The iPhone boasts an amazing camera that rivals many professional cameras. But to get the best photos possible from it, there are a few things you should know.
Here are some tips and tricks to help you take professional-looking photos on your iPhone, including the new iPhone 14 Pro.
Mastering Camera Settings
The first step to taking great photos with your iPhone is mastering the camera settings. There are a few key settings that will help you get the most out of your iPhone's camera. Let's start with the basics, setting the focus.
On the iPhone, you can choose from three different focus modes - Auto, Tap To Focus or Manual.
Auto mode - Obviously this is when the camera will automatically detect and adjust the focus depth of your photo. But that's not why you're here.
Tap To Focus mode allows you to manually select the focus point by tapping on an area in your frame that you want to be in focus.
Then there's Manual Focus mode. This gives you even more control over the focus depth by allowing you to adjust the focus ring from 0.5 meters up to infinity.
More Advanced Settings
After learning how to set the focus, it's time to move onto some more advanced settings.
• Adjust Exposure - The exposure setting on the iPhone lets you adjust how bright or dark a photo looks by sliding up or down with your finger. This is a great way to fine-tune any photo before capturing it.
By default, the exposure setting is set to 0, but you can adjust it from -2.0 up to +2.0. The best way to learn is to try different exposures to see which gives you the best result.
• ISO - This setting adjusts your camera’s sensitivity to light and should be adjusted based on the lighting conditions of a scene. Higher ISOs should be used when shooting in low-light environments while lower ISOs can be used for brighter scenes.
The best ISO setting to use will vary depending on the lighting conditions you’re shooting in, but a good rule of thumb is to start at ISO 100 and adjust as needed. If you’re shooting in low light environments then you may need to raise your ISO (up to about 3200) for your photos to turn out properly exposed.
However, it’s important to remember that higher ISOs will always result in more noise and graininess in your images so it’s best to keep this setting as low as possible when shooting.
• White Balance - This setting affects how colors are rendered in an image and can be adjusted to make colors look warmer or cooler depending on the type of lighting in a scene.
Generally, Auto White Balance will work well in most situations but for more accurate colors you can also choose from preset settings such as Daylight, Shade, Cloudy or Tungsten. You can also make further adjustments in the “Color Temperature” slider if needed.
• Shutter Speed - This setting determines how long your camera’s shutter remains open for a single shot and affects how much light is exposed on the sensor.
This setting can be adjusted from 1/4000 of a second up to 30 seconds depending on what you’re shooting.
For fast-moving subjects or scenes with bright lighting conditions it may be best to use faster shutter speeds while slower shutter speeds can be used to capture motion blur and create interesting effects.
• Aperture - This setting determines how much light can pass through the lens and how much of your image will be in focus. You can adjust the aperture from f1.8 up to f16 depending on what type of effect you’re trying to achieve.
For example, a shallow depth of field (like bokeh) is best achieved with a wide aperture such as f1.8 or f2.8 while a deep depth of field (where everything is in focus) can be achieved with a smaller aperture like f11 or f16.
The Different Camera Modes
• Burst Mode - Burst mode allows you to take multiple shots at once, so you can make sure you capture the perfect moment. To use burst mode, simply press and hold the shutter button for a few seconds and it will automatically start taking multiple shots.
• Metering Mode - This determines how your camera measures the light in a scene and affects how bright or dark your final image will be. On the iPhone 14 Pro, you can choose from three different metering modes - Multi-Zone, Spot or Center Weighted.
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Multi-Zone Metering Mode is the default setting and works well in most situations. It takes an average of all the light in a scene, so it’s great for shooting general scenes or landscapes.
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Spot Metering mode measures light from a small area of your frame which can be useful for shooting backlit subjects or scenes with high contrast.
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Center Weighted Metering mode takes an average of the light in a scene but gives more weight to the center portion of your frame. This is great if you have a subject or object that’s important in the center of your photo and you want to make sure it’s properly exposed.
• HDR Mode - HDR stands for High Dynamic Range, which means that it captures all of the shadows and highlights in an image so that they look as natural as possible. This mode is especially useful when taking photos in high contrast environments like landscapes or sunsets.
• Live Photo Mode - This mode allows you to capture a few seconds of motion and sound with your iPhone 14 Pro camera. To turn on this setting, simply swipe up from the bottom of your camera screen and select the “Live Photo” toggle from the top menu.
When you take a photo in Live Photo Mode, your device will record video for a few seconds before and after pressing the shutter button. You can then view these clips as well as adjust how much motion is captured in each clip by selecting different playback options such as “Loop” or “Bounce”.
For the best results, you'll need a tripod with good phone mount to help keep your phone as steady as possible. For that we recommend the UniMount 360 iPhone Tripod Mount.
