5 Mistakes That Kill Your Smartphone Photos

by | Technical, Top Tips, Uncategorized

IN A HURRY? DOWNLOAD THIS POST AS A PDF AND READ LATER

Everyone is taking pictures with their smartphones these days! You post them on Facebook, Instagram and share them with friends…but are you aware that you are more than likely making mistakes when you take these photos? Mistakes, you ask, how can I make mistakes? I point the phone and press the button! Well, believe it or not, there are 5 mistakes that kill your smartphone photos, and they are easy to avoid.

Mistakes That Kill Your Smartphone Photos

Don’t make these mistakes…

1. Forgetting to Clean Your Lens

This may seem like a no brainer, but how many times have you snapped a picture, looked at it, and it appears hazy or blurry? That’s because you haven’t cleaned your lens. Unlike the lens of a camera, the lens on a smartphone camera has no cover. You wouldn’t use your camera without wiping its lens, don’t use your smartphone camera without cleaning its lens.     

Mistakes That Kill Your Smartphone Photos Clean Your Lens
Clean Your Smartphone Camera Lens

2. Zooming In on Your Subject

Never zoom! I can’t stress this one enough. Most smartphone cameras do not have the ability to zoom. All that will happen if you zoom in on your smartphone is that you will end up with a pixelated photo. If you want to zoom in, move your feet, and get closer to your subject. If that’s not possible, take the picture and crop it later.  

3. Forgetting to Focus

Again, you wouldn’t use an expensive DSLR camera and not choose your focal point. Treat your smartphone camera with the same respect. Slow down, take a minute, and make sure that everything in your photo is in focus. Touch the part of the screen that you want to be in focus to guarantee sharpness.  

Mistakes That Kill Your Smartphone Photos focus
Tap for Focus and Sharpness

4. Using Your Smartphones Flash

Don’t use a flash! Again, I can’t stress this one enough. I would actually ask that right now, you stop reading this, disable your smartphone flash, and then come back and join me. A flash is really not going to do anything for your photos. Use natural lighting as much as possible.   

5 Mistakes That Kill Your Smartphone Photos
Disable Your Smartphone’s Flash Feature

5. Forgetting to Charge Your Battery

This one may simple silly, but how many times have you been out and about ready to take a photo and your phone dies? If you take pictures with a camera, you make sure it’s charged before heading out. Do the same with your phone!

Now, charge your battery, clean your lens, and get out there, find inspiration and begin practicing, and remember to be aware of the 5 mistakes that can kill your smartphone photos!

beautiful outdoor smartphone photo

Cheers-Dena


Learn how to use manual mode and take control of your camera so that you can create the amazing images that you’ve always imagined with the online Let Go of Auto Photography Class!

Lifestyle Photographer & Mentor

Hi, I’m Dena, a natural light lifestyle photographer with 20+ years of experience capturing other people’s memories and teaching photographers how to understand and easily use their cameras.

Learn Photography Community
$27/mo

Join the Membership and learn how to take the photos you’ve always wanted to take!

Start Taking Better Photos with My Free Cheat Sheets

You have a great camera, but you still aren’t getting the photos you want — the photos that truly WOW you! My Photography Essentials Cheat Sheets will help you improve your photos in just minutes!

START TAKING BETTER PHOTOS IN MINUTES WITH OUR

PHOTOGRAPHY ESSENTIALS CHEAT SHEETS

You have a great camera, but you still aren’t getting the photos you want — the photos that truly WOW you! My Photography Essentials Cheat Sheets will help you improve your photos in just minutes!