Latest news with #iPhonePhotography
Geeky Gadgets
15-07-2025
- Geeky Gadgets
iPhone Photography Trick: Instantly Improve Your Photos
Reflection photography offers a captivating way to add depth and creativity to your images, transforming ordinary scenes into visually compelling compositions. With your iPhone and a few practical techniques, you can explore the art of capturing reflections to create unique perspectives. The awesome video below from iPhone Photography School will help you identify reflective surfaces, optimize your camera settings, and experiment with creative approaches to elevate your photography skills. Watch this video on YouTube. Spotting Reflective Surfaces The foundation of reflective photography lies in recognizing reflective surfaces in your surroundings. These surfaces are abundant in both natural and urban environments, offering endless opportunities for creative compositions. By training your eye to notice them, you can uncover hidden photographic potential. Common reflective surfaces include: Water: Look for puddles, lakes, rivers, or even wet sand after rain. Look for puddles, lakes, rivers, or even wet sand after rain. Glass: Explore windows, glass walls, or smooth storefronts for intriguing reflections. Explore windows, glass walls, or smooth storefronts for intriguing reflections. Shiny objects: Polished cars, metallic surfaces, or even ice can serve as reflective canvases. Slowing down and observing your environment with a creative mindset is key. By paying attention to light, angles, and textures, you'll begin to see reflections in places you might have previously overlooked. Techniques to Capture Stunning Reflections Once you've identified a reflective surface, the way you position your iPhone and compose your shot plays a significant role in the final image. Here are some effective techniques to enhance your reflection photography: Use a low angle: Position your iPhone close to the reflective surface to create a mirror-like effect, making the reflection more vivid and immersive. Position your iPhone close to the reflective surface to create a mirror-like effect, making the reflection more vivid and immersive. Focus on symmetry: Symmetrical compositions are naturally pleasing to the eye and emphasize the harmony between the subject and its reflection. Symmetrical compositions are naturally pleasing to the eye and emphasize the harmony between the subject and its reflection. Blend reality and reflection: Experiment with positioning your subject within the reflection to create layered or surreal effects. For instance, capture a person walking through a puddle or a building mirrored in a car window. Urban environments, in particular, provide a wealth of reflective surfaces. From glass skyscrapers to rain-soaked streets, these settings encourage experimentation and creativity. Fine-Tuning Your Camera Settings To achieve professional-looking reflection photos, it's essential to adjust your iPhone's camera settings for optimal results. Here are some tips to get started: Lock focus and exposure: Tap and hold on your subject to lock focus and exposure. This ensures the camera doesn't inadvertently shift focus to the reflective surface itself. Tap and hold on your subject to lock focus and exposure. This ensures the camera doesn't inadvertently shift focus to the reflective surface itself. Adjust exposure: Use the on-screen slider to brighten or darken your image. Proper exposure enhances contrast and ensures your subject stands out against the reflection. Use the on-screen slider to brighten or darken your image. Proper exposure enhances contrast and ensures your subject stands out against the reflection. Use burst mode: For dynamic scenes, such as rippling water or moving subjects, burst mode captures multiple frames in quick succession, increasing your chances of getting the perfect shot. These adjustments allow you to take greater control of your images, helping you capture reflections with clarity and precision. Exploring Urban Reflection Photography Cities are a treasure trove for reflection photography, offering a mix of natural and man-made reflective surfaces. To make the most of urban settings, consider the following strategies: Keep it simple: Avoid visual clutter by positioning your subject against a clean background, such as a reflected sky or minimalist architectural lines. Avoid visual clutter by positioning your subject against a clean background, such as a reflected sky or minimalist architectural lines. Experiment with post-processing: Use editing tools to flip reflection images, creating surreal effects or introducing unexpected perspectives. Use editing tools to flip reflection images, creating surreal effects or introducing unexpected perspectives. Play with light: Reflections often appear more dramatic during golden hour or after rain, when surfaces are wet and light is softer. Urban environments encourage bold experimentation. Don't hesitate to explore unconventional angles, compositions, or lighting conditions to create striking images. Practical Tips for Success Reflection photography requires patience, creativity, and attention to detail. To improve your results, keep these practical tips in mind: Frame carefully: Pay attention to symmetry and eliminate distractions in the background that could detract from your composition. Pay attention to symmetry and eliminate distractions in the background that could detract from your composition. Be patient: Wait for the right moment, especially when photographing moving subjects or dynamic reflections, such as ripples in water. Wait for the right moment, especially when photographing moving subjects or dynamic reflections, such as ripples in water. Practice regularly: The more you practice, the better you'll become at spotting reflective surfaces and composing creative shots. With consistent practice, you'll develop an intuitive sense for capturing reflections, whether in serene natural settings or bustling cityscapes. Over time, your ability to see and photograph reflections will become second nature, allowing you to create images that stand out and tell compelling visual stories. Check out more relevant guides from our extensive collection on iPhone photography that you might find useful. Source & Image Credit: iPhone Photography School Filed Under: Apple, Apple iPhone, Guides Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.
