How to take better photos with your mobile phone

Should I be using my mobile phone at all?

There are plenty of reasons why dedicated cameras are far better than mobile phones for taking photos (see 5 of these reasons here). However, the great benefits of mobiles are that they are small enough to fit in your pocket and always with you, and so can be a great option for taking photos when you don't have your main camera with you. 

Although I don't use my mobile for professional work where the quality of the photo really matters, with a bit of knowledge, you can still take great photos with a mobile, so in this article we will look at some tips to get the best out of the camera in your pocket.  

1. Understand the basics of composition & light

Whatever camera you are using, some of the basics of great photos will always apply. These include:

Composition is key: 

Having a basic understanding of good composition and applying it to your photos can make a huge difference to the photos that you take, so much so that in my training courses it's always the first topic that I cover. Don't understand the rule of thirds or lead in lines? Learn about these techniques in this blog. 

It's all about light: 

Understanding light and how to make the most of it is another key ingredient that applies whatever camera you are using. Whether it's paying attention to the direction of the sun or understanding how the quality of light changes at different times of day or in different weather, having a grasp of how light will affect your photos will have a profound effect on the quality of your photos.

2. Switch on your grid

If you've started to use the rule of thirds to improve your composition then you should be aware that having a 3 x 3 grid visible on your camera screen can really help when you're composing your photos. But did you know that most mobile phones allow you to show this rule of thirds grid?

On Android phones, this is done from within the camera app in two easy steps:

1. Hit the settings (cog) icon at the top of the screen

2. Scroll down the settings window and toggle on the 'grid lines' option

On iPhones the process is identical although the position of the settings icon may be different.  

3. Shoot in RAW

This tip only applies if you're someone who is used to editing your photos using editing programmes such as Adobe Lightroom, but if you do then you can have more control over the final image if you shoot in raw format (see this article for a list of the pros and cons of raw over jpeg)

Not all phones allow you to shoot in raw (check your camera spec to see if yours does) - often it's the 'Pro' models that do (e.g. the iPhone 15 Pro). If yours doesn't, there's still a possibility that you can shoot in Raw by using a third party camera app such as Proshot which taps into the raw camera sensor, although this won't work with some basic phones (such as my Samsung Galaxy A35!).

If your camera has the ability to shoot in Raw, it can usually be turned on using a 'format' toggle at the top of the camera app screen, or by going into your camera settings, looking for a 'format' option and enabling the Raw option (this will be called ProRaw on Apple phones)

4. Be careful how you zoom

Zoom lenses from interchangeable lens cameras allow you to zoom into and out of a scene using physical optics which maintains the quality of the image. Increasingly mobile phones try to give you a range of 'zoomability' (not sure that's a real word, but you know what I mean!) by providing several lenses with different focal lengths. Usually three lenses are used which gives a standard mid-range focal length for everyday photos, a wide angle lens and a mild telephoto lens. On the bottom of the camera app these are often indicated by the zoom levels of '0.5' (wide angle), '1.0' (standard) and '2.0' (telephoto). Whilst using these different focal lengths helps you in framing your shot, you should avoid using any zoom level in between those numbers (especially zooming in more than the highest number) as all you will be doing in zooming in to the image detail, which increasingly degrades the quality of the image. 

Rear of iphone

5. Use Pro mode for more control

Although most of the time using the fully automatic mode of your mobile phone (which automatically sets the exposure) is just fine, there are times where you might want to take control of your exposure settings, and most (but not all) mobile cameras allow you to do this through a 'Pro' mode (interestingly the latest iPhone 15 doesn't!). Through Pro mode you can manually take control of the shutter speed and the ISO, but NOT the aperture since once of the main drawbacks of mobile phone cameras is that they have a single fixed aperture.

To access Pro mode on Android phones (many iPhones are similar):

- At the bottom of the camera app select 'More' to see more options

- On the next screen of options select 'Pro'

At the bottom of the camera app you can now manually modify the exposure using the shutter speed and ISO settings. You usually won't be able to change the aperture as most mobile phones have a single fixed aperture.

Want to improve your photography skills?

Don't forget that if you want some direct help with your photography, I offer a range of 1-2-1 photography courses for Devon based folks. If you're not nearby then I also  offer residential weekends for beginners or intermediate photographers.

About Me

As a professional photographer based in Devon, my journey began along the stunning South West Coast Path. Disappointed with my initial attempts to capture its beauty, I embarked on a second 630-mile journey, this time dedicated to mastering photography. Today, I'm a nationally acclaimed photographer with award-winning landscape photos.

I specialize in providing top-notch property photography, business photography, and drone photography services to businesses across the South West. Additionally, I offer comprehensive photography training courses tailored for both businesses and individuals. Whether you're looking to enhance your corporate image or improve your personal photography skills, my training programs are designed to help you capture stunning images.

As an award-winning and widely published photographer, I frequently share my passion for photography and Devon through engaging talks at local camera clubs and community groups. My expertise spans the entire South West region, ensuring that clients from Devon, Dorset & Somerset benefit from high-quality photography services and training.