Popular Science

How to Take the Best Photos with Your Smartphone

Published

7 years ago

January 10, 2019

In many ways, your smartphone camera is better than that DSLR your parents insist on bringing on vacation. In fact, that black rectangle in your pocket can shoot photos that are good enough to be on a billboard or magazine cover, but only if you have the skills to go with the tech. Here are some tips to get professional quality photos—or at least some artsy ones for your Instagram—using just the native camera app on your iOS or Android device.

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Producer/Video by: Jason Lederman
Narrator: Sophie Bushwick
Researcher: Stan Horaczek
Music: APM Music
Special Thanks: Billy Cadden, Ben Lederman
Media: Pixabay, Pexels, Prelinger Archive, Wikimedia Commons, Deposit Photos ()

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12 Comments

BaşıBoş Tv

January 10, 2019 at 7:06 pm

first ?

Reply
Ryan Perry

January 10, 2019 at 7:50 pm

Did not know about the exposure drag feature. Thanks PopSci!

Reply
Amy Schellenbaum

January 10, 2019 at 7:54 pm

Honestly I had no idea that you could fiddle with the exposure time on an iPhone??

Also wow you filmed this on the bridge in January. That is COLD.

Reply
Popular Science

January 10, 2019 at 7:55 pm

We love making these videos with quick tips to improve your everyday tech habits. Have a tech question? Leave it below ?

Reply
- Ryan Perry
  
  January 10, 2019 at 8:12 pm
  
  Same video, but for… video. You could even shoot it on a phone!
  
  Reply
- Oscar Cerro Quiles
  
  January 14, 2019 at 6:55 am
  
  I love you! <3
  
  Reply
- Captain Peter R. Miller
  
  March 24, 2019 at 11:09 pm
  
  +Ryan Perry True Ryan, but hopefully in horizontal format !!.
  
  Reply
jlederman2

January 10, 2019 at 7:58 pm

My dad ALWAYS insists on bringing a 6 year old digital camera on vacation. I keep trying to tell him his iPhone has a better camera but he won’t listen!

Reply
TheCelticGoldsmith Bellchamber

January 12, 2019 at 9:59 pm

Thanks! Learned some new things!

Reply
- Popular Science
  
  January 12, 2019 at 11:42 pm
  
  ?
  
  Reply
Oscar Cerro Quiles

January 14, 2019 at 7:00 am

I feel like I knew nothing of my camera’s smartphone. Ironically enough I new how to do much of that on my old cellphone.

How about an estabilizer instead of a tripod?

Reply
A3Kr0n

February 9, 2019 at 4:53 pm

Clean your lens!

Reply

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