Phone Arena
08-07-2025
- Phone Arena
The iPhone has become awful at photography as of late
if you ignore some Chinese phones Apple Intelligence Apple Intelligence Have you noticed this on your AI-enabled iPhone? Yes No Yes 0% No 0% Receive the latest Apple news Subscribe By subscribing you agree to our terms and conditions and privacy policy Grab Surfshark VPN now at more than 50% off and with 3 extra months for free! Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase This offer is not available in your area. Cameras — their sensor sizes, megapixel counts, and lenses — are a huge part of marketing for modern flagship smartphones. The iPhone, which was arguably once the king of mobile photography (), has now become simply awful at that one very important stems from Apple Intelligence : the incomplete and, in many aspects, relatively inferior suite of AI features provided by Apple . Software enhancement is a very common trick that phone manufacturers use to help their devices take better photos, buthas done the are now multiple user accounts ofprocessing and 'enhancing' a photo after it's been taken, only to turn all the letters into gibberish. Sometimes it works fine, other times it completely spoils a perfectly good image. As one user put it, we are just basically 'estimating reality' at this my opinion, as someone who has used many different AI models for various tasks, this is something that usually occurs on a model that isn't very powerful. The AI tries to estimate what the image should be showing, but doesn't possess a comprehensive enough dataset to do that Apple's AI isn't able to enhance lettering with a 100 percent success rate, then it should either not carry out this 'enhancement' or the user should have an option to disable it. The cameras on modern iPhone models are powerful enough that they don't need phony processing to improve the pictures they take.
Fast Company
07-07-2025
- Fast Company
This new app makes using your iPhone camera tons more fun
I have not found much joy in iPhone photography of late. Between the flat, HDR-heavy image processing and the stagnant hardware compared to competitors, it's rare that I'll use my iPhone for anything beyond quick, functional snapshots. 'Here is the price of eggs at the supermarket today' in a chat message. That sort of thing. But over the past week, I've been having more fun with my iPhone camera than I've had in years. The reason for that is !Camera, a new app that completely reimagines the experience of taking photos on your phone. Inspiring design !Camera—no, I am not entirely sure how you're meant to say that out loud—comes from Not Boring Software, which also makes a suite of iOS apps including a weather app, a timer, a calculator, and more. I've tried some of these in the past and admired their stylish, original design, but none of them really stuck with me; I tend to lean into functionality if I'm going to learn a new app. But cameras are the opposite. Unless I'm shooting professionally at a critical event, I want cameras to have their own personality and inspire me to use them. That's exactly what you get with !Camera. Although !Camera solely exists in software, its unique 3D interface makes your iPhone feel like a new device. The colorful, customizable UI is not intended to look realistic, exactly, but the combination of visual effects and haptic feedback is surprisingly believable. I set up a shortcut to open !Camera with the iPhone's physical Action Button, which adds to the verisimilitude. The chunky virtual dials show shadows in the knurls as you tilt your phone, based on input from the gyroscope. The iPhone's haptic system lets you feel every notch along the dials, together with satisfying clunks when you swap between lenses or turn the flash on. And I can't remember the last time I didn't immediately turn off the beeps on a digital camera, but the stereo sound effects here actually add to the experience. Simple UI The UI itself is extremely simple. There is a huge shutter button that's impossible to miss, plus two key dials: one for exposure compensation, and the other to select photo styles. You do have the option to switch to a manual mode, but it feels intentional that the two virtual dials are dedicated to accessible features that are more likely to make a real difference on a phone camera. There's also a clever take on manual focus that brings up a loupe-like ring when you drag directly on the viewfinder. The UI is rounded out by two switches for the flash and to swap between lenses—there's no option for 2x or any other 'fake' digital zoom—as well as a settings button that takes you to a more conventional menu with all the customization features. One feature you won't find is the ability to view all your photos; they just get saved straight into your iPhone's photo app. This is presumably so that you don't spend half your time 'chimping,' or immediately checking the pictures you took rather than concentrating on taking some more. It's a good decision, especially since the photos themselves can take a second or two to process. After pressing the shutter button, you get a quick preview