If you have read my previous two columns on this subject “Droidography – Shooting Tips with Droid Phones” and “Droidography – Shooting Tips with Droid Phones, Part Deux“, hopefully you thought the information was useful enough to read this third and final one on Shooting Tips with Droid Phones (or any cell phone camera!). Cell Phone cameras have come a long way and they are only going to get better!
9. Im Ready for my Closeup, Mr. Director – Most of the new Droids have a Macro Setting which is very useful for closeup shots. You will have to manually select it in order to be sure it turns on for those closeups photos you seek. Also as mentioned in an earlier column, don’t forget to turn it back off or set your lens to auto. Otherwise your longer distance shots are going to be noisy, blurry, and just all around look crappy. Usually if you leave you camera setting on “auto” it will automatically adjust for the shot but not always. Sometimes you may have to manually select it for the shot you want.
Macro On
Macro off
10. Shoot Now, Edit Later – Alot of times when I am out shooting with my Droid in hand, I dont have time to frame the exact perfect shot. So I take a shot that I am not entirely happy with and will use the on camera cropping and editing to get it looking better or how I want. Of course I can also use one of those apps (which are still on my phone!) I have reviewed in past columns to do my on camera editing.
After a bit of tweaking this shot turned out pretty good…a spider friend my wife found in the shower one morning. I was able to catch and release him outside unharmed.
Tweaked this one a little bit, but the truck in the background gives great perspective
11. Yes Yes No No – As you use your Droid to take photos you will probably get some you really like that turn out how you want them. However, you will inevitably get some that dont turn out the way you want. Keep them! You never know after giving them a second glance how they might be useful for you in future even from an artistic standpoint. Abstract images are still art.
Windy Day, Blurry Image
Slightly better
12. Practice makes perfect – If you want to get better at taking photos, follow my tips and most of all practice and try different things. If you are like me you have your phone with you most of the time and the opportunity for a great shot could be just around the corner. Always make sure if you take photos of people that you have permission to publish them, but otherwise have fun and keep at it! You will improve with every photo you take.
My wife preparing lunch at a Forest Service Recreation area in Oklahoma. Image a bit blurry,
but I like how it turned out.
A barn in Telephone, TX with a really cool Texas Flag painted on the roof which you cant see…
oh well, got to keep trying!
I hope these tips were useful to you and I have helped you at least a little bit. As always thanks for reading and we will see you next time.–
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I am half outdoorsman and half technonurd hence my name thenaturenurd. I live in Texas with my wife, Melynie, 14 year old son, Cailean, and our four cats. I’ve been interested in photography since High School and mostly take landscape photographs but have also ventured into other areas of photography. My photography idol of course is Andel Adams, he did fantastic work. As a gadget nut, I hope to bring you clear concise reviews of Android photo applications and maybe even some tips for landscape photography. I look forward to the interactions…