Cell Phone Camera Tips & Tricks

Most phone photos don't come out badly because you're bad at this.

Usually it's one of two things — a dirty lens, or your phone guessing wrong about brightness. Both take about four seconds to fix, and neither one requires a better phone.

I'm a portrait photographer, so obviously I think there's a place for the real thing. But most of your family's life happens on days you didn't hire anyone, and those photos are worth taking well too.

Here are the ones I find myself explaining most often.

First thing I tell everyone: CLEAN YOUR LENS. This can be as simple as cleaning it with your shirt, or going in depth like the video below. But if you are noticing blur, light streaking or overall poor quality, make sure your lens is clean.

Second thing to know is that you can adjust the exposure, or the brightness, of your photos before you take them! Ever wondered why your sky looks right, but the kiddo you were trying to photograph is a dark blur? This will help with that. See the video below for how to adjust your brightness before you ever take the photo.

These two are more into the “trick” category, but I think you’ll like them! Great especially for vacation time!