on the viewfinder that doesn't quite match the final results but is enough to let you know whether you got the shot or not. Great results The results are usually great. !Camera can shoot in Apple's ProRAW format or use the basic JPEG processing, but it defaults to its own SuperRaw system that adds a slight grain and goes for punchy exposure. These photos can all capture HDR data, and you can also save a regular RAW file at the same time for editing later. !Camera supports importing LUTs, or lookup tables, the same kind of presets used by many pro photographers. It also comes with several styles of its own, including a couple of monochrome filmlike options by Tokyo-based AgBr, the collective behind the excellent Mac and iOS photo editing app of the same name. These aren't just filters: They're embedded right into the image-processing pipeline. Last month Apple announced that it is shifting all of its operating systems to a new visual style built around a virtual material called Liquid Glass. Design chief Alan Dye said in a statement that it 'combines the optical qualities of glass with a fluidity only Apple can achieve, as it transforms depending on your content or context.' !Camera takes a similar approach in some ways, as it acknowledges the physical properties of the iPhone and reacts in real time. But you couldn't make !Camera out of Liquid Glass—it's already made out of something else. Its materials have a style and a charm entirely their own, and they make your phone feel like a timeless camera in the real world rather than something that exists only in the Apple universe. More to the point, it is simply a heck of a lot of fun. I'd fallen out of love with iPhone photography, but !Camera has pulled me right back.
Android Authority
19-06-2025
- Android Authority
As a Pixel fan, I tried the new iPhone app made by Google's camera team, and it's fantastic
Joe Maring / Android Authority In the Android world, it's hard to beat Google's Pixel phones for consistent, lifelike photos. While the HDR-ified look may not be for everyone, there's no questioning the sheer reliability of a Pixel camera. When you tap the shutter button, you can all but guarantee you'll get a pleasing and natural picture every single time. That camera experience is one of the main reasons I like using Pixels so much, and thanks to a new app called Indigo, you can now get something similar on the iPhone. Indigo is an iPhone camera app created by two individuals who worked on the Pixel Camera and Google Camera apps, and it incorporates the same HDR+ image processing from those apps into the iPhone. And rather than simply copying Google's approach, Indigo adds its own unique touch, aiming to reduce overexposure, blown-out highlights, and noise-filled shadows. It sounds like the perfect way to get a Pixel-like camera on an iPhone, but does it work? I tried Indigo side by side with Apple's camera app to find out. Comparing Indigo vs. the iPhone's default camera Joe Maring / Android Authority I tested Indigo on an iPhone 16, spending part of an afternoon snapping pictures with it and the default iPhone camera app. Indigo offers a range of manual controls, including shutter speed, ISO, temperature, and more. However, for this test, I ignored all of those settings. I simply opened each camera app and tapped the shutter button. Across the dozen or so pictures I captured, there's a pretty consistent difference between Indigo and Apple's camera. In almost every image, the Indigo picture has more shadows, more contrast, and more balanced highlights. Indigo camera Apple camera The picture of my dog above is a prime example of this. At first glance, the regular iPhone camera is the more eye-catching photo, largely because it's brighter. But that doesn't automatically mean it's the better of the two shots. Indigo's picture is much more accurate to how the room looked in person. My dog's darker fur around his snout is better represented in the Indigo shot. The white wall behind my dog also has a starker white color, compared to the blueish tint Apple's camera gave it. The Apple camera app is perhaps the more Instagram-worthy image, but I appreciate how much more true-to-life Indigo's picture is. Indigo camera Apple camera You see a similar result with the picture of the bookshelf. While it's a subtler example, it's another situation where brighter doesn't = better. The Indigo picture is darker and cooler, giving you a picture that's both more lifelike and a bit moody. The enhanced brightness in the Apple camera picture is visually less interesting to my eye. It also adds a halo effect around some letters on the books that isn't present in the Indigo photo. Beyond a simple battle of brightness vs. darkness, there's also a notable difference in how Indigo processes certain colors. Indigo camera Apple camera This is well represented in this shot of the nature trail. Here, Indigo does a really good job balancing the lush greenery and the overcast sky. The trees and tall grass are much more colorful and accurate to how they looked to my own eyes. The regular iPhone camera puts much more emphasis on enhancing the blue