Mastering Zone Focusing for Street Photography: A Timeless Technique

Street photography is all about capturing those fleeting, unscripted moments. But how do you focus quickly enough to freeze an authentic smile, a perfect gesture, or an unexpected interplay of light and shadow? The answer, my friends, lies in mastering Zone Focusing—a technique that feels almost like second nature when done right.

As a Leica user, Zone Focusing is a cornerstone of my street photography. It's a skill rooted in the simplicity of manual focusing, relying on intuition, preparation, and a bit of math (don’t worry—it’s painless!). Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, let’s break this down together.

What is Zone Focusing?

In simple terms, Zone Focusing means pre-setting your focus to cover a specific range of distances. By adjusting your aperture and estimating the distance to your subject, you create a "zone" where everything appears sharp. It’s a lifesaver when you need to shoot fast without fiddling with autofocus or precise manual focusing.

For example, on a sunny day with a 35mm lens set to f/8, you might set your focus to 2 meters. This could give you a depth of field from roughly 1.5 to 3 meters—perfect for candid street shots.

Why is Zone Focusing Perfect for Street Photography?

1. Speed: In the dynamic world of street photography, seconds count. Zone Focusing lets you react instantly to unexpected moments.

2. Discretion: No need to bring the camera to your eye. You can shoot from the hip while blending seamlessly into the crowd.

3. Freedom: Forget about chasing focus points—focus on the story unfolding before you.

How to Get Started with Zone Focusing

1. Choose Your Lens: Wide-angle lenses (28mm, 35mm) are ideal because they offer greater depth of field, making it easier to keep your subjects in focus.

2. Set Your Aperture: Smaller apertures (f/8, f/11) give you a wider depth of field. The trade-off? You’ll need good light.

3. Mark Your Focus: Use the distance scale on your lens (common on manual lenses, including Leica glass) to set your focus range. If your lens lacks one, apps or printed depth-of-field charts can help.

4. Understand Hyperfocal Distance: This is the distance at which everything from half that distance to infinity will appear sharp. It's a great starting point for Zone Focusing.

5. Practice Estimating Distances: With time, you'll instinctively know what 2 meters or 5 feet looks like. Practice with objects around your home or while out walking.

Real-Life Tips for Zone Focusing

1. Light Matters: Zone Focusing thrives in well-lit conditions where you can stop down your aperture. In low light, wider apertures reduce depth of field, making it trickier.

2. Be Present: Keep your camera ready and your mind alert. Pre-setting your focus only works if you're paying attention to the world around you.

3. Experiment: Start with controlled environments—a park, a quiet street—before venturing into busier areas.

4. Embrace Imperfection: Not every shot will be perfectly sharp, and that’s okay. Street photography is about the moment, not technical perfection.

My Personal Take

Using Zone Focusing with my Leica is almost meditative. I love the tactile feel of adjusting the lens, the anticipation of framing a shot, and the satisfaction of knowing that the simplicity of the technique lets me immerse myself in the story. There's a purity to it—a reminder that photography, at its core, is about connection and presence.

Whether you’re just starting or refining your craft, Zone Focusing is a game-changer for street photography. Give it a try on your next photo walk and see how it transforms your approach.

Venice for First-Timers: A Glimpse into La Serenissima

Venice, often referred to as "La Serenissima" (The Most Serene), is a city that seems to float on water, a mirage of islands connected by a labyrinth of canals and bridges. For first-time visitors, Venice offers an enchanting experience unlike any other city. With a photographer's eye, I've curated a list of must-see spots and tips to make your maiden voyage to this floating city truly memorable.

1. Piazza San Marco: More than Just a Square

Often the starting point for many, Piazza San Marco is surrounded by iconic structures. While the Basilica and Doge's Palace are must-visits, consider exploring the Museo Correr, which offers insights into Venetian art and history. For a panoramic view of Venice, ascend the Campanile. The square is also home to the historic Caffè Florian — a perfect spot to enjoy a coffee while listening to live orchestral music.

2. Gondola & Beyond: Navigating the Waters

While gondolas are synonymous with Venice, other ways exist to explore the canals. The Vaporetto, or water bus, is an economical way to traverse the Grand Canal and reach islands like Murano and Burano. For the adventurous, kayaking through the canals offers a unique perspective.

