Snap Better Moments with these iPhone camera apps and tips

This post is part of my partnership with the
US Cellular Blogger Brigade Ambassador Program.

Does your teen have a cell phone?
Make sure you download the Parent-Child Agreement.

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“Mom, look!” said my youngest as he makes a funny face for me, “take a photo.”

GoggleFace

 

This isn’t the first time one of the boys have asked me to snap photos of anything and everything. From funny faces to baseball games, to LEGO projects, we document it all.

I can’t imagine a time when I wasn’t able to document these moments. Back in the dark ages when phones were just phones and not these technological photography wonder tools.

U.S. Cellular’s recent survey revealed that four out of five smartphone owners are taking advantage of the quality and convenience of cell phone cameras and two out of three say they’re sharing those photos through email and social media.

The convenience of snapping and sharing is in a word – Amazeballs. My family and friends from far and wide get to see all those funny faces, baseball games, and LEGO projects. In the past, they probably would have sat on my camera for eons before being developed and then slipped into photo albums never to be seen again.

Now don’t get me wrong. The ease and convenience of my iPhone camera doesn’t mean I post every blurry, headless image. In fact, the constant practice of snapping photos has upped my photog game. I’m always on the lookout for tips, tricks and apps to make my photos pop.
Here are few I’ve picked up along the way thanks to my friends at U.S. Cellular.

Check the Lens: A dirty lens will cause parts of the picture to be out of focus. Use a clean, soft cloth to wipe away any dirt or lint from the lens on the back of the camera as well as on the front (for selfies).

Light Your Subject Well: The better lit your subject is the clearer your image is likely to be: this is just as true with a mobile device as with an expensive camera. Shoot in the sun if you can and move around to get the best light on your subject.

Hold Steady: The steadier your camera phone is when taking your shot, the clearer your image will be.

Use a small tripod or lean your device against a solid object when taking shots, especially taking into account that in low light situations ‘shutter lag’ (the time between when you press the shutter and when the camera takes the shot) can be noticeably increased.

Consider Your Composition & Framing: Follow the Rule of Thirds – avoid placing your subject squarely in the middle of your frame but a third of the way in; Frame your shots through windows, mirrors, other objects that provide some depth and interest to the photo; Watch your backgrounds so that poles or wires don’t appear to be going through people’s heads; Look for different angles; and Look for color differences, patterns and shapes to add compositional interest to your shot. Try your photo both vertically and horizontally to choose which orientation best portrays your subject.

Take Plenty of Pictures & Learn: The advantage of digital photography (including that of camera phones) is the ability to shoot off many shots quickly, we have unlimited film, instant feedback and all at no cost.

Now that you have the tips and tricks to quality photos, it’s time to have some fun!

There are so many photography apps out there, but here are few that I found to be VERY fun and helpful.

Screen Shot 2016-05-31 at 6.48.02 PMCamera+ (for Apple) and Camera for Android are apps that are great for photo sharing and editing. Both feature a full photo editor that is very user friendly, along with the ability to connect and share your photos with others.

 

 

Screen Shot 2016-05-31 at 6.48.44 PMAdobe Photoshop Express is an app that helps edit photos just like the desktop program – one-touch adjustment for contrast, exposure, white balance along with blemish and red eye removal and 20 one-touch eye-catching effects to give your photos special “looks.”

 

 

Screen Shot 2016-05-31 at 6.49.13 PMSnapseed is an app that helps you tune an image to create depth and vibrancy with color saturation, brightness and contrast and also helps you crop and adjust perspective across the vertical and horizontal axes.

 

 

Screen Shot 2016-05-31 at 6.50.59 PMMagnifier & Microscope is an app that allows you to get great close-ups of small items or subjects.

 

 

 

 

 

Screen Shot 2016-05-31 at 6.44.02 PMInstagram {obviously} I use this app to share photos on both Facebook and Twitter {Tumblr and Flickr are also options} but you can also create collages, and edit photos as well.

 

 

 

Screen Shot 2016-05-31 at 6.44.43 PMStudio is an amazing app that lets you add text, shapes, and other fun options to your photos. You can either remix a photo that has already been created or design your own. The options are endless. It’s perfect for adding quotes to your photos, or for birthday wishes and other special occasions.

 

 

Remixed with Studio App
Remixed with Studio App

 

All of these are available for free in the Google Play store or the Apple store.

With U.S. Cellular’s 4G LTE network, the apps can quickly and easily be downloaded to my iPhone 6s.

Whether you are taking a photo of your vacation to Africa or the kids by the pool, you can have photos that rival a professional. So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and snap some Better Moments.

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Disclaimer: Through the rest of the year I’ll be sharing some more of My BETTER MOMENTS as a US Cellular Better Moments Blogger Brigade Ambassador. All opinions are my own and an honest view of my story as a US Cellular customer.

 

 

 

 

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