Finding the Right Smartphone for Pictures You'll Love
A couple of months ago, my oldest daughter got a brand new phone and immediately got on Instagram. So like any good parent, I followed her.
I was expecting a lot of random pictures and goofy poses, but I was actually really impressed with the quality of her pictures.
Once we saw what our daughter's new phone could do, my husband and I upgraded, too.
Now, we don't have to lug around our big camera bag when we want to take memorable pictures. All our phones have everything we could possibly need. Since our daughter has taught us so much, I want to let you in on five things to look for when you want a new smartphone with a great camera and how to get the most out of it.
First things first... Get a phone with a camera that has a higher megapixel count...and a bigger screen to make editing your pictures and videos easier.
There are a lot of great choices out there, but I'd suggest going with a phone that has at least a 12 megapixel camera.
Some phones have big HD screens, too. Those are really good for seeing all the details when you're cropping or editing color.
Another thing to look for when you're shopping for a phone... are some of the extra camera features that newer phones have.
My husband's Samsung phone has all these preset options that will give you better-looking pictures. But we really love playing around with his phone's Pro Mode. You can change filters, shutter speed...and you can adjust everything in a few seconds. Pretty amazing.
We'll even shoot and edit quick HD videos with it and send to my mom. She has a phone with an HD screen, too, thanks to my daughter's recommendation, of course.
The third tip is one my daughter made me promise to mention...
It's better to crop your picture after you take it than to zoom in before.
When you "zoom in," your phone is really just making the image bigger. That means you end up with a blurry mess.
Instead, try to get as close as you need to be, then crop the photo after you take it. You should be able to see the difference.
Some phones even add a little extra help with features like Selective Focus. That lets you choose what you want to focus on in the picture after you take it.
Check out features like this when you're comparing smartphones and think about the ones you'll use the most.
Tip number four is about something all parents of teenagers can relate to...the selfie.
If you get a new phone with a wide-angle lens, your selfies will be a lot more impressive.
Using a wide angle lens, you can fit more of your family and friends in without being so up close and personal. Thankfully, there's no selfie stick needed.
Finally...You don't have to worry about wasting film, so go ahead and take lots of pictures.
With most new phones, you can just hold the button down to snap as many as you want, then pick the best one. Simple as that.
I've learned a lot about smartphone photography lately, but there's always more. I'm just glad Verizon makes it easy to upgrade because I know it won't be long before my daughter starts telling me about a new phone with an even better camera.
Click the link below to see the latest Verizon phones that will totally change the way you take pictures.
