Though it doesn't get as much attention as the rule of thirds or lighting or getting the focus just right, the angle from which you take photos is an important thing to think about.
That's because from one angle of view, a subject might look boring, but from another angle of view, it might look fantastic.
As a result, when thinking of how to take better photos with a smartphone, one of the first things you need to work on is the angle from which you photograph the subject.
Here's a few smartphone photography techniques that will help you find the perfect angle.
Consider the Height of the Camera
When you think of someone taking a photo with their smartphone, what comes to mind is probably something like what's shown in the image above - the person holding their phone at around eye level and at arm's length.
And while in some instances taking a photo from your own eye level can result in an interesting shot, more often than not, varying the height will help you find more pleasing and unique angles.
By getting down low or below the subject and shooting upward, for example, you can focus the viewer's attention on a particular feature of the subject.
In the shot above, using a low shooting angle allowed the photographer to highlight the interesting arches in the towers of the Brooklyn Bridge.
Not only that, the patterns created by the bridge's cables become a unique element to the shot, as do the beautiful colors of the sky above.
Compared to the first photo, this one is far more unique, and was achieved, in part, by simply changing the angle of view.
Learn More:
Do a 360-Degree Tour of the Subject
Another iPhone photography tip to bear in mind is that you need to walk around your subject (to the extent possible) to find the most pleasing angle from which to shoot.
Granted, some subjects - like a mountain or a waterfall - are going to be difficult to walk around.
But if you're photographing a person, a flower, or some other small subject, it's easy to take a few seconds to move to the left and right to see which perspective is the best.
Not only does moving around the subject help you find the subject's best angle, but it also allows you to work out the best background.
For example, if you begin by shooting photos from the front of the subject and find that the background is too distracting, you can simply move to the left or right to try to find a better background view.
Combined with varying the height from which you take your photos, this will help you maximize the quality of the shot by making the subject stand out the best in the photo.
Learn More:
- iPhone Photography Tricks You Don't Want to Miss
- Simple iPhone Photography Composition Tricks That Have Tons of Impact
Try Getting Close to the Subject
In addition to varying the angle from which you shoot in terms of height and your position related to the subject, getting in close is another way that you can vary the angle for more interesting smartphone photos.
For example, if you're taking a photo of a field of flowers, it can end up being a really nice shot.
But that's precisely the type of photo that most people take...
Instead, get up close to the subject with your phone and see what you can do to highlight the smaller details of the scene.
Focus on a petal, for example, and make its shape, color, or texture the focus of the shot.
If there's a bee or ladybug crawling on the flower, make that the subject.
The point is that by changing the distance from which you're shooting, you can find an array of new and interesting subjects to catch the viewer's eye.
Learn More:
- Take Control of Your iPhone Camera With These Mobile Photography Tricks
- iPhone Photography Tricks Straight From the Experts
How to Take Better Photos With a Smartphone
Varying the angle from which you shoot will do wonders for your smartphone photography.
But another thing to consider is how you can help your phone be better equipped for better photos.
I've been shooting with SANDMARC iPhone lenses for my iPhone X the last few months, and they have proven to be a very worthy investment on my part.
For starters, having a wider selection of lenses in my SANDMARC Kit (wide-angle, macro, and fisheye) than what my phone has natively expands my ability to be creative.
Beyond that, though, I appreciate the fact that these lenses are so well made.
These things aren't cheap with low-grade optics that degrade the quality of my iPhone photos...
Instead, SANDMARC uses precision-engineered glass that has multi-element optics with multi-coatings. That means minimal distortion and maximal sharpness.
These lenses are easy to use, too - you can simply clip them onto your phone or you can use them together with SANDMARC's ultra-thin phone case mount.
As far as smartphone photography techniques go, it's hard to go wrong with doing a little work and varying the angle and distance from which you photograph your subject.
But if you pair that with high-quality smartphone lenses, there's really nothing to stop you from taking awesome smartphone photos!
See how you can step up your smartphone photography game with new lenses in the video above by SANDMARC.