3. Hidden Treasures: The Lesser-Known Islands

While Murano is famed for its glass-making and Burano for its colourful houses, the city boasts other islands worth exploring. With its ancient cathedral, Torcello offers a peaceful retreat, while San Giorgio Maggiore provides stunning views of the Venetian skyline.

4. A Feast for the Senses: Venetian Gastronomy

Beyond the classic dishes, explore 'bacari' – traditional Venetian wine bars. Here, you can indulge in 'cicchetti', small appetizers from seafood to local cheeses, paired perfectly with a glass of Prosecco or a Spritz.

5. Art & Culture: Venice's Rich Tapestry

Apart from the renowned museums, Venice hosts the prestigious Biennale, a contemporary art exhibition. The city's many churches, like Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, also house artistic masterpieces.

6. The Calli and Canals: Getting Lost & Finding Yourself

One of Venice's charms is its maze-like structure. Wander without a map. Discover quaint bookstores like Libreria Acqua Alta, where books are stored in gondolas and bathtubs to protect them from flooding.

7. Festivals & Events: Embracing Venetian Traditions

You're in for a treat if your visit aligns with a festival. Beyond the famous Carnival, events like the Festa del Redentore and the Regata Storica offer glimpses into Venice's vibrant cultural life.

8. Sustainable Tourism: Traveling with Care

Venice, despite its global allure, is a delicate ecosystem. As you explore, be mindful of the environment. Avoid overcrowded areas during peak times, respect local customs, and consider supporting local artisans and businesses.

In Conclusion

Venice is not just a destination; it's an experience. It's the whispered tales in its breeze, the reflections in its waters, and the stories etched in its stones. As you embark on this Venetian journey, let the city reveal its secrets, layer by layer, and leave with memories that echo the timeless allure of La Serenissima. Stay tuned for more insights on Venice, including weather tips, recommended readings, and essential things every traveller should know.

How To Create Moody Monochrome Landscapes

Moody monochrome landscape photography is an art. With just a change in how you see the landscape, through your eyes and through the camera lens, you could get some great black and white photos of the outdoors. This article will give you tips on how to capture those magical moments for making the best out of all kinds of outdoor photography. We will look at techniques, equipment, and other important factors for creating timeless masterpieces in monochrome.

Monochrome photography is one of the more challenging types of photography to master. Even with the right gear, it can be difficult to get the proper depth of field that helps create a moody and compelling image. In this blog post, I'll share my tips and tricks for shooting in monochrome, so you can learn how to create your own moody landscapes in no time.

Monochrome photography can be a great niche for your e-commerce photography business. It's not very common to see monochrome product photography, and people often have a hard time imagining what it looks like. But monochrome is a versatile and interesting style that lends itself to a variety of photographic applications.

The most striking thing about monochrome images is their simplicity. There's no color to distract you from the subject. Whether it's a person or an object, all you see is black and white, which makes it easy to imagine the subject as it really is — something quite different from the way you perceive it in colour.

Monochrome pictures tend to be gloomy and serious, but they can also be quite cheerful. In fact, one of the benefits of shooting in monochrome is that you don't have to choose between warm tones and cool tones, because there are no warm tones at all. Any colour tone in the scene will look good with black and white, so you don't have to worry about "matching" one tone with another.

Black and White is an effective strategy to create your own style. When shooting in monochrome, the composition is the most important aspect of a photo. It's not about whether you use colour or not, it's about how you see the world as a photographer and how you capture that vision with your camera.

Tone and mood are very important when shooting in black and white because it changes the way people perceive a scene. For example, if your goal is to create a dark and moody atmosphere, then different elements need to be emphasized within your frame.

Below are some tips to achieve this particular look:

Forecasts that include the proportion of cloud and rain, the wind speed and direction, and the temperature become crucial. A forecast indicating a 50% chance of rain and a wind speed of 15 to 20 miles per hour can be encouraging. Essentially, seek out sunny spells punctuated by periodic showers.

Clearing (or approaching) storm clouds against a deep blue sky with dark patchy shadows scudding across the terrain are photographers' dreams, yet such dramatic settings come at a cost. By definition of desiring storm clouds, the likelihood is that you may become wet, chilled, hit by hailstones, or perhaps snowed on, but trust me on this one, it will be worth it.

