Lights, camera, action.
There are that many tricks and gadgets that come with your iPhone camera that sometimes it can be a little daunting.
We thought you might appreciate a handy guide that strips it back to basics and gives you an easy starting point.
Whether you’re a sucker for taking a hundred photos of your dog in different poses, love nothing more than a good landscape shot, or you consider yourself to be a bit of a selfie master, we’re here to help.
It’s no secret that naturally newer iPhones have a few extra bits up their sleeves when it comes to their camera but we’re here to show you how to get the most out of your iPhone camera, no matter which model you have.
The preparation.
It’s not just the camera itself that might look a little scary to new customers, your iPhone has a whole bunch of apps and a display that’s unfamiliar.
Locating your camera can be a pain in itself but there are a couple of ways you can find it.
1) Swipe left on the iPhone lock screen.
2) Tap the Camera icon located on the Home Screen.
When you load up your camera, you may notice a green dot in the top-right corner of your screen. Don’t panic, we promise you that nobody is spying on you. It’s basically just to alert you that the camera is in use – it’s worth noting that it’ll turn to orange if you’re recording video footage.
Switching it up.
We said we were stripping it back to basics, but that doesn’t mean your photography is going to be anything close to basic.
There are lots of different modes that you can switch between on your iPhone camera. Whether you like to get up close and personal with your photo subjects or want to capture more of the scene in your shots, your iPhone will make it possible.
Unleash your inner director.
It’s not only great photography that your iPhone is good for, it’s perfect for unleashing your inner Tarantino or Scorsese – whatever you’re into.
For basic video mode follow these easy steps:
1) Open up your camera.
2) Swipe left to choose Video mode.
3) Tap the Record button (the big red button at the bottom) or press the volume button to start recording.
4) To zoom in and out, pinch your screen.
5) If you have an iPhone model with a dual or triple camera, touch and hold 1x on your display then drag the slider to the left to get closer and right to zoom out.
6) To stop recording, press the Record button or press the volume button to stop.
By default, your iPhone will record at 30 frames per second which isn’t too shabby at all. Depending on your model, you can choose other frame rates to get smoother looking videos.
1) Head to Settings.
2) Select Camera.
3) Select Record Video and choose a faster frame.
Quick take the video.
If you’ve got yourself an iPhone XS, iPhone XR, and later you can record what’s called a QuickTake video.
This is perfect for when you’re trying to capture the perfect photo. When you record a QuickTake video, you can move the Record button into the lock position and take a number of still photos.
1) Make sure you’re in Photo mode.
2) Touch and hold the Shutter button to start recording the QuickTake video.
3) Slide the Shutter button to the right and let go for hands-free recording.
4) You’ll see both the Record and the Shutter button at the bottom of the frame.
5) To stop recording, tap the Record button.
Take it slow.
If you fancy getting a Slo-mo video of your dog doing that thing where he shakes his head or want to set a slow relaxing scene of your trip away, you’re in luck.
If you want part of your video in Slo-mo, your iPhone has that covered too.
1) Open your camera and swipe left until you reach Slo-mo mode.
2) If you’ve got any of the iPhone 11 or iPhone 12 models, you can record in Slo-mo on your front camera too.
3) To edit a portion of your video to be Slo-mo, click on your Slo-mo video and press Edit.
4) Slide the vertical bars underneath the frame to select which section you want to be Slo-mo.
Have you got the time?
Time-lapse video is another incredible feature of your iPhone camera. It lets you capture footage from different times and pulls it all together to create a video of the entire experience.
Take sun set for example. Use time-lapse to watch the sun move from the centre of the sky before disappearing.
1) Open the Camera app.
2) Choose Time-lapse mode.
3) Set up your iPhone where you want to capture a scene in motion.
4) Tap the Record button to start recording .
5) To stop recording, tap the Record button again.
Pano it up.
You may have had the pleasure of attempting a good old panorama. Some of you may have been successful, others may have witnessed cows with no legs in their shot or a border so zig zag it’s simply too embarrassing to post anywhere.
Panoramas are great for capturing breath taking landscapes when the entire view won’t fit in your camera screen.
1) Open the camera app.
2) Switch to Panorama view.
3) Tap the Shutter button and move your camera slowly in a straight line from one side of your shot to the next.
4) Keep the arrow on the yellow guide bar for a straight and clear shot.
The perfect portrait.
If you’ve bagged yourself any of the iPhone 12 models, the iPhone 11 models, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, or the iPhone 8 Plus, you can take advantage of all that Portrait mode has to offer.
This mode creates a depth-of-field effect which will deliver a sharp portrait with a blurred background.
An iPhone X or later lets you enjoy all of this on your front camera too. Spruce up your socials in no time with a selfie worthy of an award.
1) Open the Camera app.
2) Swipe to Portrait mode.
3) When the Depth Effect box turns yellow, take the picture.
Snap away!
Voila! There you have it. A guide with all the complicated bits and bobs gone. With these handy tips your photography will be totally revolutionised.
Whether you’re an avid videographer or just guilty of whipping out your phone for every photo op, the basics are a great place to start.
If you’re looking for a new iPhone to try all of this out on, you’re in luck again. We’ve got unmissable prices on the very best from Apple just waiting for you to snap them up.
