How to Take Great Photos With an iPhone (or Another Camera Phone)

Like any camera, you need to know how to operate your camera phone first before you can take great photos. Some camera phones allow you to do nothing more than turn the flash on and off while others give you some zoom and focus point control. Take a moment to look at your camera manual and learn what your camera phone is capable of doing.

If your camera phone is not capable of doing what you want, remember that smartphones like the iPhone can be buffered greatly by using photography apps. Apps can speed up the number of shots you can take in a minute, add focus effects, give you control of the shutter, and many more features. Some cost a few dollars but a huge quantity is available for free through your phone's app store.​

Camera shake plagues photographers using any type of camera and cell phones are particularly bad about shake. This is because most people take photos holding the phone far out from their bodies where it is nearly impossible to eliminate shake in your arm.

Because there is no viewfinder you can't hold a phone up to your eye or bring it close ​to your body to help stabilize the shot like you would when holding a traditional camera.

To steady your cell phone camera you have several options:

• Use two hands to minimize shake
• Buy a tripod
• Download an image stabilization app

If you must use your phone's flash, you really risk a nasty overexposure on close subjects. Tone down the harshness of the flash with a bit of wax paper to scatter the light (diffuse it). Just be sure not to get the wax paper over the camera lens.

Remember that when you scatter light it will make the scene a bit dimmer so experiment with wax paper thickness until you find the right amount of diffusion without losing too much flash power.

When you don't have a lot of control over how your camera (in this case iPhone or other cell phone camera) records a photo, you have to fall back on composition. ​A strong composition can overcome a multitude of problems with exposure, soft focus, and noise. It won't cure everything but it can save a borderline photo easily. Learn about point of view, leading lines, natural frames, and horizontal versus vertical shots.

iPhones and Android phones have the added advantage of apps and there are tons of apps to give you more control over the camera on your phone. There is nothing wrong with the ever-popular Instagram but don't stop there when looking for apps. There are more out there much more powerful that will let you take your photography to another level without depending on filters to hide flaws.

Look for apps that let you:

• Control shutter speed
• Take dozens of photos rapidly
• Modify depth of field
• Add image stabilization

Finally, don't be so serious. If you are worried about taking a "perfect shot" or what someone else will think about your photos you'll suck the joy right out of it. Enjoy taking photos and recording what interests you. Skill comes with practice, not frustration.

In the final analysis, it doesn't matter what others think of your photos. If you are happy with your pictures then they are perfect for you.