DIY Smartphone Photography Hacks you Need To Know

Smartphone photography has become an indispensable aspect of our daily lives, allowing us to capture memories instantaneously. Thanks to cellphones, practically everyone now has a capable camera in their pocket. While professional photography equipment can be costly and inconvenient, with a few clever hacks, your smartphone can be a flexible tool for taking amazing images. Whether you’re an aspiring photographer, a social media addict, or enjoy documenting your life’s moments, understanding a few DIY methods will help you take your smartphone photography to the next level.

This post will review several crucial DIY smartphone photography tricks that can change how you capture images. From using household items to improve your photographs to making tiny modifications that make a big difference, these ideas can help you get the most out of your smartphone camera.

Use Sunglasses as a Natural Filter

One of the simplest and most inventive DIY hacks for smartphone photography is to use your sunglasses as a natural filter. This approach might help you create distinctive effects and improve the colors in your photographs.

• Choose the Right Sunglasses: To achieve various effects, choose sunglasses with polarized lenses or colorful tints. Polarized lenses reduce glare and reflections, whereas colored tints lend a warm or cool tone to your images.
• Position the sunglasses: Position your sunglasses in front of your smartphone’s camera lens. Make sure the lenses completely cover the camera lens to avoid any undesired edges in your photo.
• Adjust the angle: Experiment with different angles and placements to get the desired result. Tilting the sunglasses slightly produces intriguing light patterns and color shifts.
• Focus and compose: Tap the screen of your smartphone to set the focus and change the exposure. Compose your shot as usual, bearing in mind the extra filter effect.
• Capture the Photo: Once you’re satisfied with the positioning and composition, take the photo. You may need to take a few shots to get the perfect one, so don’t hesitate to experiment.
• Edit Your Photo: Use photo editing apps like Snapseed or Lightroom to enhance your photo further. Adjust settings like brightness, contrast, and saturation to fine-tune the final image.

Creative Effects Sunglasses with varying tints can create unusual color effects in your images, making them stand out. Reduced Glare Polarized lenses can assist reduce glare and reflections, particularly while photographing near water or other shiny surfaces. This hack requires no additional equipment, making it a cost-effective solution to improve your smartphone pictures.

Make a DIY Tripod with Everyday Items

A steady camera is vital for taking clear, professional-looking images. If you don’t have a tripod, don’t worry—you can easily create one from common home objects!

• Use a Cup or Mug: Place your phone in a solid cup or mug, making sure it rests upright for stable shots.
• Stack Books: Make a height-adjustable stand by stacking books and resting your phone against them.
• Water Bottle Tripod: Cut a small slit in a plastic water bottle and insert your phone to hold it upright.
• Paper Clip Stand: Bend a huge paper clip into a shape that will hold your phone at a comfortable angle.

There is no need to buy expensive equipment; instead, use stuff you already have at home. You can easily adjust the height and angle to meet your needs. Simple to put up and dismantle, making it ideal for on-the-go photography.

Boost Lighting with a White Sheet or Foil

Lighting is extremely important in photography, and natural or indoor lighting is not always sufficient. A simple DIY lighting method is to use a white sheet of paper or aluminum foil to reflect light onto your subject.

White Sheet of Paper: Place your subject near a natural light source, such as a window. Place a white sheet or huge piece of white paper opposite the light source. You can drape it over a chair or hang it on a wall. Angle the sheet to reflect natural light on your topic. This will help to remove sharp shadows and offer more balanced lighting. Take a photo now that the reflected light is complementing your topic. Your image’s brightness and balance will noticeably improve.

Aluminum Foil: Take a piece of cardboard and wrap one side in aluminum foil. Smooth away any wrinkles to get a uniform surface. Hold or position the foil-covered cardboard opposite the light source. The shiny surface will reflect light onto your topic, resulting in increased brightness. Move the reflector closer or farther away from your subject to adjust the intensity of the reflected light. You may also angle it to direct light to specific regions. Take your photo once you’ve established the proper lighting. The reflected light from the foil will make your photograph look more professional.

Use items you already have in your home to improve lighting without spending money on pricey equipment. Improve lighting control and remove harsh shadows to create more professional-looking images. These DIY reflectors are lightweight and easy to set up and modify. To utilize this trick, place the paper or foil opposite your primary light source (such as a window or lamp) to reflect light onto your subject. This technique brightens your photographs, reduces harsh shadows, and produces professional-quality images without the need for expensive lighting equipment!