How to use Apple ProRAW setting on iPhone 14 Pro
One of the coolest features on the iPhone 14 Pro is its ability to shoot photos in Apple ProRAW format. This setting gives you maximum control over your photo’s RAW data, allowing you to adjust exposure and white balance without any loss of image quality.
To use the ProRAW setting on the iPhone 14 Pro, go to the Camera app and select ‘RAW’ from the top right of the screen. This will switch the camera to ProRAW mode, allowing you to take advantage of all its features.
When shooting in ProRAW, it’s important to remember that photos taken in this format cannot be edited or shared directly from your iPhone 14 Pro. You’ll need to use photo editing software like Adobe Lightroom or Apple Photos to edit and share your images.
How To Enable the 48MP camera on iPhone 14 Pro
Another great feature of the iPhone 14 Pro is its ability to shoot photos in 48MP resolution. This mode allows you to capture ultra-high quality images with incredible detail and clarity.
To enable the 48MP camera on your iPhone 14 Pro, go to Settings > Camera > Resolution & Quality and select ‘48MP’ from the list. Once you’ve done this, you can start shooting photos in 48MP resolution.
When shooting in 48MP mode, it’s important to remember that photos taken in this format will take up more space on your device than other image types and can be slow to load when editing or sharing them. It’s best to save your 48MP photos on an external storage device like a USB drive to ensure they’re accessible when you need them.
Tips & Tricks
Now that we’ve gone over some basic camera settings let’s explore some tips & tricks that will help you take better photos with your iPhone:
• Experiment With Lighting - One of the best ways to create stunning photos is by experimenting with lighting. Try using natural light from windows or lamps, creating dramatic shadows with flashlights or candles, or using reflectors to bounce light back onto subjects in your photo for more even lighting.
• Get Creative With Angles - Playing around with different angles while shooting can yield interesting results. You can shoot from above or below subjects, try different perspectives such as wide angles or telephoto lenses, play around with symmetry between objects in the frame, or use tilt-shift lenses for miniature effects.
• Create Depth Of Field - Achieving a shallow depth of field (also known as bokeh) is one of the most sought-after effects when it comes to photography because it helps draw attention to a subject while blurring out distracting elements in the background. On an iPhone, this effect can be achieved easily by tapping and holding on an object in your frame until it becomes sharp while everything else blurs out into creamy bokeh goodness!
• Edit Your Photos - Editing tools are essential for polishing off any great photo before sharing it online! On an iPhone there are plenty of great options available including filters for adding color tones, cropping tools for composition adjustments, vignette effects for adding drama and emphasis, etc… So don’t forget to spend some time playing around with editing apps after shooting!
Video Recording Settings
The iPhone 14 Pro also has a range of video recording settings to choose from. There’s 4K resolution for capturing ultra-high-definition footage, great for capturing detailed footage of landscapes and scenery. 1080p HD for capturing high-quality videos that don't necessarily need to be ultra-high quality and 60FPS (frames per second) mode for capturing slow motion footage.
iPhone 14 Pro Video Recording Modes
• Basic video mode - This is a great starting point for novice videographers, allowing you to capture high-quality footage without too much fuss.
• Time-lapse slo-mo - This mode captures slow motion video clips at an accelerated rate, allowing you to create dynamic and impactful videos in seconds.
• Cinematic mode - This mode is ideal for capturing creative and cinematic-quality footage. It features higher frame rates and slower shutter speeds, allowing you to capture smooth motion with greater detail and clarity.
• Action mode - If you’re shooting fast-moving subjects like sports or action scenes, this mode is a great option. It optimizes the video settings to capture smooth and sharp footage of fast-moving subjects.
Each of these recording modes can be further tweaked and adjusted in the Camera app, allowing you to create unique and stunning videos with your iPhone 14 Pro.
More on Action Mode
The newly added feature "Action mode" is great for capturing fast-paced footage in the highest possible quality. It uses advanced image stabilization to reduce camera shake and distortion, allowing you to record smooth and stable videos even when moving around or shooting from unstable surfaces.
It also gives you the ability to change the focus depth. This means that you can adjust the focus ring from 0.5 meters up to infinity. This allows you to create videos with blurred background effects and focus on the details of faraway objects.
Conclusion
The iPhone, especially the iPhone 14 Pro offers many features for taking professional-level photos and videos. With its advanced camera settings, ( plus ProRAW support and 48MP resolution on the 14 Pro), it’s capable of capturing stunning images with incredible detail and clarity. It also has a range of video recording modes for capturing fast-paced footage, cinematic shots and slow motion scenes.
So if you’re looking for a device to take your photography and videography skills to the next level, the iPhone is a great choice! Just remember to use its features wisely and adjust the camera settings to get the best possible results.
Happy shooting!
