Last week, @crissibeth and I were invited to Connect Live 2018 to share some of our best photo tips and lead a photo walk through San Francisco. Today, I want to share some helpful tips with all of you. Here are four lighting techniques to keep in mind when you’re taking photos with your phone.
1. Find the light
Light is the most important component of any photo, and natural light is the best. The closer you get to a natural light source, the better. Some places like restaurants or coffee shops will be dimly lit in the back, but may have some great sunlight if you sit right by a window. Move around until you find the light.
For example, I carried this vegan taco out of the Connect Live party to snap this photo in lovely, natural light outdoors.
2. Keep everything still in low light
You won’t always be able to find nice, bright natural light. If you are taking photos in low light, you should stand still. Like really, really still. Your phone’s camera knows to have a longer “shutter speed” to let in more light, and any movement at all while it is taking the picture will produce blur. Choose a still subject. Luckily, portraiture is not a big component of Local Guide photography so you don’t have to worry about moving people. Try choosing focal points like architectural details or a latte that you won’t have to worry about moving. Keep the phone still, too. You can remain very still and hold the phone steady – to a certain point. Help steady the phone further by bracing it against a door, propping it up on a table, or even purchasing a mini tripod for it. It is so important to be still, you don’t even want to jostle the phone by tapping the screen to take a picture. Set a short timer so nothing at all will move the phone when it’s time to take the shot.
3. Don’t use flash
What you shouldn’t do in low light is use your mobile phone’s flash. This seems counter-intuitive, but it’s a good policy if you think about it. Using a flash in low light is just going to produce a bright burst of light that will provide harsh illumination just a few feet ahead of you, leaving the rest of your photo in darkness. Use external sources of ambient light, or even use someone else’s phone flashlight to illuminate the subject more naturally.
4. Lock in your focus and exposure
Think about where you want the focus of your shot to be. Tap the mobile phone screen to focus. If you tap on the screen in different places, the focus and exposure will automatically adjust. If you tap, then slide your finger up or down, you can change the exposure to make the photo lighter or darker. In lower light, try sliding your finger up, making the photo lighter. Tap around until you are happy with the focus and exposure, then lock it so it won’t switch before you take your shot.
I’d love to see some of your best low-light shots. Please share them in the comments!