Use a Water Drop for Macro Photography

If you’ve ever wanted to photograph delicate details and close-ups, utilizing a water drop as a DIY macro lens is a simple and efficient technique. Here’s how you can accomplish it:

• Clean Your Lens: Ensure your smartphone camera lens is clean before you start. Use a soft, lint-free cloth to remove any dust or smudges.
• Create the Water Drop: Using a small pipette or your fingertip, carefully place a tiny drop of water onto your smartphone camera lens. The water drop should be just enough to create a convex shape but not so much that it runs off the lens.
• Position Your Subject: Place the subject you want to photograph close to the camera. Since you’re working with a very small focal plane, the subject should be within a few centimeters of the lens.
• Adjust the Focus: Open your camera app and slowly move your smartphone closer to the subject until it comes into focus. You may need to manually tap on the screen to help the camera focus on the right spot.
• Steady Your Hand: Hold your phone as steady as possible to prevent any blurriness. You can also use a makeshift tripod or prop your phone against a stable surface to reduce camera shake.
• Capture the Photo: Once the subject is in sharp focus, take the photo. You may need to take several shots to get the perfect macro image.
• Edit Your Photo: Use photo editing apps like Snapseed or Lightroom to enhance your macro photos. Adjust settings such as sharpness, contrast, and brightness to bring out the details.

This hack is free and requires no additional equipment. Get close-up images with incredible detail, similar to what you’d get with a dedicated macro lens. Experimenting with macro photography can lead to new creative opportunities and help you see everyday objects in a new way. This DIY method improves magnification capabilities and enables you to capture delicate details that would otherwise be unattainable with a standard smartphone lens. Ideal for wildlife photography, jewelry photos, and artistic close-ups!

Create a Soft Light Effect with Tissue Paper

Harsh lighting can cause dramatic shadows and overexposed regions in your images, particularly when utilizing your phone’s flash. Soft, diffused lighting can improve the quality of your photographs by minimizing sharp shadows and producing a more pleasing look. Here’s how to use tissue paper to make a DIY soft light effect:

• Gather Materials: You’ll need a piece of white tissue paper and some tape or rubber bands.
• Prepare the Tissue Paper: Cut a piece of tissue paper that is large enough to cover your smartphone’s flash or the light source you’re using.
• Attach the Tissue Paper: Gently tape or secure the tissue paper over the flash or light source. If you’re using a flashlight, you can wrap the tissue paper around it and secure it with a rubber band.
• Position the Light Source: Place the light source with the attached tissue paper close to your subject. The tissue paper will diffuse the light, creating a soft, even illumination.
• Adjust the Distance: Experiment with the distance between the light source and your subject to achieve the desired level of softness. Closer positioning will result in softer light.
• Take Your Photo: With the softened light illuminating your subject, take your photo. You’ll notice a significant reduction in harsh shadows and a more pleasing overall effect.

This hack makes use of affordable components that are likely already in your home. Soft, diffused lighting is more flattering for portraiture and reduces sharp shadows. This DIY hack is quick and easy to apply, making it ideal for mobile photography.

Make a DIY Pinhole Camera Effect

Creating a DIY pinhole camera effect with your smartphone can be a fun and creative way to capture unique photos. Here’s how you can do it:

• Prepare the Black Paper: Cut a small piece of black paper or cardboard that is slightly larger than your smartphone camera lens.
• Create the Pinhole: Using a pin or needle, carefully poke a small hole in the center of the black paper. This will be your “pinhole.”
• Attach the Pinhole Paper: Place the black paper with the pinhole over your smartphone’s camera lens. Secure it in place with tape, making sure the pinhole is centered over the lens.
• Adjust Camera Settings: Open your camera app and switch to manual or pro mode if available. Adjust the focus and exposure settings to get the best results.
• Compose Your Shot: Point your camera at your subject and compose your shot. The pinhole effect will create a soft, vignetted look with a unique depth of field.

The pinhole effect gives a distinct and creative touch to your photographs. This hack requires simple items that you most likely already have at home. Experimenting with the pinhole effect can provide interesting and unexpected outcomes.

Use a Magnifying Glass for Instant Zoom

If your smartphone’s zoom isn’t powerful enough, a cheap magnifying glass might help you catch faraway scenes more clearly. This DIY method functions as an external lens, improving details while maintaining image quality.

