If you’re like most people, you probably rely on your smartphone’s camera as your one and only piece of photographic equipment. But are you sure you’re making the most of its capabilities? Read on for seven awesome and surprising tricks you can do with, or to, your smartphone’s camera for better photos and cool effects.
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Try this quick hack for better zooming.
One of the main complaints from serious-minded smartphone photographers is that digital zoom just can’t compare to an optical zoom lens. Essentially, digital zoom is little more than in-camera image processing. The camera crops and resizes the image before the picture is taken, rather than actually zooming in on the subject of the photo.
But don’t worry, if you have a pair of binoculars (or a telescope, if you’re an astronomy enthusiast), you’ve got a quick and easy zoom lens for your smartphone camera. Just put the lens right up against the eyepiece, and you’ll be able to snap a photo of the magnified image on the other side.
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Snap your picture with the volume button.
When taking a photo with your smartphone camera, holding the device as still as possible is important. However, this can be difficult when you’re trying to adjust your grip so that you can reach the virtual shutter button that appears on your phone’s screen.
But did you know that you can avoid this awkwardness by hitting your phone’s volume button to snap the photo? On both iPhones and Android devices, and for front- and back-facing camera shots, the volume button gives you an easier and more convenient way to take your pictures. You may never go back to shooting by tapping the screen again.
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Digitize your old negatives.
If you were taking pictures when there were still film cameras around, chances are you a have a stash of old negatives somewhere waiting for you to get around to digitizing them. As a serious photography enthusiast, you may want to do this task properly by using a high-quality film scanner.
However, if you’re just looking for an easy way to preserve your old negatives digitally, all you need is your smartphone camera. Just snap photos of the negatives, and then use your camera’s negative effect (or one of many specialized apps) to reverse the colors in the negative and view the image as it would appear in a printed photograph.
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Try a PanoDriveBy.
Most smartphone cameras today have a stock “panorama” function that stitches together images as you move or tilt the camera in order to produce a wide and sweeping view. If your camera doesn’t do it, many third-party apps do.
You’ve probably used this function by panning the camera while standing in one place. However, you can also use it in transit by pointing the camera out the window of a moving car or train. Just hold the camera steady as you rush past the scenery, and you’ll be rewarded with an impressively wide vista.
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Be in two places at once with the panorama function.
Another great visual-effects trick you can try with your smartphone camera’s panorama function is to clone yourself in your photos. Start by standing at one edge of the frame. Then, as the photographer very slowly pans the camera away from you, run behind them and take a new position at the opposite end of the shot. Two of you will appear in the finished photo!
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Create a pinhole effect.
The pinhole effect can make an interesting visual frame for your photos. It’s a little like looking at your image as if it were at the other end of a tunnel. To create this, just use a thumbtack to make a small hole in a piece of cardboard, then hold your smartphone camera up to the hole. To vary the effect, try experimenting with different-sized holes, or different materials other than cardboard.
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Use a water drop to create a macro lens.
Generally, getting water anywhere near your smartphone is a bad idea, but you might not mind making the exception for this awesome camera hack. Macro lenses are an excellent add-on to a smartphone camera if you want to take detailed, close-up shots. However, if this is the kind of thing you only do once in a while, you might not want to hand over the extra cost for this specialized accessory.
The good news is that you don’t have to: instead, you can replicate the effect of a macro lens by putting a drop of water over the camera lens and then carefully inverting your device. The water will cling to the lens, creating a magnifying effect that allows you to zoom in on the minute details of your photo’s subject.
To keep your phone as safe as possible when trying this trick, use an eyedropper so you can carefully control the amount of water, move your phone as little as you can after the drop is in place, and gently wipe off the water with a clean cloth after you’ve taken your photo.