Iphoneography 101: The Basics

Hi Lovelies,

I hope every one has had an amazing week. I have because it has been really warm and sunny and everyone knows Londoners can't get enough of the sun. Being Nigerian means I have had my fair share of sunny days and I never thought a day will come when I will actually seek out the sun. Any day the sun is out over here, I am out basking and soaking it in (some times forgetting my sunscreen, oh well!!)

It was such a warm lovely day and I could not resist taking a "selfie"

So, today is basically about Iphones and Iphoneography. A number of people have admired my pictures on this blog and other forums; often wondering what kind of camera I have.. I actually do not have a DSLR camera (just yet!!). 95% of all pictures on this blog were taken with my Iphone 5 and edited via a number of Apps which you can find in the Itunes App Store. If you don't have an Iphone, you can definitely use some of these apps or similar ones on Blackberry Apps and others.

*DISCLAIMER* I am in no way an expert on Iphoneography or Photography. Many of the pictures I take are just for fun; nothing too serious but I am just going to share a few tips and tricks that have worked for me..

Phew!! so, now that we have got that out of the way, Let's get started, shall we?. For the basics, let's start with definitions:

What is Iphoneography?
Iphoneography is an art of creating photos with an Apple iPhone and a style of mobile photography that differs from other forms of digital photography in that images are shot and processed on the iOS device. It basically means taking pictures with whatever Iphone or Apple device you have and processing it on the many wonderful Apps available. 

                                           An Interest/Passion for Photography

I think this is more important than any device you own. You need to love or at least have an interest in photography because that forms the foundation of getting good pictures. I have not always loved photography as such. I loved having my picture taken for sure but I was not very much interested in how to get the final product because I felt it was very complicated and you have to learn  and have the necessary skills, etc. However, I actually developed an interest when I realized it was not as difficult as i thought and I started experimenting with the devices I had access to. So, you need to have an interest. Even if it is a tiny spark, it can always be fanned ablaze with the right information.

                                                        An Eye for Pictures

Best to focus on the towers and leave off the banister of the balcony for a better picture.

I re-positioned the angle of my phone(I raised it above my head) to cut off the balcony for a better picture

 I am sure everyone admires beautiful things and beautiful people but sometimes, we are unable to capture them as we see them or as we think they should be. It is quite normal and with practice one can develop a good eye. I think it's best to always practice as often as possible making room for mistakes and multiple shots. 

It is always best to  focus on the subject rather than on several other subjects in the background as seen in both pictures.

You need to always place the subject of the picture right in the middle; it has to be the focus of the picture. Of course, there are many apps that can sort that out if that's not the case but it is important to get that bit in. If you are taking a picture of a person, you may want to position your phone at a slight angle to prevent the face appearing too big and unflattering. If it is of a tiny object, you may want to kneel down almost to the same height just so the tiny object appears normal. Most of all, you need to appreciate everything for what they are and learn to see the beauty even in the most mundane things.


                                                                     Lighting 

The sun cast a shadow in front of the nail polish which does not look great.

By re-positioning, you can see the shadow is behind the nail polish which looks better

If you want crisp pictures with little or no need for any apps, then natural light is your best friend. I love taking pictures in natural daylight or in the sun. The pictures always come out looking amazing, crisp and sharp. Sometime, I don't even bother with any apps or editing. If the sun is shining, you need to position your phone in a way to prevent shadows from being cast in the pictures. Ensure the shadow is always behind the picture and not in front or at the sides. You can always test that out by adjusting your position. You always want to take your photos slightly away from the ray of light or light source else it will turn out dark.

You can get good indoor pictures with the correct lighting and positioning

 If you do not have natural light or sun light, don't fret, you can always take lovely pictures indoors. All you need is a good lamp which is well lit. You really do not want yellow light bulbs because they always give a yellow grainy effect to pictures. Best to go for white light or white bulbs. Same as natural light, you want to place the light source away from the subject to prevent casting of shadows or dark pictures. As you progress, you can invest in Studio Lights, Day light bulbs or Day light bulb and adjustable lamps. Best to go for daylight bulbs of 5400k.

                                              Holding your device/Best Angles

I took this picture while sitting and the angle looks a bit off especially because it is a small  object

I chose a different angle(kneeling down) to capture all aspects of the object for better quality

I know this sounds silly but you need to know how to hold your device properly. I always prefer to hold my phone sideways when i need to take pictures because it gives me better control. Also, it minimizes the likelihood of blurry pictures. Other times, I hold my phone in a vertical or upright way if i am taking pictures of objects such as small cosmetics or beauty items. With practice, you will learn how to be steady while taking pictures and understand what way you need to hold your phone to get the best 

                                                     Taking Multiple Shots

These are all different pictures but I took several of each and chose the best ones

I always take multiple shots with almost all pictures and then i delete any one I think is crap and i improve on nice ones. I always experiment with different lighting and angles. Sometimes, i stand, sit, crawl, kneel, lie down,over my head, it does not matter if you want nice unusual pictures. It is always the unusual angles that make the most interesting pictures. 

                                                    Time to Move...

Don't be shy at all to take picture. It does not mean I have overcome my shyness(hehehe) but I take more opportunities everyday and I seem to be losing the shyness slowly and surely. The World is Your Oyster (a dear friend used to say that a lot to me...:-)).

Photography is meant to be fun and don't take it too seriously, you get my drift. Relax, love it, play with and in it, make mistakes, delete, laugh about it and annoy people with it (Hahaha). 

Lastly, don't forget to share your beautiful photos with your friends and loved ones. My boyfriend is my biggest fan and critique and I absolutely trust his judgement because I know he wants the best for me. My sister is my most loving fan because she always encourages me and "ooohs" and "ahhhs" at all my pictures; she really does boost my morale and I love her so so so much :-)


I hope you enjoyed this post. My next post will be on my favorite Apps for editing my pictures so stay tuned...xx