the background blur may be adjusted after taking the photo if desired.
Just open it in the Photos app and choose Edit in the upper right corner to edit your portrait picture.
Afterwards, use the Depth slider below the picture to alter the opacity of the backdrop. The backdrop grows more blurry as the f/number drops.
If you don’t like the blurred backdrop, you may simply turn the picture back into a standard image.
Open the picture and choose Edit to get rid of the blur. Then, at the very top of the screen, choose Portrait mode. To restore the blur, just tap Portrait once again.
Finally, press Done to save your portrait photo’s new look.
This camera feature is a must-use for portrait photography of people and pets as it gives your image an incredible look. However, you can also use it to blur the backdrop behind any subject.
7. Using Live Photos, you can take stunning long exposures.
Did you know that the iPhone’s built-in camera app can produce stunning long-exposure shots?
You may get a sluggish shutter speed using the long exposure function. Motion blur is created as a result of this.
Using this option, you may create a magnificent veil effect over rivers and waterfalls. Or, you may use it to photograph stunning light trails.
So, where can you find the long exposure mode?
You’ll find it in the Camera app’s Live Photos feature.
You’ll first need to enable Live Photos by tapping the circles’ icon at the top of the Camera app.
Taking a 3-second Live Photo with sound and movement is as simple as pressing the shutter button.
The Live Photo Effects may be accessed by swiping up from the bottom of the screen and selecting “Long Exposure.” Select Long Exposure from the effects menu by swiping across them.
Motion blur will show in your Live Photo, but immovable objects will stay clear.
The long exposure effect can be removed if you change your mind. You can do this by selecting Live under the Effects section.