Smartphone cameras have gone from strength to strength over the last few years, so there's no reason why you can't take professional quality photos using your everyday device.
Having a great camera is key, but the photographer behind the lens needs to have a clear idea of the dos and don'ts to help achieve the perfect shot.
Top 5 Food Photography Tips for Smartphone
Rule of Thirds
The rule of thirds is a photographic composition principle that splits an image into thirds in a horizontal and vertical split, meaning the image is broken down into nine parts. The narrative behind this technique is that when you place the subject of interest in these meeting points or along the lines, the overall image will appear more balanced, guiding the viewer across the image in a natural way.
The good news is that the rule of thirds is a tool built into most smartphones; you just need to switch it on.
Use the Focus
The great thing about smartphone cameras is that they come with an automatic focus feature – unlike DSLR, this camera does all the work for you. When you hold your phone up to take a picture it will automatically focus on the nearest object to the lens. This can be very useful; however, when you are looking to put the focus on a specific part of a busy image, more often than not, the camera won’t pick this up within its preset. To change the main focal point, simply tap the area within the image that you’d like to appear sharper and the camera will refocus as per your direction.
Negative Space
Negative space refers to the areas that are in and around the sole focus of your image. The use of negative space can change the way an image is interpreted. What does negative space look like? It’s often a large span of water, sky, wall or empty field. When you use a lot of empty space in your image, it helps to draw out the main focus of interest – ensuring limited distractions for the eye.
Tripod is a Must
We've all seen it – the photos that could’ve been perfect if it wasn’t for the crooked positioning or the dreaded camera shake. These issues are easily preventable with some handy equipment developed for smartphones. Most will be familiar with tripods, aka the legs of your camera. This piece of equipment was designed to provide extra precision and control when photographing. A tripod for a smartphone is no different; it's been created to do the exact same thing. So, when you’re snapping your creation, you can spend less time worrying about having a steady hand and focus more on the composition and look of your shot.
Avoid the Zoom
It's pretty much an unwritten rule that you should avoid the “zoom” tool at all cost, however tempting it may be when you’re shooting from a distance. Unless you’re a DSLR user with the right kit, you just won't get the same effect using a smartphone camera, as zooming in will result in blurry, pixelated and grainy images. And that’s never a good look.
Alternatively, try getting closer to your focus subject or take a photo from a distance and have a play at cropping the image later on. Cropping can reduce the quality, but you will have a better end product by taking this route.
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