Learn iPhone Photography: Capture Stunning Shots Every Day

It's all iPhone photography nowadays. It's perfect for the street photographer who likes to blend in.

Today’s iPhones are packed with powerful cameras capable of capturing high-quality, professional-looking photos. Though I’ve owned many professional cameras over the years, today it's all iPhone photography—exclusively shoot with my iPhone—and have been doing so for the past six years. 

But producing exceptional images isn’t just about having the correct device; it’s about mastering techniques that bring out the best in every shot. Here are some practical tips to help you create stunning photos with your iPhone, whether you're just starting or refining your skills.

Optimize Camera Settings

Shooting in RAW Mode

Consider shooting in RAW mode if you want to elevate your iPhone photography. RAW files capture uncompressed data directly from the camera sensor, preserving a scene's intricate details and colors. This format offers greater flexibility for editing, allowing you to adjust to exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, and color without sacrificing image quality. 

By shooting in RAW, you retain more control over the final look of your photos, which can be especially helpful in challenging lighting conditions or when capturing high-detail subjects.

However, RAW files are larger, so they require more storage, so use this mode selectively when you want the highest quality image to work with in post-processing. iPhones with ProRAW capabilities make this even easier, blending the benefits of RAW with some built-in computational enhancements to bring out the best in each shot.

Enable Gridlines

One of the easiest ways to improve your composition is by turning on the gridlines feature in your iPhone’s camera settings. Gridlines divide the screen into a 3x3 grid, guiding you to place your subject along these lines or intersections, a technique known as the rule of thirds. This method helps balance your composition and draw the viewer’s eye naturally to the most critical parts of the image.

Gridlines make the rule of thirds simple

Adjust Exposure and Focus

Tap your screen to set your focus point, and slide your finger up or down to adjust the exposure. Adjusting the exposure gives you control over the brightness in your photo, ensuring that you capture the correct amount of light. Too much light can wash out your subject, while too little can obscure important details, so experiment with different levels until you find a balanced exposure.

Use HDR Mode Wisely

High Dynamic Range (HDR) is excellent for capturing detail in high-contrast scenes, like landscapes, or when photographing objects against a bright background. And Apple makes it so easy for iPhone photography. HDR takes multiple images at different exposure levels and merges them, producing an image with balanced shadows and highlights. Use it sparingly to avoid an overly “processed” look.

Perfecting Composition

Composition is arranging elements within your frame to create a visually engaging image. A well-composed photo guides the viewer’s eye, highlighting the subject and creating balance.

You can elevate your iPhone photography from simple snapshots to compelling visuals with a few fundamental techniques. Here’s how principles like the rule of thirds, leading lines, and effective use of negative space can enhance the impact of your shots and draw attention to your subject.

Follow the Rule of Thirds and Use Leading Lines

One of the fundamental composition techniques is the rule of thirds, which divides up the frame into a 3x3 grid. You create a visually balanced and interesting shot by placing your subject along these gridlines or at their intersections. Instead of centering your subject, an off-center placement naturally guides the viewer’s eye, inviting them to explore the scene. Many smartphone cameras allow you to turn on gridlines for easy alignment, helping you instinctively apply this rule as you shoot.

Leading lines are another powerful way to direct attention to your image. Elements like roads, rivers, fences, or architectural features act as natural lines, leading the viewer’s gaze toward your subject or the main focal point. By aligning your composition with these lines, you create a sense of depth and direction that makes the image more dynamic and layered.

Fill the Frame and Get Close to Your Subject

Sometimes, a close-up is the best way to bring your subject to life. Filling the frame with your subject eliminates any other distractions, allowing viewers to focus solely on what matters. This technique is especially effective in portrait or detail iPhone photography, where the nuances of facial expressions or textures can shine. Moving closer to your subject or using your camera’s zoom can help you achieve this, filling the frame with vivid details that add intensity to your shot.

Close it good, but tricky as a street photographer. It means they usually know you're there, when you'd rather be a fly on the wall.

