The iPhone is the perfect tool for capturing those spontaneous "in the moment" shots that no other camera can catch. It’s perfect for fulfilling our ‘as it happens’ Briefs.

Mobile phone cameras can produce stunning images but it’s all about taking your time, and understanding that the device does have some limitations, most importantly:

• Limited shutter-speed range and a fixed aperture. This means adjustments to the in-camera exposure are made by adapting the ISO.
• Camera phones are okay for many lighting situations, but the small sensor might struggle with low or very bright light and dark shadows.
• The small sensor is also not good for controlling depth of field.

• Hold the phone with two hands
• Rest your elbows against your chest
• Stabilize your self against a handy wall or structure
• Concentrate

We’ve said it before, but we’ll say it again: think about the light. We want well- lit images with no hard shadows.

• Firstly, don’t be afraid of errors, be patient and get it right
• The brighter the light, the less likely you will get blur, and the better the shutter will be able to stop the motion.
• Camera phone shots are better taken outdoors, where there’s the opportunity for images bathed in light. Lifestyle images are greatly improved by having the people fully lit, and remember the eyes should be sharp.
• Being in areas of lots of natural light compensates for the limited settings on a camera phone.
• LLight makes an image more interesting and eye-catching. If you want your shot to jump out at a client, great light will make the subject more dynamic.

• Practice - try out all the features. Knowing the quirks of your phone will make taking images easier, make them better quality and make it more fun.
• If you change phone, don’t assume the pictures will be the same as your last phone, get to know it too.

• Take as many shots as you can. As you have read our self-editing guide, you will know the importance of choosing the right shot so it’s important to keep shooting your subject until you feel you have captured it in the way you want.
• Delete! Don’t keep every shot for sentimental reasons. It’s easier to make a final choice if you narrow the selection as you go, until you only keep the one you want to upload.
• Remember your choice of best shot should be the one that includes the best mood, moment and technical quality as well as best representing the subject and a strong idea.

The cameras on the 4s and 5 are very similar, but the difference between them and older models is very significant, as phone cameras have improved greatly in the past couple of years. You can take good pictures with an older model, but you will have to put in some extra work to get them right.

• Press down the shutter button before you line up the shot; lift your finger to shutter. This will reduce camera shake.
• You can touch the screen to set where you want it to focus

Make sure your images are as good as they can be before you upload them. We are big fans of phone camera enhancement Apps that give you greater control over your phone camera settings when you are shooting, and also give you the ability to improve and adjust your images without affecting the image quality or size.

Over treatment – Avoid over using filters and treatments on images unless it enhances and supports the subject. For example: images of people should look natural and believable and landscape, landmark, nature and wildlife shots should depict a true representation of the subject.

Using your iPhone camera and apps allows you to take your iPhone images to the next level. Here some of the apps we recommend.

Camera+

• Allows you to fine tune the focus and exposure
• Focus and exposure lock
• Timer
• Rule of thirds grid
• Level
• ISO/exposure readings
• A faster shooting rate for action images
• Images are saved in an in-app staging area where you can then edit etc. and save the best to your camera roll.

Snapseed

Great for editing images, with tons of options including:

• Brightness
• Saturation
• Tilt shift
• Sharpening
• Spot adjustments

Photo enhancement Apps such as Camera+ and Snapseed both maintain the original file size produced by the camera.

• Filter Apps can reduce the image size. For example, when using an 8 Megapixel camera, Instagram will output a maximum file size of 4.2 megapixels and Hipstamatic, 6 megapixels
• 4.2MP
• 6MP

File check for phone images

1. The subject is key.

   Think about what you are shooting and why you are shooting it. The best shots embody broad concepts such as family, fun, communication, togetherness, learning, wellbeing, energy, power, security and so on.

2. Bright is best.

   The iPhone has an amazing camera but like every other camera, it does have limitations. Images taken in gloomy or dark conditions may look great on the screen but close-up, they may be too grainy to pass the technical check. As a rule, your iPhone camera will perform best in bright conditions.

3. Try to keep the filters to a minimum.

   We want shots that reflect your style, not an app developer's. Also, it's worth remembering that some vintage filter Apps change the quality of the image to such an extent that they won't make it past our technical check.

4. Don't lose it.

   Make sure you save an original version before you start applying filters. Not all Apps will let you undo the changes you make to your shots. So, it's a good idea to always experiment with a copy of your image, just in case your tweaking doesn't turn out the way you expect.

5. Not all Apps are the same.

   We want you to make sure your submitted images are as good as they can be before you upload. So, we are big fans of Apps such as Camera+TM, Camera Awesome™ and Camera Superb™ because as well as giving you more control over you iPhone camera when you are shooting, they also enable you to edit and adjust your shots, without affecting the image quality.

6. Size Matters.

   The bigger your image file, the more ways it can be used. So, it makes sense to ensure your phone always captures images at the maximum resolution. Beware though, some Apps may automatically default to a lower resolution, so always remember to double check and change your settings accordingly.

7. Logos

   Remember, in order for us to offer your images for sale they cannot feature any logos or branding, even if they are very small in the frame. Also, all recognizable people and most privately owned locations will need to be released before we can add the images to our collection.

Please download our PDF Guide with further information