STACK #233 March 2024

TECH FEATURE

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YOUR PHONE-TOGRAPHY GURU GUIDE continued

THE GOLDEN HOUR EDITING HACK If you’ve taken a shot in bright, natural light but it’s lacking that dreamy sunbathed look which the Golden Hour gives, try this brilliant hack from TikToker anaugazz, which swept the ’net a couple years ago. Note these settings are specifically for iPhone. Slide your exposure and brilliance up to 100, and then adjust the other settings thusly:

WORK THAT GRID For help with composition and balance, turn on the grid lines within your camera app. They’ll allow you to utilise the rule of thirds, a composition principle that suggests placing your subject along the lines or at the intersections for a more interesting photo. The grid can also help you keep horizons level and aid in symmetrical compositions. Joe’s Pro Tip: ”Use the grid lines to experiment with leading lines and framing in your compositions, adding depth and perspective.”

Highlights: -32 Shadows: -26 Contrast: -30 Brightness: -15 Black point: 10 Saturation: 10 Vibrance: 8 Warmth: 10 Tint: 29 Sharpness: 14 Definition feature: 23

GIVE CREDIT TO THE EDIT There are plenty of software tools you can get your paws on to improve your shots after you’ve snapped them. Use photo editing apps to adjust colour, brightness, contrast, and more; even slight adjustments can turn a good photo into a great one. There’s also, of course, those creative ’pre-set’ edits. Joe recommends you use them sparingly, because the goal is to enhance – not overpower – the natural beauty of your shot.

Joe’s Pro Tip: ”The native editing apps are good, but look into learning the basics of editing with apps like Lightroom Mobile or Snapseed. These offer more control over adjustments, and can significantly improve your photos with practice.”

When you’re done, slide your exposure and brilliance back to zero.

Backup and organise ”Regularly backup your photos to the cloud or an external drive. Keeping your shots organised will make it easier to find and share them later. Both major platforms have their own native versions – Google Photos and iCloud Photos.”

ROCK STEADY Stable shooting is enormously important for your photography or footage! Some posture

recommendations are to keep your elbows close to your body, or lean against a solid surface to minimise shake. Breathing techniques can also help steady your shots. Some phones like the Google Pixel use the phone’s gyroscope to tell you whether or not you’re lined up straight. You can also consider getting yourself

Shutter flutter ”Most modern phones take multiple photos at once, allowing you to pick the best frame after the fact!”

that professional bestie: a tripod. A lightweight, portable tripod can be invaluable for low-light conditions, long exposures, or video recording. Joe’s Pro Tip: For ultra-stability, use a tripod with a Bluetooth remote or your phone’s timer feature to avoid any shake when pressing the shutter button.

42 MARCH 2024

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