How to take better photos with your smartphone

The rise of smartphones has made everyone a photographer. The convenience of having a pocket-sized camera allows people to easily capture picturesque moments such as the sun setting over Manila Bay, a taho vendor resting on the corner of the street or a night-out with friends. 

The overall product: photos of everyday moments all over the internet. Because of today’s social media-driven culture, people are compelled to share their own beautiful shots. It takes vision and practice to create the perfect shot with your device. But to help you out, here are some of the internet’s best smartphone photography tips:

1. Study the camera settings of your phone.

Before clicking on the shutter button, know the basic camera settings of your phone first. Learning how to tweak the focus, ISO, and exposure can help produce better quality images. It pays to check if your camera phone has added features too, like panorama and smile detection.

2. Follow the light.

Natural lighting is the way to go with smartphone photography. Know where your light source is coming from and try to get your shot there. Avoid using your camera phone’s flash because it often gives off harsh textures. If you’re shooting at nighttime or indoors, make use of the available light in the area such as a neon sign or a study lamp.

3. Know the basic composition rules.

Photography is all about perspective. To name a few, it helps to look for patterns, to apply the rule of thirds, and to find the right angle for your shot. Feel free to play around with your view.

4. Don’t be afraid to click the shutter.

The beauty of camera phones is their ability to capture many shots. By doing so, you get a high chance of getting the shot you want.

5. Get creative with improvised accessories.

Some hacks you may want to try: gradient sunglasses for filtered shots and plastic cup as phone housing to give the impression of taking the photo underwater.

Who says you need a professional camera to take stunning photos? All you need is a good smartphone such as HUAWEI P9, which is reinventing smartphone photography with its Leica dual lens for clear and crisp photos.

Get a chance to own one of five HUAWEI P9 Plus units or one of five HUAWEI P9 units by joining the HUAWEI #NewTakes Challenge—which allows smartphone photography enthusiasts to share their new takes on the themes of beginnings, happiness, and creativity for 100 days. To learn more about the contest, visit huaweinewtakeschallenge.com.

Huawei’s products and services are available in more than 170 countries, and are used by a third of the world’s population, ranking third in the world in mobile phone shipments in 2014. Sixteen R&D centers have been set up in the United States, Germany, Sweden, Russia, India, and China. Huawei Consumer BG is one of Huawei’s three business units and covers smartphones, mobile broadband devices, home devices and cloud services. Huawei’s global network is built on 20 years of expertise in the telecom industry and is dedicated to delivering the latest technological advances to consumers around the world.

In the Philippines, Huawei offers best-in-class service even beyond sales. Consumers can easily call its local Customer Service Hotline to arrange for a courier to pick-up a defective device, bring to a Huawei Authorized Service Center for repair, and deliver back to the owner for free.