Top 6 Tips for Taking Stunning Smartphone Landscape Photos

　　National Geographic photographer Jim Richardson once said: “If you want to be a better photographer, stand in front of more interesting stuff.” However, it can be tricky to know how to take a stunning smartphone landscape photos.

　　In this article, we will unveil the top tricks professionals won’t tell you. These quick tips can help you get the most out of your next photographic adventure.

　　Let’s get started!

　　Smartphone Landscape Photos: Tips & Tricks

　　1. Find the Best Exposure

　　Most people don’t know how to adjust their exposure on the phone. Exposure plays a critical role in landscape photos. Have you ever taken a photo of the sky? Have you ever feel confused by how the background is washed out, showing dull colors? To keep the image with vibrant color (neither too dark nor too light), we need to get the proper exposure.

　　On iPhone, there is a sun icon appearing next to the focus area. Use your fingers to slide up or down the screen to adjust the exposure. Android works the same, but you find a light bulb at the bottom of the screen.

　　2. Use HDR Mode

　　Smartphone landscape photos are an excellent opportunity for you to leverage the HDR setting. HDR image implies a higher dynamic range than traditional photos. You can take several photos in rapid succession and then combine them into one photo. As a result, it can preserve more details. This function can be beneficial under high-contrast scenes like bright daylight.

　　After taking the pictures with HDR mode, remember to check the photo quality because HDR can sometimes make a scene look unnaturally and flat in tone.

　　3. Rule of Thirds

　　The rule of thirds is a composition guideline that places your subject in the left or right third of the image, leaving the other two-thirds more open. The rule of thirds usually leads to more compelling and well-composed shots.

　　Vertical Lines: Normally, people will frame the subject in the center of the image. Based on the rule of thirds, we can look at the vertical lines and place the subject in the left or right quadrant. If you view the image from left to right, it is better to place the subject on the left vertical line.

　　Horizontal Lines: The image can be divided into three horizontal parts. It is more pleasing for the viewer if the horizontal lines stay away from the center and are either on the top of the bottom third.

　　4. Pick the Right Time

　　The right-shooting time is one of the most critical factors for landscape photos. Everyone has their tastes for “right” light, but even a truly marvelous view can be ruined by harsh overhead light.

　　When you capture the time roughly an hour before sunrise and then again before sunset, you will find a warm and magical illumination. The sun’s intense brightness can cause the rest of an image to darken, and it can also spread across the frame, producing odd-looking blobs of color. Fortunately, intense brightness can be prevented by using the lens brim to keep the sun from directly hitting the camera.

　　5. Image Balance

　　When people talk about the balance of image, it sounds like a vague term. When the image lacks balance, it looks unimaginative. Here are some of the aspects we need to consider:

　　Shape Structure: You can visualize your image, switching the subject with geometrical shapes. The triangles, rectangles, and squares can create balance. Triangles are one of the most visually pleasing.

　　Simplicity: When taking pictures, we need to choose what subjects we put in the image. Besides, we have to consider their relations between each other and the scene. A straightforward way to create a simpler image is to frame your shot or straight close shotting.

　　6. Pick your mobile lens

　　Although it is easy to take a photo with nowadays mobile phones, there is never an easy way to ensure the picture’s quality every time.

　　No lens beats a wide-angle lens when capturing breathtaking landscape shots. A Wide-Angle lens will increase the field depth of the image by decreasing the aperture. When the changes of field depth occur, the image will ‘pop’ or grow wider. For your next landscape picture, we will recommend APEXEL HB110W – HD.

　　Large buildings and other large-scale shots are simpler to capture using a smaller focal length. These lenses will give you more space to frame those large objects. In addition, when you move further into the wide-angle territory, it will be more prominent for the objects near the camera.

　　Conclusion

　　For a decade APEXEL has been committed to developing and manufacturing photographic equipment and accessories. Back then, we had the dream to make everybody express themself through their photos. Nowadays, we made that dream come true by providing photographers with reliable photography equipment.

　　Learn more about our solutions for smartphone landscape photos.