How to Take Better Travel Photos With Your Phone

Tens of thousands of years ago, long before cameras were invented, our ancestors resorted to far more manual ways to capture the world around them. Some of the earliest evidence of people recording what they saw was found on a cave wall in Sulawesi, Indonesia and dates back some 50,000 years — a painting of a wild pig and three human-like figures. The desire to communicate through visuals is intrinsically human — and the ability to do so is now built into the very gadget most of us carry everywhere we go.

Today, shooting a high-definition image only requires a tap of a digital button and takes less than a second. This accessibility and ease of use are the major benefits of phone photography. While they can’t fully match the image quality and control level offered by DSLRs or mirrorless systems, cutting-edge advancements have significantly improved the capabilities of smartphone cameras. Manufacturers like Apple, Samsung, Google and Xiaomi are churning out new options with ever-enhanced features all the time, quickly narrowing the limitations that once defined the medium.

Yet, capturing a truly compelling image still requires practice, sound technical know-how and a creative touch. There are many ways to achieve this, but the first step is always to understand your camera’s properties and settings. Models on the market differ in terms of the features they offer — sensor size, megapixel count, lens options, shooting modes, AI capabilities and editing tools all vary. Once you know what your phone is capable of, your next assignment is to, well, take a picture. Observe your work with a critical eye and try to identify what can be improved. Any serious photographer will tell you the best way to hone your skills is to shoot every day. Doing so helps you to develop a stronger understanding of the fundamentals of photography and become more attuned to your surroundings.

There are still some practical functions and considerations to keep in mind that will help you in the process — here are some of the most important ones.

Keep It Steady

Phones are compact by design, with relatively small sensors, meaning they often have to work harder than a digital camera to process light. This is especially true in dark environments, where the slightest tremor can result in images that are blurry or soft. To get a crisp shot, hold your phone steady with both hands or make use of a level surface. Keen photographers may want to invest in a tripod, too. There are plenty of reasonably priced options on the market, while brands like Joby and Benro offer tripods with additional features, such as bendable legs that wrap around objects.

Follow The Rules

Understanding composition turns the world into your canvas, allowing you to create a narrative and evoke emotion within a well-balanced frame. An easy guideline is following the rule of thirds — a grid you can turn on and off with a toggle in your phone settings. It divides the frame with two horizontal and two vertical lines; by placing your subject along them or at their intersections, you can often create a more visually appealing image.

Step Forward

Smaller sensors also equate to lower image quality. By digitally zooming in, you’re effectively reducing the number of pixels, further degrading the quality of the photo. Where you can, simply move closer to your subject; if that isn’t an option, it’s still better to take a shot from distance, then crop your image later. If you’re on safari or a birdwatching tour, try holding your phone up to the eyepiece of your binoculars (avoiding direct contact to minimise any risk of scratching the lenses). The results almost certainly won’t be perfect — you might end up with some dark corners, for example — but the overall outcome should be worth it for the close-up view you get.

(How to photograph wildlife on a safari.)

Light It Up — Or Down

Learning how to use or manipulate light allows you to retain more details in both highlights and shadows, particularly in scenes with challenging or harsh lighting conditions. While phones are designed to do the heavy lifting, controlling the light manually can make a world of difference. The simplest way of doing so is adjusting the exposure — usually, a sun icon that appears when you tap the screen to set the focus — to brighten or darken your shot. Some phone models allow you to shoot in ‘manual’ (sometimes called ‘pro’), which allows you to change the ISO and shutter speed; if your phone doesn’t have this setting, you might be able to make adjustments to the light at a later stage via apps like Lightroom Mobile.

Make It Your Own

Editing is a significant part of photography, allowing you to bring your creative vision to life, shaping the final image exactly as you intended. You can adjust colours or remove them altogether, lift or deepen shadows and experiment with contrast and highlights to achieve your desired look. There are loads of tools to choose from: Snapseed is a decent, easy-to-use option that’s free; for serious amateurs, Lightroom Mobile allows for greater flexibility and syncs with a desktop app.