Days with fog, low clouds, rain or snow could be perfect for Black and White photography

The more contrast on an image, the darker it looks. If you have a lot of light areas in your photo, then it will tend to look brighter than if there aren't any bright spots in the image at all. Shadows can add a lot of contrast to an image, so if there aren't any shadows present in your scene, try adding them with artificial light sources or reflectors.

Because brightness values are inverted when converting from colour to black and white, you can use your camera's exposure compensation function (often found under the "manual" mode setting) to make scenes brighter or darker in post-processing.

Creating moody images is about creating drama, and you can do this with filters such as gradients. When you're shooting in monochrome, you can use these filters to darken a scene, by introducing more shadow. You can also use them to brighten a scene if you want more light contrast. One of the most popular monochrome filters is a three-stop graduated neutral density (GND) filter: these come in a circular shape and darken skies evenly. A six-stop GND filter is also available, which allows you to darken skies even more. Another popular filter for landscapes is an 81B warm-up filter; this adds warmth to the sky, which can be useful when shooting in overcast conditions or at twilight.

Possibly the best-known software for creating black & white images is the superb Nik Silver Efex Pro. It is a very creative and powerful program with many presets but it too has its limitations. It can be a very aggressive piece of software so you need to check your images carefully for any deficiencies and imperfections that it may create.

Taking a B&W photo means choosing which colours are important enough to preserve and which ones to discard. This isn't hard if you're taking a picture of something like a red barn with a blue sky behind it. The blue sky is irrelevant and the red barn becomes the subject of the photo. But take a landscape photo where every detail is equally important — for example, an image shot in soft light with a lot of subtle colours — and you'll have a lot more decisions to make about what stays and what goes.

Black and white photos appear timeless because they work with the viewer’s imagination. You see the value of a black and white photo very quickly and easily, while color often distracts us. The fact that no one has created the same image before you will free you up to create your own vision.

How to Photograph Your Winter Landscape

Winter presents a photographer with a unique set of challenges and opportunities. The cold temperature and lack of sunlight in winter can make it hard to take good photos, but they also create some beautiful effects. Snow reflects the light differently than other subjects and brings out the contrast in your images.

Take advantage of the low light and contrast of a snowy scene

If you're brave enough to go outside, you can capture some breathtaking scenes. Here are some tips that will help you photograph your winter landscape: Use the right equipment. When it's cold out, it's important to protect your camera from the cold. Bring along a protective cover for your camera and use gloves or hand warmers when handling your gear. Even if you don't feel like it's that cold, keep in mind that your fingers will get cold and start to lose feeling after just 15 minutes of exposure at 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Setting up a tripod is important because camera shake is more prevalent during very low-light situations and will result in blurry pictures that you don't want to have to deal with later on. Work fast. The only real way to capture winter light is right at sunrise or right at sunset, so work quickly when shooting those times of the day. If possible, try to time your shoot so that there is still some light left in the sky while

Play with shadows

Lighting is what makes landscapes special. There is something about the way a camera sees these natural scenes that is different from how the naked eye perceives them. The difference between a landscape photo and any other photo is the way light plays on the scene. It can be harsh, or soft, but it is always special. The most important part of photographing a landscape is getting the exposure right. This means making sure there isn't too much light or too little light on your subject. You measure this by using your camera's histogram to see if the image has bright areas, mid-tones and dark areas all in proportion to each other. While you are at it, check your overall composition as well. Try taking several photos of your subject with different exposures (your camera will do this automatically) and then choose which one looks best.

Be patient with your camera

There are a few ways to photograph the winter landscape: some more complicated than others. The following tips will help you get great winter pictures of your surroundings in any season. The first thing to remember is that with a digital camera, you can take as many pictures as you want without paying for film or worrying about whether you have enough room on your card. It's easy to shoot several frames of the same scene, and then choose the best one when you're done. Be Patient With Your Camera If you're just starting out with taking pictures, it can be tough to get everything lined up perfectly on the first shot. When photographing the winter landscape, it might be tempting to walk around the area until you have everything framed the way you want it - but if it's windy out and there isn't much snow on the ground, that could be dangerous. Be patient, and try to get everything lined up as well as possible before pressing the shutter button.