• Select a Magnifying Glass: Choose a magnifying glass with a comfortable size and appropriate magnification level. A larger lens will be easier to work with and provide a clearer image.
• Position the Magnifying Glass: Hold the magnifying glass in front of your smartphone camera lens. Make sure the entire lens is covered by the magnifying glass to avoid any unwanted edges in your shot.
• Adjust the Distance: Move the magnifying glass closer or farther away from the camera lens to achieve the desired level of magnification. You may need to experiment with different distances to find the perfect focus.
• Compose Your Shot: Position your subject within the frame and adjust the magnifying glass to bring it into sharp focus. You might need to tap on the screen to help your camera focus correctly.
• Steady Your Hand: Keep your hand steady while holding the magnifying glass and taking the photo. Using a makeshift tripod or stabilizing your phone against a solid surface can help reduce camera shake.
• Capture the Photo: Once you have the desired magnification and focus, take the photo. You may need to take several shots to get the perfect one.
• Edit Your Photo: Use photo editing apps like Snapseed or Lightroom to enhance your photo further. Adjust settings such as sharpness, contrast, and brightness to bring out the details.

This hack uses simple, affordable materials that you likely already have at home. Achieve close-up shots with impressive detail, similar to using a dedicated zoom or macro lens. This DIY hack is quick and simple to implement, making it perfect for on-the-go photography. This method is ideal for close-ups of little items, wildlife photography, and even reading tiny lettering, making it a more affordable alternative to professional zoom lenses.

Create a DIY Bokeh Effect with Cardboard

Making a DIY bokeh effect using cardboard is a fun and simple way to add creative flair to smartphone shots. Bokeh is the out-of-focus, fuzzy background that enhances the subject of your photograph. Here’s how you can create this effect:

• Cut a Small Square: Cut a small square or rectangular piece of black cardboard, about 2-3 inches in size.
• Draw a Shape: In the center of the cardboard piece, draw a small shape such as a heart, star, or circle. This will be the shape of your bokeh effect.
• Cut Out the Shape: Use scissors or a craft knife to carefully cut out the shape you drew. Make sure the edges are clean and smooth.
• Attach the Cardboard to Your Camera Lens: Place the cardboard cutout over your smartphone camera lens. Secure it in place with tape or a rubber band. Ensure the shape is centered over the lens.
• Set Up Your Scene: Choose a subject you want to photograph and position it in front of a background with small, bright lights (e.g., fairy lights, streetlights, or Christmas lights). The lights will create the bokeh effect.
• Adjust the Camera Settings: Open your camera app and switch to manual or pro mode if available. Set the aperture to the lowest value to achieve a shallow depth of field. Tap to focus on your subject and ensure the lights in the background are out of focus.
• Take Your Photo: With the cardboard shape attached to your lens, take the photo. The out-of-focus lights in the background will take on the shape you cut out, creating a unique bokeh effect.
• Edit Your Photo: Use photo editing apps like Snapseed or Lightroom to enhance your photo further. Adjust settings such as brightness, contrast, and sharpness to bring out the details.

This hack allows you to make unique and artistic bokeh shapes in your images. Use simple and inexpensive materials to obtain a professional appearance. Experimenting with various shapes and light sources can yield interesting and creative outcomes.

Use Your Earphones as a Remote Shutter

Do you want to shoot steady, hands-free images without touching your phone? Your connected earbuds can function as a remote shutter, allowing you to shoot crisper shots without a camera shake!

• Plug in Your Earphones: Connect your smartphone’s earphones to the headphone jack or the charging port if your phone uses a dongle.
• Open the Camera App: Launch your smartphone’s camera app and position your phone on a stable surface or use a tripod if you have one.
• Frame Your Shot: Compose your shot by adjusting the position of your phone and making sure everyone is in the frame. If you’re taking a selfie, switch to the front-facing camera.
• Use the Volume Button: On most smartphones, pressing the volume button on your earphones will act as a shutter button. Press it to take a photo. This works for both the front and rear cameras.
• Review Your Photo: Check your photo to ensure it came out the way you wanted. If needed, you can take multiple shots until you get the perfect one.

Take shots without touching your phone, which reduces the likelihood of camera shake and fuzzy images. Easily shoot group shots without using a timer or rushing into position. Take selfies without the awkward arm stretch or unintentional camera movement. Works for both photo and video recording, with the ability to start and stop recording remotely.