How to make the perfect iPicture
March 19, 2010 by Bibi
You know, taking pictures with an iPhone
In my opinion the iPhone is slightly underrated sometimes. Especially when it comes to taking pictures. True, you can not compare a 2 MP lens with the amazing quality of a DSLR. Then again the iPhone wasn’t made for taking ’stunningly beautiful’ pictures. But you can still make some great, original snapshots of daily life…
And after some research on Google you will notice there are quite a few iPhoneographists who can certainly change your mind. You can check the following sites if you are in need of some inspiration: Sion Fullana’s set on Flickr, Life in LOFI, iPhoneography NYC, Taken with an iPhone or From the Pocket by Jeremy Edwards. And this isn’t the end of it.
Nowadays there are lots of people who are using their iPhone for snapshots. Why wouldn’t you? It is the most carried device we have and therefore always at hand. You have to agree that it is a lot less heavy than having to wear an enormous bag with an even heavier camera. Or as Chase Jarvis (famous iPhoneographist) likes to say -sorry, you will hear this name from time to time on Saluti- “The best camera, is the one with you.” So there!
But this isn’t about others making pictures with an iPhone. More importantly is, how can you make these kind of iPictures yourself? There are a few basics you have to keep in mind while taking pictures with your phone.
Appropriate light
First of all, what the iPhone cam really needs is an appropriate amount of light. Because the auto-exposure metering is very sensitive, you have to be aware of the light there is and how you can use it. If there is a bright light behind your subject, point the angle of your iPhone a bit down so there is less of the light (sky) in the frame. Your subject will be exposed correctly.
Ohw, and don’t take pictures in direct sunlight unless it is your intention to make a more abstract picture. Some shade can soften the shadows and cloudy days will make portraits more visible.
Loose the center composition
Mostly we are putting our subject right in the center of an image, just out of habit. I tell you, loose this attitude because it is been done before. If you want something different, try the so called ‘rule of thirds‘, which means “the points of power lie on the intersection of lines of a three-by-three grid on the screen.” Or in plain words, just put the subject more to the right, left or anything that isn’t in dead center of the frame.
It is al about the background
Mind what you are shooting. Because you can’t get a nice DOF or blur out of the iPhone, every object in the picture will be in focus and the main subject won’t stand out. Make sure there aren’t any annoying objects in the background or just get close to the subject you want to photograph.
Some cleaning
Dirt can block your view. So some cleaning is needed now and then. Use a lens-cleaning tissue, however and not your finger.
Switch, is the keyword
Think outside the box, even if you are accustomed to hold the iPhone in Portrait modes. Simply switch your iPhone to landscape orientation once in while. A different view, makes a different image.
Just hold still
And last but not least, we know that an iPhone isn’t as stable or massive as a DSLR. To make a rather sharp picture, you have to hold the iPhone as still as possible. The steadier, the less blurry the pictures will be.
And of course you can tune up your pictures by using other processing applications to make a beautiful, funny or totally different image. But that story will be told some other time 
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