Go wide

Going wide is a photography term meaning, "zoom out." It's the opposite of getting in close. And in landscape photography, it is often the way to go. When you're photographing mountains or valleys or any other expansive vista, you want to get as much of it in your frame as possible. You want an environment that feels big and open and full of possibilities. Going wide gives that to you. The best way to do this (if you're using a standard point-and-shoot camera) is to simply zoom out all the way, which will probably put your lens out of its normal focal range. That's fine—you can switch back and forth between that and the zoomed-in view on your LCD screen until you find the combination that works for you. If you're using an SLR camera, there are a couple of extra things you can do: Stack lenses: If your lens has a smaller focal length than what you want, you can use an additional telephoto lens with it to get closer to your subject while maintaining the wide-angle view. You just have to make sure both lenses are compatible before buying them.* Use a wide-angle lens and shoot at a longer focal length: This is particularly handy

You don't need a lot of gear to take great photos of your winter landscape

There is nothing quite like a winter landscape. Trees and bushes are covered in snow and the ground is blanketed with pure white powder. It's a magical time of year, and you'll want to capture this beauty for future enjoyment. There is a lot you can do with your camera to make the most out of your winter landscape photos. You don't need a lot of gear to take great photos of your winter landscape, but there are some tricks that improve the quality of pictures significantly.

Creating beautiful photo on your own

I have been recently asked to post some basic tips for new photographers

So welcome to your first issue of Photography Tips & Tricks. Inside each issue of Photography Tips & Tricks you will learn valuable tip's, tricks and information on how you can take great photos that you will be proud to show off.

In today's issue, we are going to go through some quick tips that you can use to create beautiful photography of your own. Photography is much more than just taking pictures of things. It is an art form and can help us remember some of our most treasured memories. However, few people actually take the time to wait for that gorgeous shot and may doubt their ability to do it effectively. This article contains some great tips for improving your photography skills and capturing beautiful photographs that will be appreciated by many.

One of the most common photography mistakes is people not taking the time to truly understand their camera. If you have a decent digital camera, it comes armed with many features that can be used to enhance the quality of your photographs such as different light settings or flash speeds.

You've probably often heard that using your flash outdoors is unnecessary to take great pictures. Wrong! Unless there is very bright sunlight outside, you should still be regularly using your flash. Even on cloudy days, picture quality can become compromised by not using a good outdoor flash setting.

Many people are quick to jump at photo opportunities and just take any old picture. However, the secret to great photography lies in taking the time and having the patience to wait for the perfect shot to come along. If you are photographing still items, set them up exactly how you want them before taking your first shots. If your subject is on the move, take multiple shots with a rapid-picture camera to ensure you get the best picture possible.

Our first inclination is to snap pictures of objects that are centred in the camera's lens, but taking off-centre pictures can be a great way to spice up your photographs. Taking a picture of a subject that is off- centered in the photo adds an interesting element people may not expect to usually see and can get your photographs noticed.

When photographing people, always make sure to avoid direct sunlight in the background of the photo. This will make odd shadows and add an undesirable element to the picture. Position the people so the sun is to the side, but not shining directly in their face either. This will cause the subjects of your photograph to be squinting uncontrollably. Pictures that have multiple subjects or a busy foreground can highly benefit from a simple background to keep attention directed toward your subjects. However, if a simple background isn't available, many cameras can be focused to the foreground. This will cause the background to become more subtle and blurry, thus eliminating a busy background setting.

If your camera has a macro -photography feature, use it! The macro feature has the ability to focus in on very tiny subjects close up and is a great way to portray a lot of detail on a very small area. Things like small insects will immediately come to life with the use of this feature and will help you get great shots of the smaller things in life.

As you can see, photography takes patience and skill, but with a little practice, you will be able to get great shots every time. By utilizing the ideas presented in this article, you will be able to spice up your photography, add detail and variety to your shots, and create lasting memories through the art of photography.

Make sure you look for your next issue soon. We will be going over the basics of photography - a little refresher!

Fifteen Tips For Better Photography

Would you like to improve your photographic skills just that little bit more? Tired of shooting the same old photos from the same angle and the same subject every time? Here are fifteen cherished tips you can use to improve your photography.

