I must preface this blog by stating that I am not an advocate of camera phones. Which is not to say that I don’t think the technology is phenomenal and the convenience unparalleled. However, the sacrifices that are necessitated by trying to pack so much into such a small device obviously compromises way too much for me to rely on a camera phone to capture important milestones.
Now, that doesn’t mean that I don’t know many people who own camera phones and use them in the same manner that I do my Canon Rebel. Some of my closest friends use the camera feature on their phones more than I use my standard camera. (And that’s saying a lot.) Still, the end product often pales in comparison to shots captured by traditional cameras or standard digital cameras.
As I mentioned before, camera phones excel in the convenience category, but they simply don’t capture enough detail to create high quality prints. There are, however, some ways you can make the most of the photo-taking technology locked in your camera phone.
First, you need to manipulate your camera phone’s resolution. Generally speaking, most camera phones feature a low, medium, and high setting for the resolution. Go with the higher setting. You’ll find the higher the setting the better the quality picture you will get. Even if you don’t notice a major difference between the different quality settings on your phone’s display screen, you will definitely see the difference on your computer screen.
Next, since most camera phones lack a zoom lens, you need to act like a human zoom by moving in close to your subject. Take a moment to examine your shot before you press the button. You want your phone’s display screen to be completely filled with your subject. By doing so you will be able to capture details – a tattered corner of a book or an arched eyebrow – that are normally hard to see in most pictures taken by camera phones. Be careful, though, you don’t want to get too close or your pictures will be blurry and distorted. A good rule to follow is to stand about one to two feet from your subject.
Another tip: Place your subject in front of a plain background. It’s always a good idea to scout out a particular spot prior to snapping a picture. You don’t want a tree sprouting out of your child’s head or a sign dangling from your wife’s ear. After snapping your picture, take a look at it in your phone’s display screen and retake it if necessary.
Camera phones are great for spontaneous shots and sharing photos on the Internet in record time. However, if you are looking to capture timeless pictures of a child’s birthday or graduation, you should consider using a film or digital camera to do so.
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