{"id":18265,"date":"2023-08-30T15:42:15","date_gmt":"2023-08-30T19:42:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/?page_id=18265"},"modified":"2024-07-11T14:36:00","modified_gmt":"2024-07-11T18:36:00","slug":"how-to-take-better-phone-images","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/forms-templates-tools\/tools\/how-to-take-better-phone-images\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Take Better Phone Images"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Have you ever wanted to take a picture of something interesting and thought, \u201cBut I only have my phone on me!\u201d Your phone can actually take some pretty good pictures, and knowing some helpful tips and tricks can make it easier to do so.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"#video\">video below<\/a> explains practices and settings that you can incorporate into your own picture-taking to produce higher-quality photos. You&#8217;ll also find a few tips and examples, segments from the video \u2014 an overview of <a href=\"#rule-of-thirds\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rule of Thirds<\/a> and <a href=\"#focus\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Focus<\/a> \u2014 below.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><a id=\"video\"><\/a>Video: How to Take Better Phone Images (YouTube)<\/h3>\n<div class=\"responsive-video\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How to Take Better Phone Images\" width=\"1268\" height=\"713\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/IYEWOFGzqTc?wmode=transparent&amp;rel=0&amp;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Tips and Examples<\/h3>\n<h4><a id=\"rule-of-thirds\"><\/a>Rule of Thirds<\/h4>\n<p>The Rule of Thirds is a method that helps with framing your subject when taking a photo. Lining their body with a vertical line or eyes with a horizontal line can lead to a better photo than just placing your subject in the center of your shot, such as in Example 1.<\/p>\n<p>It also helps with creatively using the negative space in your photo, which is the space that isn\u2019t occupied by your subject.<\/p>\n<p>In Example 2, the buildings are centered between the sky and the water, with each element aligned within their respective \u201cthird\u201d of the image. The boat is lined up at the intersection of two lines, which also demonstrates the Rule of Thirds.<\/p>\n<p>Check out the video for how to turn on your phone\u2019s grid!<\/p>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 50%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-18265 gallery-columns-2 gallery-size-large'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Rule-of-Thirds-Example-1.png'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Rule-of-Thirds-Example-1-768x1024.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"A photo of a child with a grid overlay showing that the photographer has placed the subject&#039;s eyes directly on the top line.\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-18273\" srcset=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Rule-of-Thirds-Example-1-768x1024.png 768w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Rule-of-Thirds-Example-1-225x300.png 225w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Rule-of-Thirds-Example-1-1152x1536.png 1152w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Rule-of-Thirds-Example-1-105x140.png 105w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Rule-of-Thirds-Example-1-317x423.png 317w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Rule-of-Thirds-Example-1-423x564.png 423w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Rule-of-Thirds-Example-1-634x845.png 634w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Rule-of-Thirds-Example-1-846x1128.png 846w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Rule-of-Thirds-Example-1-951x1268.png 951w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Rule-of-Thirds-Example-1.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 320px) 85vw, (max-width: 768px) 67vw, (max-width: 1024px) 62vw,768px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-18273'>\n\t\t\t\tExample 1\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Rule-of-Thirds-Example-2.png'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Rule-of-Thirds-Example-2-768x1024.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"Photo of a building showing how the photographer has split the photo into thirds using a grid.\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-18275\" srcset=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Rule-of-Thirds-Example-2-768x1024.png 768w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Rule-of-Thirds-Example-2-225x300.png 225w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Rule-of-Thirds-Example-2-1152x1536.png 1152w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Rule-of-Thirds-Example-2-105x140.png 105w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Rule-of-Thirds-Example-2-317x423.png 317w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Rule-of-Thirds-Example-2-423x564.png 423w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Rule-of-Thirds-Example-2-634x845.png 634w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Rule-of-Thirds-Example-2-846x1128.png 846w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Rule-of-Thirds-Example-2-951x1268.png 951w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Rule-of-Thirds-Example-2.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 320px) 85vw, (max-width: 768px) 67vw, (max-width: 1024px) 62vw,768px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-18275'>\n\t\t\t\tExample 2\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<h4><a id=\"focus\"><\/a>Focus<\/h4>\n<p>Sometimes when we try to take a photo, our subject is blurry and the background is clear. Adjusting the focus of your image before you take it will give you a higher-quality photo than just taking the picture without choosing a focus.<\/p>\n<p>In Example 3, the subject (someone holding a box) is in focus while the background (plants and other people) are blurred. This draws our attention to the person holding the box.<\/p>\n<p>In Example 4, our attention is drawn to the subject of the image (the first cow), with the background (grass and other cows) having less focus.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 50%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-2' class='gallery galleryid-18265 gallery-columns-2 gallery-size-large'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Farmers-in-field.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Farmers-in-field.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"Farmer in the field showing subject in focus and blurred subjects in background.\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-2-18278\" srcset=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Farmers-in-field.jpg 800w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Farmers-in-field-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Farmers-in-field-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Farmers-in-field-105x70.jpg 105w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Farmers-in-field-317x211.jpg 317w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Farmers-in-field-423x282.jpg 423w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Farmers-in-field-634x422.jpg 634w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 320px) 85vw, (max-width: 768px) 67vw, (max-width: 1024px) 62vw,800px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-2-18278'>\n\t\t\t\tExample 3\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Cow-Field.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Cow-Field-683x1024.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"Photo of cows in a field showing that the focus box had been misplaced while taking the photo.\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-2-18277\" srcset=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Cow-Field-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Cow-Field-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Cow-Field-768x1151.jpg 768w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Cow-Field-93x140.jpg 93w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Cow-Field-317x475.jpg 317w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Cow-Field-423x634.jpg 423w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Cow-Field-634x950.jpg 634w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2023\/08\/Cow-Field.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 320px) 85vw, (max-width: 768px) 67vw, (max-width: 1024px) 62vw,683px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-2-18277'>\n\t\t\t\tExample 4\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<hr \/>\n<h3>What Else Makes a Good Photo?<strong><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Good photos include the following elements:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Purpose.<\/strong> Photos should convey information, tell a story, cause an emotional response, or communicate a message.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Sharp focal point.<\/strong> If a photo is blurry, too dark, or too light, don\u2019t use it.<\/li>\n<li><strong>No distracting details.<\/strong> These might include unrelated objects that dominate the picture, identifiable names, images or logos on apparel (other than UMaine, Extension, and 4-H), photo bombers, and oddly-placed background objects (is there a plant or a lamp growing out of someone\u2019s head?), etc.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Engaging.<\/strong> Subjects are expressive or detailed enough to make the viewer understand or feel something.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Good composition.<\/strong> Crop out unnecessary details. Consider the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.photographymad.com\/pages\/view\/rule-of-thirds\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Rule of Thirds (PM website)<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Have you ever wanted to take a picture of something interesting and thought, \u201cBut I only have my phone on me!\u201d Your phone can actually take some pretty good pictures, and knowing some helpful tips and tricks can make it easier to do so. The video below explains practices and settings that you can incorporate [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":206,"featured_media":0,"parent":8962,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"templates\/page-withsidebar.php","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-18265","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"taxonomy_info":[],"featured_image_src_large":false,"author_info":{"display_name":"mthomas","author_link":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/author\/mthomas\/"},"comment_info":0,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/18265","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/206"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18265"}],"version-history":[{"count":55,"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/18265\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19357,"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/18265\/revisions\/19357"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8962"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18265"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}