How to take professional photos with iPhone

Apple iPhone 13 series has among the best cameras in smartphone history, and with the biggest Pro camera system upgrade ever on iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, you can now take professional photos with iPhone better than ever before. From snapping in Portrait and Night modes to expert editing, here’s how to take professional photos with iPhone. 

How to take professional photos on an iPhone 13 Pro Max.

With iPhone 13 Pro Max, a massive hardware upgrade meets superintelligent software to bring macro photography to Ultra Wide, 3x optical zoom to Telephoto, and Night mode to all cameras. Also, with Portrait mode, you can make sure your subject remains the focus of your shot every time– making beautiful, professional photos of yourself (or anyone else) easier than ever before on iPhone. 

To find these settings, simply go to your camera app and you’ll see options to toggle between camera modes at the bottom of the screen. Portrait mode works well for self-portraits and headshots.

Here are some tips to take professional shots with these settings:

  • Night mode will automatically turn on when it detects low-light settings, but make sure to hold your iPhone steady while capturing your photo. Night mode may need a few extra seconds to get enough light to capture the image.

  • Portrait mode can also be used for inanimate objects to create depth. To emphasize the “blurry” effect of portrait mode, increase the distance between the focal point and what’s in the background.

  • Use the timer to take a headshot of yourself. That way you don’t need to click on the button. 

  • Tap on the screen to indicate where you want to focus your photo. Then, if you want to adjust the brightness or other settings swipe up or down.

How to take professional photos on iPhone 13 Pro.

iPhone 13 Pro boasts the same impressive camera features as iPhone 13 Pro Max, making it another great option for smartphone photographers. Use Night mode to take impressive shots even in the dark, or Portrait mode to highlight your subjects and blur out unnecessary background noise.

To find these settings, simply go to your camera app and you’ll see options to toggle between camera modes at the bottom of the screen.

iPhone 13 camera in green

How to take professional photos of yourself with iPhone.

If you’re in need of a new headshot, you can take professional photos of yourself with iPhone in a snap. Typically, for a headshot, you want an image of yourself from the shoulders-up against a blank background (like, a white wall or backdrop). Then, you can turn on the selfie camera and prop your iPhone up into position with a phone stand, like this one, and toggle the selfie camera to “Portrait Mode”. From there, you can tap the self-timer button and set the timer to 5 or 10 seconds, however long you need to get into position and pose before the timer goes off and the camera snaps the shot.

To find these settings, simply do the following:

  • Prop your iPhone up and point it in your desired direction.

  • Open the camera app, and switch it to the front-facing camera.

  • Swipe through the options at the bottom and find “Portrait Mode”.

  • Tap the karat at the top of the screen, and additional options will appear.

  • Tap the self-timer option, which is the one that looks like a clock.

  • Choose your 5 or 10 second self-timer option.

  • Tap the middle button on the screen to start the timer.

  • Get in position, pose, and viola! Your new headshot is done in a snap. 

How to edit photos on iPhone to look professional.

Even if you have a different model of iPhone, like iPhone 12 or iPhone SE (3rd Gen), or even another model in iPhone 13 series, the camera systems are still highly sophisticated and with manual tools like adjusting exposure settings and contrast, you can take professional photos in a snap. 

Adjusting exposure on iPhone camera.

Adjusting the manual camera settings on iPhone allows you to control exposure to light, contrast, and more– when you take a photo, simply tap an overexposed (or, too bright) area on the screen and you’ll see the option to slide up or down to lighten or dim the exposure in an image. 

Adjusting contrast, tone, and more on iPhone camera.

Additionally, using photo editing tools on iPhone like adjusting contrast, clarity, and choosing color tones (like warm or cool) can add depth to an image by adjusting color, backlighting, and beyond. Simply go to your “Photos” app and click into the image you want to edit, then tap the “Edit” option at the top right of the image to adjust these features. 

Additional photography tips and tricks iPhone photographers can use include using the “rule of thirds” to make your images look more professional, which means making your subject the off-center (or “third”) element of the shot, or finding interesting angles that iPhone’s handheld portability allows you to shoot with ease (unlike larger, bulkier professional cameras that need to remain more stationary for professional shots). 

No matter what your photographic subject, taking professional photos with iPhone is easier than ever before with iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, as well as other iPhone models featuring Portrait mode, Night mode, and manual editing tools. Shop all Apple iPhone devices available at Verizon today.