Use Negative Space for a Minimalist Feel

In many cases, less is more. Negative space, which is the empty area around or to the side of your subject, can make the main subject stand out and give your photo a minimalist, artistic quality. For example, positioning a person against a wide-open sky, a plain wall, or a calm stretch of water creates a sense of simplicity and focus, letting the viewer’s eye rest solely on the subject. Negative space also adds a feeling of balance, making the image feel composed and intentional without overwhelming visual elements.

Combining these techniques—rule of thirds, leading lines, filling the frame, and negative space—you can create photos that capture attention and invite viewers to connect with the story in each image. Mastering these elements of composition will make your images visually appealing and rich with impact and meaning.

Mastering Light and Color

Look for Natural Light

Natural light is one of the most powerful tools in iPhone photography, enhancing color and detail to make images look vibrant and lifelike. The “golden hour” or “the gloaming”—that magical hour after sunrise or before sunset—offers soft, warm light ideal for capturing beautiful, natural tones. Avoid harsh midday sunlight, which can create unflattering shadows and washed-out details.

Early in my career at the Associated Press, I learned the impact of working with natural light, often in unexpected ways. I was once sent to capture the local mayor biking to City Hall on a “Bike to Work Day.” The catch? It was pre-dawn, and my editor had forbidden flash. Luckily, another photographer from a competing newspaper was there, using flash to capture his shots.

I set my camera to bulb mode, waiting for his flash to fire from an off-center angle. Each time his flash went off, I’d release the shutter immediately, achieving a pleasing, creatively lit effect. This experience taught me the value of creative adaptation and finding light in even the darkest settings.

Experiment with Reflections, Shadows, and Framing

Reflections in windows, mirrors, or water can add intrigue and depth to your images, bringing a unique dimension to everyday scenes. Similarly, shadows can emphasize contrast and shape, creating striking compositions. When all else fails, try shooting through something nearby, like foliage, a fence, or even a doorway, and use it as a natural frame for your subject. This technique adds context and guides the viewer’s eye, giving your photo an artistic, layered effect. Don’t hesitate to experiment with these elements to make your shots stand out.

Play with White Balance and Warm/Cool Tones

Setting a white balance allows you to adjust the color temperature of your photo, creating an overall mood. Warmer tones give your images a cozy, inviting feel, while cooler tones evoke a calm or mysterious atmosphere. You can quickly put your iPhone camera to shoot with warmer tones or even in black and white directly in your camera settings, giving you control over the look of your shots right from the start. 

With a steady gaze and warm tones set by white balance, this portrait highlights the rich details in his expression and features.

For further adjustments, use the editing tools on your iPhone or a third-party app to fine-tune white balance and add subtle color adjustments that enhance the ambiance.

Use Depth and Perspective

Try Different Angles

Instead of taking all your photos at eye level, try getting down low, shooting from above, or experimenting with unique perspectives. Changing your angle can transform a mundane subject into something dynamic and interesting. Don’t be afraid to not even look at the screen when you shoot—sometimes the best moments happen in a split second, and trying to line up the perfect shot can mean missing it altogether. Just shoot instinctively, capturing the moment's energy, and you may end up with an some fantastic iPhone photography.

Experiment with Depth of Field

Using portrait mode is a great way to create a blurred background, or “bokeh” effect, drawing attention to your subject by separating it from the background for a more professional look. Try placing your subject a few feet away from the background to achieve this effect naturally. 

If portrait mode isn’t available or doesn’t produce the exact effect you’re after, you can also cheat depth of field by using a third-party app, like Lightroom or Photoleap, to edit the background and mimic the look of a portrait shot. These apps allow you to soften and blur background elements, giving you greater control over the depth and focus of your photos.

Editing Tips for Finishing Touches

Use Built-in Editing Tools

The iPhone’s built-in editing tools offer everything you need to enhance your photos. Adjust brightness, contrast, shadows, and highlights to bring out the best details in your shot. Cropping can also help by eliminating distractions around the edges of the frame.

Utilize Third-Party Apps

For photographers looking to elevate their images beyond basic edits, apps like Lightroom offer powerful tools to transform a standard shot into a stunning piece of art. Unlike the built-in iPhone photography editing tools, Lightroom provides advanced features that give you complete control over the fine details of your photo. One of Lightroom’s biggest advantages is its comprehensive color grading capabilities, allowing you to manipulate colors precisely. You can adjust individual color tones to achieve a balanced, harmonious look or add a creative twist by selectively enhancing certain colors, making your images more vibrant and dynamic.

