Smartphones have essentially replaced point-and-shoot cameras for not only being more accessible and convenient but also in providing superior image quality. There’s virtually no reason to have a point-and-shoot camera anymore when you’re already carrying it with you wherever you go.
In fact, some smartphones excel in taking photos so much that they’re used for professional photo taking, too. They might not be as on par as a DSLR camera, but they do come pretty close. However, there are other ways to take your smartphone’s camera quality beyond the stock options. There are a lot of accessories and apps available that all work towards that common goal: producing the best image possible for a smartphone.
External Lenses
A camera lens attachment isn’t required to take a professional photo with your smartphone, but they can certainly help a lot, especially if you get a fish eye Lens or wide-angle lens. A fish eye lens will not only give you a wide angle, but can also help you take a focused and even spherical view of an object.
Wide-angle lenses are pretty self-explanatory. As the name implies, it will give you a wider field of view on the sides of the photo. They’re most commonly used for capturing gorgeous landscape photos, sporting events, and weddings. Of course, you aren’t limited to just those scenarios — put your imagination to use and capture something beautiful with a wide angle lens!
Neewer’s 3-in-1 Lens Kit is not only a quality solution to getting yourself an attachable lens, but it is also priced at an affordable rate and works with most smartphones, including newer devices like the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge.
[Amazon]
Software
Software plays a big part in producing great images, and usually the stock camera app on your smartphone is your go-to choice as it’s often the best option out there. For instance, take a look at Apple’s World Gallery, full of shots taken on the stock iOS 8 camera app. While Apple does really well when it comes to cameras, Samsung, Motorola HTC, and others do just as well with their stock camera apps, too.
Of course, if you’re not happy with the stock camera app, there are plenty of great options in the Play Store.
Google offers a responsive and easy-to-use free camera in the Play Store with important features such as HDR+, Panorama, and more. It has some unique features, too, such as the ability to create Photo Spheres.
Play Store Download Link
HD Camera is another great easy-to-use option packed full of awesome features. In addition to the usual HDR and Panorama features, it also has different shooting modes such as Timer if you want to get yourself in the photo. There are some other photo quality settings, such as white balance, exposure adjustments, and so on.
Play Store Download Link
If you’re running Android 5.0 or higher, I’d highly recommend just using the stock Camera application. It allows you to shoot in RAW format, at least as far as some Nexus devices and a few other brands go, allowing for better photo quality and editing on the computer at a later time.
Accessories
Another handy thing to keep in mind when shooting professional photos on Android is the accessories you might need. Are you shooting group wedding photos? Your own personal family photo? Then you might need a smartphone-compatible tripod.
If you have a tripod already, this ChargerCity tripod attachment will bode you well. If not, you’ll the full set. Really, any tripod will work here, so you won’t need to go all out. Amazon sells their very own tripod fairly cheap, and based off of product reviews, it works extremely well.
[Amazon – Tripod]
[Amazon – Smartphone Adapter]
Lighting
The final thing to keep in mind is your lighting. Nothing is worse than a poorly lit photo, especially if you’re doing a shoot for a video or a bunch of shots on a device you’re reviewing. The lighting situation will usually make or break your photos, and in the case of a product review, you almost always want your photos to pop.
The LimeStudio SoftBox light kit is perfect for a situation like this. They can be rather pricey, but they usually pay for themselves if you’re doing professional video and photography. You can never go wrong with these, and they’ll last you a long time.
[Amazon]
Wrap Up
You don’t necessarily need all of these extra goodies to take professional photos on your smartphone. When it comes down to it, you just need your camera settings set correctly, a good angle, good lighting, an eye for detail, and a moment worth capturing.
What do you use to take photos with your Android device?
Come comment on this article: How to transform your Android device into a professional camera
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