Keep an eye on the weather

Weather conditions can play a big part in setting the mood of your shot. Rather than waiting for the bright light of the midday sun, a misty morning in a forest can be the perfect time of day for that mood-shot.

Take your time to choose the subject

Take your time to choose the subject, then spend time walking around the subject looking for the best angle and lighting.

Take your time to set up the shot

Don't be afraid to take your time to set up your shot. Although it can get a bit frustrating if you have your loved ones tagging along and they're sitting and waiting impatiently for 20 minutes for you to take a single shot of a piece of driftwood on the beach!

Don't always choose brightly-coloured subjects

Subjects with muted colours can sometimes produce excellent results. A field of wheat of similar yellow-brown colour can produce striking results when accompanied by a low-sun and long shadows.

Movement diffusion

If you have a camera that allows you to shoot with a manual shutter speed - try slowing the speed and increasing the F-stop. Then move your camera when taking the shot. Some very effective arty-type images can be produced with blur effects.

Overexpose your subject

Not too good to do all the time, but experiment with results by over-exposing the subject.

Try macro photography

Grab a magnifying glass and see if you can focus your camera through the glass onto a small subject. It just may work! And may open up a whole new range of subjects for you!

Shoot through wet glass

Try spraying water onto a window, then take a shot through the window to a subject outside. (wet the outside of the window - not the inside of your home!)

Colour balance

Try balancing colour by having the subject and the surrounding detail in similar colours.

Silhouettes

Silhouettes usually have a small range of colours, but can produce some of the most beautiful images. Shooting a silhouette involves having the background brighter then the subject in the foreground.

Experiment with patterns

We've all seen those amazing images of the red and orange leaves of maple trees in the fall/autumn. Thousands of leaves - all of a similar shape and colour - but very awe-inspiring and beautiful.

Compliment colours

Two strikingly-different colours can be beautiful too. Picture an image of your girlfriend or wife in a red dress sitting on a field of green grass. Or your boyfriend or husband in a red shirt walking through a field of waist-high wheat stalks. Complimentary colours that will bring more attention to the subject.

Use a colour filter

If your camera can be fitted with coloured filters - try your hand. Although this effect can be made quite easily these days with a photo and image-editing software.

Sunrise is better than sunset

Wake up before sunrise one day and go on a photography expedition. If you've not done it before you'll be pleasantly surprised by the contrasting light and shadows. But remember you'll only have a very short window of time in which to shoot (usually less than an hour) before the sun rises too high and you lose the light.

Use a flash in daylight

Use your flash during the daytime to fill a close subject with light. This will produce better results where the background is brighter than your subject, and the automatic shutter speed on your camera shoots too fast to show the detail of your subject effectively.

For more detailed instructions “Learn Digital Photography: The Ultimate Guide for Beginners” check here

5 Beginner Tips For Shooting Winter Landscapes

Winter brings out the toughest elements in our climate, with many people putting away their camera bags ëtill early spring. But, if you do put away your camera you are missing out on the raw beauty that this magical season brings.

Here are a few tips to make the trip more enjoyable.

1. Wear the right clothes: Itís very important to wrap up warm when out and shooting winter images. The winter season brings the toughest elements, so if you are planning to spend a few days out and about always be well prepared.

2. Watch the weather: Itís very important to know what the weather is going to be like. You donít want to travel for a couple of hours and then hear a weather report that tells you that: the weather is wet for the next few days. During the winter months the weather can dramatically change in a matter of hours.

It ís always advisable to let someone know where you are going and which route youíre planning to take. If you do get injured or ever caught in a storm someone may be able to help.

3. Carry only what you need: Carry only the essentials. You donít need to upload your camera bag with every piece of equipment you own. If you are going to be out taking pictures all day you are much better off going as light as possible. Carrying a light load will also help preserve energy. You could be climbing icy rocks or crossing snow filled hills; a warm flask would serve you a lot better than a third camera.

4. Look for detail: Snow, ice and frost bring out texture and atmosphere in most subjects. The early frosty morning is an ideal time for close-up photography. The frosty morning also brings out patterns in our landscapes.

