If you put the effort in, you can get amazing photos from a mobile phone.
If you’re trying to become a better travel photographer one of the most important lessons you can learn is that it’s not always about what gear you have, it’s about how you use it.
Everyone has a mobile phone in their pocket these days so travel photography has become easier than ever.
There’s no need to carry around big, heavy cameras with an assortment of different lenses. Everybody has a camera in their pocket.
The technical side of taking a photo is the easiest part by far.
The hardest part is physically getting there in the first place. Whether that’s because you need to catch a flight or get up at the crack of dawn. So having a camera in your phone that’s small and easy to carry around makes life a little easier.
Once you’re there, taking the photo is easy as long as you follow the tips in the video tutorial above.
The six mobile photography tips that you’ll learn about in the video are:
- Fill the frame
- Use a frame within the frame
- The rule of thirds
- Leading lines
- The rule of odds
- Symmetry
But there are a few other things you should remember when shooting mobile photography.
For example, always remember to clean the lens of the camera because it’s likely to get a little dirty or greasy from being in your pocket unprotected.
Also, activate the 3×3 grid in the menu of your camera app to be able to shoot with the rule of thirds in mind.
And finally, remember proper grip technique when holding your mobile phone, just like you would with a normal camera, to get the sharpest image possible.
If you follow all of those rules then you should be able to capture some very interesting photos.
If you have any more questions about shooting photography on a mobile phone then feel free to leave a comment below.
I’m a professional travel photographer, and I’ve been living the digital nomad lifestyle since 2016. I make money by working on client assignments, selling stock photography and helping other photographers by sharing my experiences on this website. I move around at my own pace (I hate fast-paced travel) and like to spend a few months getting to know each place I base myself in.
My writing and photos have been featured on industry leading websites such as Digital Photography School, Atlas Obscura and the world’s leading underwater photography resource The Underwater Photography Guide. I authored an eBook called “Breaking Into Travel Photography: The complete guide to carving out a career in travel photography” that has been published on Amazon. My stock images have also appeared in ads promoting destinations and companies that sometimes has been a surprise, even to me. But I guess that’s the nature of stock photography, you never know who will license them!
I’m always happy to connect, so feel free to reach out!