Mastering Phone Photography

It’s simple really, words without good accompanying visuals are like a sailing boat without a mainsail.  Research shows graphics increase people’s willingness to read content by more than 80%.

The time spent reading and researching via all forms of visual media has rocketed in 2020.  Getting visual content right has never been more important to engage an audience.  A smartphone was good enough for Lady Gaga’s latest video so probably good enough for much of your everyday content too.

Here are our top phone photography tips:

1. Clean the lens

   
   

2. Optical zoom only!  Digital zoom will pixelate pictures.

   
   

3. Think rule of thirds – Off centre subjects are more pleasing to the eye.  Use the camera’s grid.  Put subjects on one of the four intersecting grid lines.

   
   

4. Leading lines draw the eye to a focal point.  They can be anything – caulking lines on teak decks, the bow of a boat or a person in your photo looking in a particular direction.

   
   

5. Less is sometimes more – Negative space around the main subject helps draw attention to it.

   
   

6. Lighting is key.  Three separate lighting points will illuminate subjects and control shadows.  Use torches, desk lamps, natural light…

   
   

7. Apps like Canva or Adobe Spark help create easy templates enabling quick graphic production incorporating logos, fonts, colours and personality to build brand recognition.

   
   

8. Always resize graphics to suit different platforms and ensure they display as intended.

   
   

9. Play around and practice.  Why not attend a phone photography course?

   
   

10. Sometimes the job needs a professional touch for the ultimate result on land or water.  We are lucky to have some amazing photography talent dedicated to our industry, so make sure to reach out to one for high-profile campaigns, print features, or large-format displays.

High-quality visuals are no longer optional, they’re an essential part of building engagement and trust with your audience. By mastering the basics of smartphone photography, knowing when to enhance your content with professional expertise, and maintaining brand consistency across every image, you can create visuals that not only grab attention but also tell your story with style and authority.