Take care where you place your camera: if you are taking pictures early in the morning try placing it at oblique angles to the sun - this will give your images strong shadows. This will also add mood to your landscape images. Once you have found the perfect spot pay extra attention to foreground interest as this will add depth to your image.

5. Expose carefully: Snow and ice are extremely difficult to expose properly. Snow usually confuses your cameras metering system or your hand held light meter. When you take a light reading from snow you will automatically get an underexposed image. The meter will record the snow as grey.

Now is the time to start bracketing your shots. If you bracket your shots add 1 - 2 stops of light to compensate for your light meter reading. Using an 18% grey card, which I described in a previous article, should also give you a perfect light reading.

Improve Your Mobile Photography with 20 Tips!

Do you want to take excellent photos with your mobile phone?

Mobile photography may seem daunting. But with a few simple tricks, you'll be able to shoot better photos with a WoW factor

1. Clean Your Lens to Get Sharp Images

The first and most important thing every mobile photographer should do is clean their phone lens.

Make sure you wipe the lens before taking the shot to get crisp, clean images.

We carry phones in our pockets and bags, which are havens for dirt. Always make sure you give your lens a quick wipe before you take any photos.

Specks of dust on the lens can ruin the perfect shot; it can make an image fuzzy or cause potential light distortion.

Your camera lens needs to be clean to capture clear and crisp images like this.

2. Explore Your Camera Settings

The best phone photography happens once you have familiarised yourself with your mobile’s camera settings and features.

Check your manual, phone settings and native camera app to see what your mobile has to offer.

The number of options available will vary depending upon your phone’s make and model. Learn how to access these features quickly and confidently, so you always get the best possible shot.

Familiarise yourself with your mobile camera settings so you can access them quickly.

3. Set your Image Quality to High

Make sure you have the image quality set to the highest possible level in your settings. This ensures you are using the camera to its maximum capabilities.

Set the image quality to the highest possible level to capture beautiful details, such as these dandelion clocks, taken with an iPhone.

4. Get Beautiful Bokeh Effect in Your Photos by Using Portrait Mode

A fairly recent addition to some smartphones has been the portrait mode in the camera app.

iPhones and Google Pixel phones have this handy mode, which blurs the background on portrait shots. It adds depth of field to images by mimicking a professional camera lens.

Use portrait mode to blur the background.

5. Sweep Your Phone Sideways to Create Panoramas

Turn on the panorama mode in your camera app to capture beautiful sweeping landscapes.

Vistas like this won’t last long. Use the panorama setting on your phone to capture the whole scene.

Pan your phone to the left or right to take the photo. Your phone takes a series of shots which it then automatically stitches together to create one long panoramic image.

6. Capture Great Action Shots with Burst Mode

The burst mode in your camera app allows you to take multiple shots in quick succession. This is great for capturing action shots of people or pets. You can scroll through the shots to pick the best one.

Capture actions shots using the burst mode on your mobile.

7. Use the Self Timer to Ensure Sharp Images

Use the camera’s self-timer when light levels are low or you need to steady the phone. Find a tripod or prop your phone on something and set the self-timer running–it usually runs at intervals of 3 or 10 seconds. The use of this will minimize the risk of camera shake and you’ll end up with a sharper image.

Use your phone’s self-timer for sharper images in low light conditions.

8. Don’t Compromise on Quality – Forget the Front Lens

There’s one phone function you’ll be tempted to use but should avoid: the front camera lens.

The image quality is generally much lower than your phone’s rear camera, which could result in noise on your image, especially in low light situations. So, avoid the temptation, even if composition with the rear lens is a bit trickier!

Avoid the temptation to use the front-facing camera lens: the image quality will be poor.

9. Uncover Camera Shortcuts to Quickly Access Features

Time is of the essence with photography to ensure you don’t miss the moment. Good knowledge of how to access your phone camera quickly is vital. There’s usually a shortcut that will let you bypass the phone’s lock screen.

In the iPhone, swipe left to access the camera directly from the lock screen.

Did you also know that on an iPhone you can use the volume buttons as shutter buttons? This offers a discrete option that is perfect for capturing candid moments.

Use the volume button as a shutter button to capture candid moments.

It’s also much easier to use the volume buttons as the shutter if you only have one hand free: perfect if you need to hold your subject in position with your other hand.

