Whether you’re looking for advice online or simply in your daily life, you’re bound to come across a lot of misconceptions about smartphone photography. There are a lot of myths and misconceptions about smartphone photography that can mislead many people about the capabilities of these devices.
From misconceptions about smartphone cameras to inaccurate advice, this misinformation can affect your photography experience. Here are some myths you shouldn’t believe—ignoring them will actually help you improve faster. Check out these awesome smartphone photography tricks that actually work.
1. You need the latest smartphone to take good photos.
One of the biggest myths in the photography community is that you need the latest camera to take the best photos. Smartphone photography is also a victim of this claim, but it couldn’t be further from the truth.
I’ve taken some of my best photos with my old smartphones. I can also tell you from personal experience that having the latest technology can often be detrimental if you don’t know how to use it. It’s just a tool in your hand, nothing more, nothing less.
Eventually, you’ll need to upgrade your equipment to get better photos. I had to do this when it became clear that I needed a DSLR to advance beyond smartphones. But if you’re just starting out, what you have in your pocket will be more than enough to take good photos. Understanding some of the best mobile photography effects is a good place to start.
2. You can't take professional-looking photos with a smartphone.
Another myth is that you can’t take professional-looking photos with a smartphone. These days, smartphone cameras are much more advanced than the best DSLRs of the past. If you know how to use your device and understand its limitations, it is possible to take professional-looking photos.
As a professional photographer, I recommend purchasing a DSLR or mirrorless camera at some point. Doing so will give you more flexibility. But at the same time, you can do some things — like take pictures of food — without a proper camera. Another advantage of using your smartphone is that you can offer short video services to clients, too.
3. Megapixels matter
For years, the myth that megapixels are more important than everything else—for some reason—has been perpetuated. You’ll see it on every new smartphone flyer, for example.
Megapixels are important to a point; I remember how bad the cameras on many smartphones are. But past a certain point (I would argue 12 megapixels on smartphones), they don’t matter much if your primary goal is just to take pretty pictures.
Again, the best approach here is to learn the basics of photography and keep practicing. If the megapixel deficit starts to become noticeable, don’t hesitate to upgrade. But up until that point, you probably don’t need the extra specs. It’s also worth knowing what to do if your iPhone takes low-megapixel photos.
4. You are not a good photographer if you are editing or using filter effects.
I’ve already touched on this myth in my article on common photography misconceptions you should stop believing, but I’m even more supportive of it when it comes to smartphone photography. Many purists will speak negatively about anyone who edits their photos, but the truth is that editing is — in most cases — a good idea.
The camera doesn’t always capture the exact result you had in mind, and editing is what makes your image come to life. Adjusting brightness, colors, and so on is how many professional photographers make their images unique—and almost every advertising image you see is edited to some degree.
Sometimes, it's better to edit on your phone than on your computer.
5. Smartphone photography is easy.
If you think smartphone photography is as simple as pointing your device at something you love, you’d be wise to think again. Smartphone photography is a separate skill from DSLR and mirrorless photography, and there are many additional aspects to learning. It’s not just about your actual photo-taking skills; you also need to know how to use your technology effectively.
Smartphone photography also requires you to be good at storytelling and knowing how to frame subjects effectively. In the same way that I advise people to spend a lot of time with DSLRs and mirrorless cameras, I think you should do the same with smartphone photography.
You can start by reading this complete beginner's guide to smartphone photography if you want to know which areas to focus on.
6. It should remain in automatic mode.
Since most smartphone cameras don’t have the levels of customization you get on a dedicated camera, it’s easy to think that you should stick to auto mode. However, that’s not true at all. When you’re using your smartphone, you can still make some adjustments to make your photos look more like you want them to.
First and foremost, I recommend changing the brightness and locking your settings for the image you’re trying to capture. If your device has different filters, I also suggest experimenting with them to more effectively customize the final look.
In some cases, you may also want to use different smartphone camera apps to get better photos. For example, you can often adjust shutter speed and aperture after downloading such apps.
7. You can't take good photos at night.
Taking photos with a smartphone in the dark can be harder, but it's certainly not impossible. I actually prefer using my phone for night photography in some circumstances, and newer cameras in particular are very good for this.
Smartphones today have much better image stabilization than they did in the past, making it easier to take the low-light photos you want. Plus, you won't encounter anywhere near as much grain as you would in the past.
If you are trying to take photos with your smartphone at night, I recommend finding and using light sources where possible. Additionally, you can use a tripod and do many other things to take photos with your smartphone in low light conditions.
Don’t believe everything you hear about smartphone photography. Many of these things are just expectations from others, and you don’t want to hold them back. Above all, I recommend that you go out and take the best photos you can with your current device—you’ll know when it’s time to upgrade. Check out Here’s How to Get the Perfect Lighting for Your Smartphone Photos.
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