Okay, let’s be real: some of us can’t afford the latest DSLR camera, and hiring a photographer can even be outside of our budget. So, what do you do when those two options are out of the equation? Use your iPhone! Yep, you read that correctly, your iPhone.
All you need are a couple of tools, a few key tips to keep in mind as you shoot, and a whole lot of experimenting, getting creative, and playing around!
Here’s how to shoot some bomb portraits with your iPhone -- whether you have Portrait Mode or not.
Find a cool location
Gotta get them angles!
Lighting
Editing
Find a cool location
Since you are shooting with your iPhone, outdoor locations will work best for you. An interesting background can bring an entire image to life. It’s important to connect outfitting with the location. (I wouldn’t wear a swimsuit downtown, if you know what I mean).
Exploring your city wouldn’t be such a bad idea either. As you are out and about, pay more attention to your surroundings. Write down street signs and surrounding landmarks that will help you remember certain locations to possibly come back to. You can even google cool parks, creative backgrounds, or whatever location fits your theme. The world is yours!
Gotta get them angles!
Sometimes it can be tough to look at the world from a whole 'nother perspective, and other times it'll help you take a bomb portrait with your iPhone.
Playing with different angles helps you see your image from a totally different perspective, while also pushing you to play with lighting, backgrounds, and more. Switching up your angles, whether shooting low, high or to the side, shows off your subject's features in different ways and maybe even show them a side of themselves they didn't even know about
Pinterest is a great place to find photo-inspiration. Use the app more often to enhance your creative eye!
Lighting
Okay, I’ll fill you in on a secret: the best time of day to take portrait photos is a couple hours after sunrise and the couple hours before sunset. Within that time, it is better to shoot after the morning golden hour or before the evening golden hour. Lighting can make or break a photo. You want to make sure the subject isn’t too bright or too dark.
The times after morning golden hour and before evening golden hour will give you the best combination of soft, direction light, and bouncing, to-die-for light. The light will be warm, but not distracting. The dynamic range of the scene will be a little bit smaller, meaning that your iPhone will better capture the brights and the darks in the image. Plus, your subjects won't have to squint because of the sun in their eyes. So be sure to schedule your photoshoots accordingly to receive the best results!
Editing
I don’t know if you heard, but it honestly doesn’t matter what you shoot with-- it’s the editing that tops it off. Editing can be a bit tedious, but not difficult. When editing, pay attention to any blemishes that needs correction, decrease or increase in shadow, brightness, etc. My favorite app for blurring backgrounds, and blemish fix is FaceTune. My other go-to app for color correction and that extra pop is VSCO or Lightroom.
If you need more assistance in learning how to use the app, check out a few YouTube tutorials and read more articles. Practice makes perfect. In your spare time, edit a few photos that are in your camera roll to get the hang of it!
Happy shooting!
Mark my words, once you get the hang of iPhoneography, you’re going to want to add “Photographer” to your resume. Are there any specific apps and techniques that you use to create the perfect image? We want to hear from you! Comment below and tell us all about it!