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Hidden iPhone Camera Features Every Photographer Should Use

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Most of us take photos or videos just to capture the moment, not thinking about fine-tuning at that moment. To help you learn how to take great photos and videos, here are some tips for users who are just getting familiar with the iPhone camera and don't have time to experiment with the settings. A few simple features can help make your photos better. Some of these options can also be used for the iPad. By the way, if you want to find the best editing apps for iPad, be sure to read Skylum's blog.

Quick Camera Launch

You won't miss a shot if you learn how to quickly open the camera. You can do it right from the lock screen of your device. Just swipe from right to left and the camera app opens instantly. It only takes a second, so you'll be able to capture a great shot in no time.

It doesn't matter if you're taking selfies or taking pictures in front of you. Getting access to the on-screen shutter button in the app isn't always easy-sometimes you have to bend your finger. Luckily, you have another option to work with - the volume button. When you see a suitable scene and are ready to take a picture, you can simply press any iPhone volume button. It will duplicate the on-screen shutter button. That's why this feature is convenient to use:

  • This option is very handy when taking selfies because one of your fingers is already next to these buttons due to your grip on the phone.
  • A simple trick and no more blurry selfies! And if you're taking a landscape photo, engaging the volume button allows you to use the iPhone like a normal camera.
  • The phone screen becomes a huge viewfinder. It's a more natural way to work with your smartphone.

And it's not a new feature. The ability to use the iPhone's volume buttons to take pictures has been around for a long time. Many people just didn't know about this feature, but now you have useful information.

Take serial photos

When you're trying to photograph an actively moving child or pet, it can be a challenge. You think you've captured the perfect moment, but your subject suddenly starts moving. To always take the best photos in such a situation, use burst mode on your camera.

In burst mode, the camera takes lots of pictures quickly, as if you were quickly pressing the capture button. When the process is over, you will have several photos to review. You just have to keep the most successful ones. There will almost certainly be at least one photo in that series that turned out perfectly.

And to take a series of photos on your iPhone, just pull the shutter button to the left. You'll see the number of photos being taken while the shutter button is briefly shifted. Release when you feel you've captured enough frames.

Use the timer

It helps you take the best shot possible by releasing the shutter at a designated moment. On the iPhone, the timer works for both the main and front cameras.

Using the timer is a great way to make sure everything is ready to shoot. Want to prop the camera up and take a step back to capture the background? Do you need to place something else in the frame that needs to be lifted and held? The timer will help you do just that! So you can quickly and easily set a timer for any scene you want, including selfies

Why you'll need a grid

Use a grid to compose according to the rule of thirds, you can activate it in the camera settings. The image captured through the viewfinder will be divided by lines into three horizontal and vertical parts. This allows you to use the rule of thirds composition principle.

This makes it easier for the photographer to compose a shot using a simplified golden ratio rule. Important parts of the composition should be located along these lines or at their intersection - the power points. This technique will produce images full of energy.

HDR function

With traditional DSLR cameras, you have to choose between a too-bright background or a shaded subject. HDR, on the other hand, allows you to capture both. With this feature enabled, the smartphone quickly takes three consecutive photos, each with a different exposure level. 

One for the normal level, one for the brightest part of the scene, and one for the darkest part. The best parts of each exposure are combined into one frame with an expanded dynamic range. HDR is especially useful in difficult lighting conditions, such as harsh bright backlighting.

Other useful settings

The iPhone camera allows you to apply filters when taking photos in real time. You can apply any of the available filters in the camera settings To quickly change the picture brightness settings, tap the screen and swipe up or down on the screen when a yellow square appears. 

To ensure that your edited focus and exposure settings don't change when you move your camera, lock the focus. To do this, press and hold your finger anywhere on the display for a couple of seconds. The exposure will lock and a message will appear at the top of the display.

If you can't adjust the brightness perfectly in the settings or choose the right filter, a photo editor will always save the situation. Try Luminar Neo to give any photo a great look without complicated post-processing efforts. If you take pictures on your iPad, you can edit the image right there. To find the best editing apps for iPad, go to Skylum's developer page and check out the material presented there.





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