in the sky and the cloud detail at the expense of significantly darkening the rest of the scene. Personally, I prefer how Indigo handled this one. Indigo camera Apple camera My preference for Indigo continues with the picture of the dandelion. The Indigo app did a fantastic job of capturing the bright white of the pappus of the dandelion and the dark green plants behind it. The Apple camera app, meanwhile, has a warm, yellowish tint to the whole image that I don't particularly like. It's also much more noticeably sharpened than the Indigo picture, especially once you zoom in a little bit. Indigo camera Apple camera Last but certainly not least, a picture of my cat, Polo. Both photos are pretty good at first glance, and while the Apple camera app certainly didn't do a bad job, subtle details lead me to — again — prefer Indigo's result. Like the dandelion, the iPhone camera app pretty clearly sharpens a lot of details here, especially around Polo's nose. The Indigo image isn't lacking in detail, but it appears softer and more lifelike than the somewhat harsh photo Apple's camera took. I also prefer Indigo's subtler lighting around Polo's left ear and the warmer appearance of his brown fur. These are admittedly small things to consider, but I think they add up to make a better photo. Do you prefer the Indigo or Apple camera results? 0 votes Indigo camera NaN % Apple camera NaN % The Pixel camera experience we've been waiting for? Joe Maring / Android Authority After an afternoon with Indigo, I have to admit that I'm damn impressed with the results. The iPhone 16 takes good pictures with its default camera app, but in virtually every comparison between the two, I prefer the photos from Indigo. Indigo pictures are more Pixel-y than Apple's camera app, but they're also pretty clearly not a 1:1 imitation of the Pixel style. Based on my experience with the Pixel 9 series, the Indigo app favors darker shadows, contrast, and deeper colors in a way modern Pixel phones do not. And I love that. I think the folks behind Indigo are onto something special. Now, is Indigo perfect? Not by any means. Even after just a few hours of use, I ran into numerous issues with the app on my iPhone 16 — including pictures that didn't save, the viewfinder freezing, and overall slow performance. Indigo also caused my iPhone 16 to get really hot, to the point where I received two overheating notifications in the Indigo app. There are also missing camera modes, such as portrait mode and panorama photos. Even with all that being the case, I think the folks behind Indigo are onto something special, and I cannot wait for the Android version (which is coming, just without a firm ETA) to get here.
Geeky Gadgets
17-06-2025
- Geeky Gadgets
Unlock Stunning Photography With These iPhone Hacks and Tools
What if you could transform your iPhone into a professional-grade camera without lugging around a suitcase full of gear? It's not just a dream for content creators or photography enthusiasts—it's a reality. With the right tools and techniques, your iPhone can rival dedicated cameras, delivering stunning visuals and crisp audio that turn heads. Whether you're capturing sweeping landscapes, recording cinematic videos, or snapping detailed close-ups, the secret isn't in owning the most expensive equipment—it's in using a few essential, portable accessories that unlock your phone's full potential. The best part? You don't need to sacrifice simplicity or mobility to achieve jaw-dropping results. In this video Benett Graezer explains how to elevate your iPhone photography and videography with a streamlined setup that's as powerful as it is practical. From clip-on lenses that expand your creative horizons to stabilizers that ensure buttery-smooth footage, you'll discover the tools and techniques that make professional-quality content accessible to anyone. Whether you're a seasoned creator or just starting out, this guide will show you how to master lighting, stability, and audio to create visuals that stand out in any setting. Because sometimes, the perfect setup isn't about having more—it's about having exactly what you need. iPhone Camera Accessory Guide Lens Attachments: Expand your creative horizons with clip-on lenses. Wide-angle lenses are perfect for capturing expansive landscapes, macro lenses excel at detailed close-ups, and telephoto lenses bring distant subjects into sharp focus. Expand your creative horizons with clip-on lenses. Wide-angle lenses are perfect for capturing expansive landscapes, macro lenses excel at detailed close-ups, and telephoto lenses bring distant subjects into sharp focus. Tripods and Gimbals: A sturdy tripod ensures steady still shots, while a gimbal provides smooth, cinematic video by stabilizing motion. Both are indispensable for reducing blur and creating polished visuals. A sturdy tripod ensures steady still shots, while a gimbal provides smooth, cinematic video by stabilizing motion. Both are indispensable for reducing blur and creating polished visuals. External Microphones: Improve audio quality with an external microphone. These devices reduce background noise and capture