Take the time to discover the shortcuts specific to your phone model to improve your mobile photography.

Quick access to your camera app means you won’t miss moments like these.

10. Hold your Mobile Steady to Stop Camera Shake

It’s extremely important to hold your phone still when taking a shot. This will ensure the final image is sharp.

You could use a tripod to achieve this: there are plenty available to fit mobile phones. However, one of the advantages of mobile photography is you don’t have to carry extra equipment.

You can rest your body on the ground to keep your phone still to get shots like this.

A simple tip to steady your phone is to rest it against any kind of fixed surface when you press the shutter. A table could work if you are indoors, or alternatively, a rock or a tree stump if you are outdoors.

, or alternatively, a rock or a tree stump if you are outdoors.

You can also steady yourself. Try leaning your body or arm against a fixed surface to stop your phone moving when you take the shot.

Steady your arm and phone against objects such as trees, for shots taken in low light conditions.

It is especially important in low light conditions to keep your phone steady. Holding your phone close to your body can also help reduce camera shake.

It’s important to keep your phone steady when taking shots in low light conditions.

11. Take Control Of Focus to get Tack Sharp Images

Most mobile phone photos tend to have a wide depth of field, which means a sharp focus throughout the scene.

Controlling the focus plays a big part in being creative. Get your camera lens up close to a subject in the foreground to create a narrower depth of field; the background will then drop out of focus.

Focus on the foreground to narrow the depth of field.

Pro Tip: Remember to tap the screen at the point where you want the focus to be sharpest.

If you struggle with that or don’t have portrait mode on your mobile, you can blur parts of an image in post-processing. Make use of photo editing apps and software to achieve this.

Create a shallow depth of field by focussing on a subject in the foreground.

12. Turn On The Gridlines to Perfect Your Composition

The composition is key to a good photo, whether that is taken on a traditional camera or your smartphone.

Nothing screams amateur photographer more than an uneven horizon.

But this is easily avoided with one simple trick: turn the gridlines on in your settings.

Use your on-screen gridlines to make sure subjects, like this bridge, are straight in your shots.

This will overlay two horizontal and two vertical lines on your screen. Line these up with elements of the scene to make sure everything is straight.

Use the grid lines to line up elements of your scene, to ensure everything is straight.

13. Adjust The Exposure for Beautifully Lit Images

Phone photography is not just about pointing and shooting. You must adjust the exposure to get a good shot.

Exposure is the amount of light that reaches your camera sensor. This is crucial in determining how light or dark your final image will be.

You may need to adjust the exposure on some shots to lighten the foreground.

In traditional photography, the amount of light reaching the camera sensor is adjusted by changing the aperture size.

In phone photography, we can’t do that. One method is to tap to set the focus in a particular part of the scene. If you tap and focus on a light area–such as the sky–the camera will adjust the exposure to try to match darker parts of the scene. This will give you a darker image.

Tap your screen to focus on the sky, which will darken the foreground and give an intentionally moody feel to your shot.

Alternatively, focus on a dark area–such as the foreground–for the camera to try to match the lighter areas of the scene. This time you’ll end up with a lighter image.

Try focussing on different parts of the screen to get the overall image brightness just right.

Some models of mobile phones have manual exposure control (exposure compensation), which appears when you tap and focus on the screen.

Click on your screen to activate the focus. Then look for an exposure slider that can be adjusted to correct your exposure.

In the iPhone, you’ll see a sun icon appear next to a vertical line. Drag your finger upwards across the screen to increase exposure, or downwards to decrease exposure.

Tap on different areas of your smartphone screen to get the right level of brightness/exposure.

14. Turn HDR Mode On to Help Exposure

Have you ever wondered what the HDR mode does on your phone? You’re not alone. Many people overlook this setting, but this can help with exposure.

HDR stands for High Dynamic Range. It’s especially important to turn HDR on to make sure your photos are perfectly exposed.

This iPhone shot with HDR mode on captures all the detail in the both the dark and light areas of the scene.

Landscape photography shots that are taken on a mobile camera often suffer from an overexposed sky and dark foreground. The HDR setting should help fix that issue.

HDR enables your camera to take several photos in quick succession; some are lighter and some are darker. Your phone then combines these to give one better-exposed image.

