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You’re bound to encounter a lot of incorrect beliefs about smartphone photography, whether that’s searching for advice online or simply in your day-to-day life. Here are seven myths you shouldn’t believe; ignoring them will actually help you improve faster.
1You Need the Latest Smartphone to Take Good Photos
One of the biggest myths in the photography community is that you need the latest camera to take the best pictures. Smartphone photography is also a victim of this, but it couldn’t be further from the truth.
I’ve taken some of my best smartphone photos on my older devices. I can also tell you from personal experience that having the latest tech is often a detriment if you don’t know how to use it. It’s a tool, nothing more and nothing less.
Eventually, you will have to upgrade your gear to get better photos. I had to do this when it was clear that I needed a DSLR camera to evolve beyond smartphones. But if you’re just starting out, what’s in your pocket will be more than enough for good photos. Understanding some ofthe best mobile photography effectsis a good place to start.
2You Can’t Take Professional-Looking Photos With a Smartphone
Another myth is that you can’t take professional-style photos with a smartphone. These days, mobile cameras are much more advanced than even the best DSLR cameras used to be. If you know how to use your device and you understand its limitations, it is possible to take professional-looking photos.
As a professional photographer, I would recommend buying a DSLR or mirrorless camera at some point. Doing so will give you a lot more flexibility. But at the same time, you can do some things—such as taking photos of food—without a proper camera. Another benefit of using your smartphone is that you can offer clients short-form video services as well.
3Megapixels Are Important
For years, the myth that megapixels are more important than everything has—for some reason—continued to prevail. You’ll see it on every new smartphone release paper and ad, for example.
Megapixels are important to some extent; I remember how bad the camera used to be on many smartphones. But after a certain point (I would argue 12MP on smartphones), it doesn’t matter much if your primary goal is just to take nice photos.
Again, the best approach here is to learn the basics of photography and keep practicing. If the lack of megapixels starts becoming noticeable, then by all means upgrade. Until that point, though, you probably don’t need the additional specs. It’s also worth knowingwhat to do if your iPhone takes low megapixel photos.
4You’re Not a Good Photographer if You Edit or Use Filters
I already touched on this myth in my article about generalphotography myths you should stop believing, but I stand even more by it for smartphone photography. Many purists talk negatively about anyone who edits their photos, but the truth is that editing is—in most cases—a good idea.
Your camera doesn’t always capture the exact result you had in mind, and editing is what brings your image to life. Adjusting the brightness, colors, etc. is how a lot of big photographers make their photos unique—and almost every ad photo you see is edited to some extent.
Sometimes, it’s even better toedit on your phone instead of a computer.
5Smartphone Photography Is Easy
If you thought smartphone photography was as simple as pointing your device at something that you like, it would be wise to think again. Smartphone photography is a separate skill from DSLR and mirrorless camera photography, and you need to learn several aspects. It’s not just about your actual picture-taking skills; you also need to know how to effectively use your tech.
Smartphone photography also requires being good at storytelling and knowing how to frame your subjects effectively. In the same way that I tell people to spend significant time using their DSLR and mirrorless cameras, I also think that you should do the same with your smartphone photography.
You can start by reading thisfull beginner’s guide to smartphone photographyif you want to know which areas you should focus on.
6You Have to Stay in Auto Mode
Since most smartphone cameras have nowhere near the levels of customization that you can get on a proper camera, it’s easy to think that you have to stay in auto mode. However, this is absolutely not the truth. When using your smartphone, you can still make a couple of adjustments to make your pictures look more like you want them to.
First and foremost, I would recommend altering the brightness and locking your settings for the image you’re trying to capture. And if your device has different filters, I also suggest experimenting with these to customize the final look more effectively.
In some cases, you might also want to use differentsmartphone camera apps to get better photos. For example, you can often adjust the shutter speed and aperture after downloading such apps.
7You Can’t Take Good Photos at Night
It can be harder to take smartphone photos in the dark, but it certainly isn’t impossible. I actually prefer to use my phone for nighttime photography in some circumstances, and the newer cameras in particular are pretty good for this.
Smartphones nowadays have much better image stabilization than they used to, making it easier to capture the low-light photos you want. On top of that, you won’t experience anywhere near as much grain as you would have in the past.
If you’re trying to take smartphone photos at night, I recommend finding light sources and using these where possible. Moreover, you can use a tripod and do several other things totake photos with your smartphone in low-light conditions.
Don’t believe everything you hear about smartphone photography. Many of these things are simply other people’s projections, and you don’t want them to hinder your own progress. Above all, I would encourage you to go out and take the best possible photos you’re able to with your current device; only you will know when it’s time to upgrade.
