10 tips for taking brilliant photos with your phone

Travel memories, are, of course, the best souvenirs of all –nothing can replicate the fantastic experiences we’ve had like revisiting them in our mind. But photos are easier to share with friends and family, and can also be printed and framed for a permanent reminder of an incredible trip. Very few of us, however, have the skills of David Bailey, or the eye of Don McCullin, so how can we take great holiday photos using only our mobile phone? We’ve lined up a panel of experts for advice on how to get the most out of your smartphone on holiday….

Martin and Karen are experienced photographers who give photography tutorials on board Saga river and ocean cruises.
eyekon-ltd.com; karenmasseyphotography.co.uk

Award-winning travel photographer Bella has had her images published in titles such as Wanderlust, BBC Travel and Travel Africa magazine.
passportandpixels.com

Nick has shot travel photography for publications including National Geographic Traveller, Monocle and The Guardian.
nickwarner.co.uk

Elaine is a family travel and cruise expert and founder of The Family Cruise Companion website.
familycruisecompanion.com

“The best camera phone on the market is the one you already have in your pocket,” says Karen Massey. “Most modern camera phones are very similar in quality and functionality. Martin and I both love our iPhones, but almost any camera phone from the past few years is capable of taking amazing photographs.”

Nick Warner’s best budget recommendation is the Google Pixel 10a: “It uses the same computational wizardry as the bigger brands,” he reveals, “but at a fraction of the cost. It’s perfect for those who want ‘set it and forget it’ holiday photos.”

“Very little,” reassures Bella Falk. “Smartphones basically do most of the work for you. What makes the difference between a rubbish photo and a good one are things like composition and light.

“That said, it’s good to understand things like how to tap the screen to focus or adjust exposure, as well as the different modes like portrait or live mode. Spending a bit of time experimenting with your phone before a trip will help you get it right when a moment presents itself.”
Karen adds: “Always remember to clean the lens regularly! This will improve anything you photograph instantly.”

“Firstly, make sure you’re familiar with the shortcut on your phone that switches it to camera mode without having to go through the process of unlocking it,” advises Nick. ‘This is usually a double-tap of the power button or a swipe on the lock screen.”
Martin Baynes recommends turning on the grid lines: “This helps with framing, keeping horizons level, and creating stronger compositions.”

“That’s a bit of a myth,” says Nick. “You might think the tech does all the work, but it doesn’t – the tech does the processing, but YOU do the composing. You still need to think about where the light is coming from and how the elements in your frame are balanced.”

Bella adds: “Smartphones do a decent job, but they don’t decide what’s in the frame, where the light falls, or when to press the shutter. Composition, angles and light are still crucial.”

Martin recommends placing your subject slightly off-centre rather than directly in the middle of the frame: “This creates a far more balanced and interesting image, helping to draw the viewer naturally into the photograph.”

“One of the best settings changes you can make is switching the flash off completely,” advises Karen. “Modern phones are brilliant in low light and can create some wonderfully moody images naturally.

“A selfie stick that doubles as a tripod is also a fantastic little tool, especially in low light when you need to keep the phone steady. They’re also great for getting everyone into the picture.”

Light, emphasises Bella, is everything. “Get used to looking at the light, where it’s falling and what it’s doing,” she says. “Instead of using flash, try to position your subject closer to a light source – for example, when taking a portrait, put the person facing a window or light, rather than with their back to it.”

“I’ve found that most of my best holiday photos were not the obvious photo opportunities, but rather the quieter moments of the trip,” reveals Elaine Warren. “It might be the view from your cabin, a particular street you walked down each day, or the table setting prior to eating.”

It is all about what really catches your eye, agrees Bella. ‘Street signs, tickets, artwork, or food close-ups all help recreate the feeling of a place,” she says. “Details like funny graffiti, a colourful window display or items in a market can be more evocative than taking photos of the same landmarks as everyone else.”

Karen and Martin go one step further: “We always print our favourite pictures and often create a photobook after a trip. They’re easy to design and over time you build a wonderful library of memories.”

“Try to get your subject in the best light possible, ideally with the sun or main light source behind you,” says Karen. “For portraits, use Portrait Mode if your phone has it.”

Nick recommends moving back, then zooming in: “Don’t stand two feet away with the wide-angle lens; it distorts faces (big noses, small ears). Step back and use the 2x or 3x lens for a much more flattering portrait.

“And instead of saying ‘1-2-3 cheese’, capture people doing something. A shot of someone laughing at a cafe table is ten times better than a stiff pose.”

Nick recommends putting something in the foreground (a flower, a rock, a doorway) to give a vast landscape some scale and depth.

For Karen and Martin light is again key. ”Early morning and late afternoon light is often the most flattering, adding warmth, depth, and atmosphere to landscapes and historic sights,” they say. “Don’t forget the panoramic function – it’s brilliant for capturing wide landscapes and large scenes that won’t fit into a normal frame. Reflections can also work really well, whether it’s water, windows, or even shiny floors, adding an extra layer of interest to your image.”

The first rule, says Bella, is to respect its space: “If the animal changes its behaviour, you’re too close to it.” Nick recommends getting down to their eye level: “Seeing a dog or a lizard at their eye level makes the viewer feel like they’re in that animal’s world,” he says. “And remember, animals move fast. Hold down the shutter button to take a ‘burst’ of shots, then pick the one where they aren’t blinking or looking away.”

“Night photography is one of our favourites,” says Karen. “First tip, switch the flash off and put night mode on. If you have a selfie stick with a tripod built in, it’s a brilliant way to keep the phone steady. Otherwise, use a wall, railing, or table to balance the phone on. You’ll be amazed at what modern phone cameras can capture in low light.”

Once you become more confident, it’s worth exploring some of the more advanced tools built into your smartphone. Karen recommends experimenting with Portrait Mode and Live or Motion Photo settings: “As well as selecting the best frame from a moving image, you can use the long exposure effect, which creates beautiful, blurred movement in things like waterfalls, waves, or the wake behind a ship.”

Bella also encourages travellers to learn some basic editing skills. “Simple adjustments such as straightening the horizon, cropping or slightly tweaking contrast and exposure can completely transform a photo,” she says.

The key, however, is restraint. “Editing should enhance an image, not overpower it,” she adds. “I rarely use heavy filters because they often distract from the photograph itself.”

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