However, don’t use this setting if your subject is moving, as you’ll get end up with a blurred image.

Most phones will give you the option to keep both the normal and HDR version of a shot.

15. Always Look for the Best Lighting for your Shot

Mobile phone cameras generally don’t perform well in low light conditions. You’ll end up with grainy images and unwanted blur from camera shake.

Try to shoot in natural light wherever possible.

The golden hour before sunrise or after sunset, is a fantastic time to shoot. It gives more even exposure and a lovely warmth to shots.

Shoot during the golden hour to add a lovely warm glow in your images.

Try to avoid harsh sunlight in the middle of the day: this will cause unwanted shadows, light spots or glare on your image.

Overcast days and misty weather, on the other hand, even/soften the light and are a great time for mobile photography.

A misty early morning can produce beautiful soft light.

Avoid using your mobile’s built-in flash: it’s rarely flattering. Related Article: Ultimate Guide to Flash Photography

16. Move Closer to your Subject to Maintain Image Quality

Avoid the instinct to use your smartphone camera’s zoom function. It is a digital zoom, which reduces the quality of the final image. It is the editing equivalent of cropping an image.

If you want to capture more detail, simply move closer to your subject. You will retain far more pixels image and detail in the image than if you zoom in.

Move close to your subject, rather than zoom in, to ensure no loss of quality of the final image.

The only exception is if your mobile has an in-built optical zoom. This usually means you’ll have a second lens, as well as another fixed focal lens. One example of this is the telephoto lens on the iPhone XS.

Get in close to subjects to retain more detail.

17. Change Your Position for a New Perspective

A huge advantage of mobile photography is a small size and the lightweight of your camera. You’ll be able to manoeuvre yourself to take photos from angles you may not have ordinarily tried.

Try a different angle with your phone photography.

Turn an ordinary subject into something special by looking at it from a different perspective.

Get down low and shoot at ground level. You’ll be able to include foreground that helps set the scene for your image, which will add interest and draw the viewer in.

Crouching down low and including the foreground, adds depth to an image.

Shooting upwards is a great way to make your subject appear imposing and larger than life. Remember to move yourself as well as your mobile camera to find the best perspectives.

Shooting upwards adds a new perspective and can make your subject seem imposing.

18. Try Third Party Camera Apps for More Creativity

Are you craving more advanced control of your mobile camera?

The beauty of mobile phones is you don’t need to spend lots of money to enhance your photography kit. Simply find a third party app, which will give you new camera tools.

If you’re an experienced photographer there are apps available that will match the capabilities of your main camera.

Third party camera apps will give you more control in difficult lighting conditions.

You’ll find apps that offer a broad range of manual controls such as ISO, white balance and focus. While other apps are dedicated to a specific task, such as long exposure photography.

There are also plenty of fun effects apps too. These can do all kinds of things from adding fun stickers to your images to turning your shot into a cartoon.

Head to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store to browse the camera apps on offer.

Unlock more advanced manual controls for your phone camera with a third party camera app.

19. Use Phone Photo Editing Apps to Add Flair to your Photos

One of the best things about mobile phone photography is that your creativity can continue after you’ve taken the shot.

There are many editing apps available to help you add more flair to your images. Plus you can edit instantly on your phone, with no need to transfer shots to another device to edit.

The mood was enhanced on this image with the use of a phone photo editing app.

Start by cropping and straightening shots to refine your photos.

If you’re new to editing, try Snapseed. This app, available to iPhone and Android users, offers plenty of editing options including a blemish removal tool. It also features a great selection of overlays to add to shots, which change the look of your image.

Read Next: Best photo editing apps

If you want to turn your photo into a painterly masterpiece, Mextures (iPhone only) is a great introduction to layer-based editing.

An iPhone photo transformed into a painterly work of art using the Mextures app.

Or, turn your photos into a work of art with a single tap, with the Prisma app (iPhone and Android).

Some apps even magic away unwanted telephone lines, or light flare from the sun, with a single tap.

Have fun and get creative by adding mobile editing apps to your mobile photography.

A black and white filter was added to this iPhone shot for a simple edit.

20. Take Lots of Photos

Don’t let a lack of storage space on your phone prevent you from taking photos.

Take plenty of shots of the same scene from different perspectives.