clear, professional-grade sound for your videos. These accessories are compact, versatile, and designed to elevate the quality of your content without adding unnecessary bulk to your setup. Stability: The Key to Sharper Photos and Smoother Videos Achieving sharp photos and fluid videos requires a stable shooting platform. While your iPhone's built-in optical image stabilization is effective, combining it with external tools and techniques can significantly enhance your results: Tripods: Use a tripod with adjustable angles for still photography, long exposures, or time-lapse shots. This ensures your images remain crisp and steady. Use a tripod with adjustable angles for still photography, long exposures, or time-lapse shots. This ensures your images remain crisp and steady. Gimbals: A compact gimbal is ideal for creating smooth, cinematic video footage, even when you're on the move. A compact gimbal is ideal for creating smooth, cinematic video footage, even when you're on the move. Handheld Techniques: When shooting without equipment, stabilize your hands by bracing your elbows against your body or resting them on a solid surface to minimize movement. By mastering these stabilization techniques, you can produce professional-quality visuals that stand out. How to Capture Stunning Photos and Videos on Your iPhone Watch this video on YouTube. Dive deeper into iPhone camera setup with other articles and guides we have written below. Lighting: The Foundation of Stunning Visuals Lighting is one of the most critical factors in photography and videography. While natural light is often the best option, there are ways to optimize your setup for any lighting condition: Portable LED Lights: Compact LED lights with adjustable brightness and color temperature allow you to adapt to various environments, making sure consistent lighting. Compact LED lights with adjustable brightness and color temperature allow you to adapt to various environments, making sure consistent lighting. Manual Exposure Control: Use your iPhone's manual exposure settings to fine-tune brightness, preventing overexposed highlights or underexposed shadows. Use your iPhone's manual exposure settings to fine-tune brightness, preventing overexposed highlights or underexposed shadows. Third-Party Apps: Apps like Filmic Pro provide advanced control over ISO, shutter speed, and white balance, giving you greater creative flexibility. By understanding and controlling lighting, you can create visually striking content in any setting, from bright outdoor scenes to dimly lit interiors. Enhancing Audio for High-Quality Videography Clear, professional audio is just as important as sharp visuals when creating video content. While the iPhone's built-in microphone is sufficient for casual use, an external microphone is essential for capturing high-quality sound: Directional Microphones: These microphones focus on isolating your subject's voice, making them ideal for noisy environments. These microphones focus on isolating your subject's voice, making them ideal for noisy environments. Lavalier Microphones: Compact and discreet, lavalier microphones are perfect for interviews, presentations, or on-camera dialogue. Compact and discreet, lavalier microphones are perfect for interviews, presentations, or on-camera dialogue. Noise Reduction Tools: Use accessories like windscreens or pop filters to minimize wind noise and plosive sounds during outdoor recordings. With these audio enhancements, your videos will sound as polished and professional as they look. Portability Without Compromise For creators on the go, portability is essential. A minimalist approach to gear ensures you can adapt to different shooting scenarios without being weighed down: Compact Tripods: Look for tripods that double as selfie sticks, offering versatility in a single tool. Look for tripods that double as selfie sticks, offering versatility in a single tool. Foldable Gimbals: Lightweight and portable, foldable gimbals are perfect for travel and spontaneous shooting. Lightweight and portable, foldable gimbals are perfect for travel and spontaneous shooting. Multi-Purpose Lens Kits: Choose lens kits that include wide-angle, macro, and telephoto options in one package for maximum flexibility. This streamlined approach allows you to stay prepared for any creative opportunity while maintaining a lightweight and efficient setup. Achieving Professional Results with Simplicity Creating professional-quality content with your iPhone doesn't require a complex or expensive setup. By focusing on essential accessories like lens attachments, stabilization tools, and external microphones, you can significantly enhance your photography and videography. Combine these tools with effective techniques for lighting, exposure, and audio, and you'll be equipped to produce stunning visuals and crisp sound. Whether you're a casual creator or an aspiring professional, this approach ensures you can achieve exceptional results with minimal effort and maximum impact. Media Credit: Benett Graezer Filed Under: Apple, Camera News, Top News Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.