Exposure adjustments are another key feature that sets Lightroom apart. You can fine-tune exposure, contrast, highlights, and shadows, highlighting details in even the most challenging lighting conditions. For instance, if you've captured a landscape where the sky appears too bright while the foreground is too dark, Lightroom’s exposure tools let you balance these areas, revealing textures and nuances that would go unnoticed. Additionally, the app’s curve adjustment tool enables you to achieve precise control over brightness and contrast across specific tonal ranges, giving your images depth and richness.

This video was saved as a Lightroom "Edit Replay" of edit I made to a photo during a recent photoshoot in Mexico.

Detail enhancement tools in Lightroom help ensure your photos look crisp and professional. You can sharpen specific areas, reduce noise (especially helpful in low-light shots), and use the texture and clarity sliders to emphasize fine details without over-editing. This level of refinement can bring out the textures of a subject’s face, the sharpness of architectural lines, or the intricate details in nature photography.

Lightroom also offers a range of presets—predefined settings for color, exposure, and contrast—that allow you to apply a consistent look and feel across a series of photos. You can also create custom presets yourself to develop a signature style, making it easy to use a polished look to your images in seconds. With Lightroom’s advanced tools and presets, you have everything you need to create professional, visually cohesive photos that truly stand out.

But, Avoid Over-Editing

While editing can elevate a photo, be careful not to overdo it. Excessive filters or extreme adjustments can detract from the natural beauty of your image. Aim for subtle enhancements that retain a photo’s original feel and character.

Practical Tips and Tricks

Steady Your Shot

Keeping your phone steady is essential for avoiding blurry photos, especially in low-light scenarios with longer exposure times. In my newspaper days, my co-workers and I would compete to see who could pull off the most extended handheld exposure without losing sharpness.

We’d brace ourselves, hold our breath, and keep as steady as possible, seeing who could capture a clean shot under challenging conditions. With an iPhone, you can do something similar: hold your phone with both hands or lean against a stable surface for extra support. A small tripod is invaluable for even more stability, particularly when capturing long exposures at night or in dimly lit scenes. These minor adjustments can make a big difference in the clarity of your photos.

Clean the Lens

This may sound obvious, but it’s often overlooked: the condition of your lens can significantly impact your photos. Start by checking for any lens or lens glass cover damage, as these can distort your images. Even if your lens is intact, ensure it's clean—a smudge-free lens can make a huge difference. Use a soft cloth or Kleenex to gently wipe away fingerprints, dust, or dirt, ensuring your photos appear sharp and clear. Regular maintenance can prevent unexpected imperfections in your shots.

Take Multiple Shots

One of the advantages of digital photography is the freedom to take as many shots as you like. Experiment with angles, lighting, and compositions, and review them afterward to find the best ones. 

When I was a young photographer shooting film, my editor insisted I “edit while I shoot” because he didn’t want me coming back to the office with ten rolls he’d have to sift through. With digital, you don’t have to be as restrained—you’ll be amazed at how many “keepers” you can find in a single scene by trying different approaches.

Creative Exercises to Try

Capture Everyday Moments with Fresh Eyes

One of my favorite exercises is what I call the "5x5x5" challenge: I allow myself to move five feet in any direction and have to take five quality photos within five minutes. This pushes me to capture common scenes, like morning coffee or a quiet street, in fresh and creative ways, encouraging me to look for interesting lighting, reflections, or textures I might usually overlook. 

iPhone photography challenges like this are fantastic for pushing creativity. Try setting a theme for yourself, like “shadows,” “symmetry,” or “reflections,” for a week. These mini-projects help you develop a keen eye for detail and inspire you to explore new ideas and perspectives in your photography. Or you can join a community and participate in their challenges.

Transform Everyday Moments into Art: Unleash Your Creativity with iPhone Photography

iPhone photography is about creativity, practice, and an eye for detail. With these tips, you can make and edit stunning photos, turning everyday moments into art. Remember, great photography isn’t about expensive equipment but the time and intention you put into each shot. So grab your iPhone, get outside, and start snapping—you never know what moments you’ll capture next!