How can I improve iPhone 6 photography skill?

[lionly]

I'm not so satisfied with my photos taken with iPhone 6. And I even ordered these macro and zoom lenses which are fun:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=2079475242&pf_rd_i=desktop


but my most important thing to do is improving photography skill. For this photo, what can I do to improve it?

 

[techspin]

Crop out that blurry thing on the right!

 

[geoff5093]

The biggest improvement is to capture the photos at angles the average person doesn't see on a daily basis. What you have here is a normal snapshot, which anyone would see if they were standing where you are. Now if you got down on your knees and took a more creative shot aiming down the stairs, that's a perspective people don't see daily.

Also, make sure nothing is obscuring the photo like what's shown on the right. Keep the horizon straight, and frame your photo using the rule of thirds (that is, keep the subject towards the left or right and not dead center).

 

[frazzm737]

Practice, practice, practice! Try shooting in all sorts of lighting conditions and situations from all possible angles. The duds can be deleted and you will soon discover techniques that work for you.

 

[Applejuiced]

There's only so much you can do with a cellphone camera.
If you're serious about photography and taking pictures get a real camera instead of wasting money on lenses or other 3rd party iPhone camera add-ons.

 

[lagwagon]

There's only so much you can do with a cellphone camera.
If you're serious about photography and taking pictures get a real camera instead of wasting money on lenses or other 3rd party iPhone camera add-ons.

Going out and buying a "real" camera such as a dslr does not make anyone a better photographer. Understanding all the basics and "rules" to follow will help anyone more than the equipment. Better gear just means you can achieve specific types of photography or "effects".

Person A knows the basics and "rules" but uses an iPhone.
Person B knows very little but buys the brand new Canon 5ds along with all the top L lenses canon has to offer.

Person A's photos will still probably be more pleasing and more "photo" like instead of the "just a snapshot" person B would take because of lack of knowledge.

There is very little gear can do when the user doesn't know how to use it.

 

[lagwagon]

I'm not so satisfied with my photos taken with iPhone 6. And I even ordered these macro and zoom lenses which are fun:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=2079475242&pf_rd_i=desktop


but my most important thing to do is improving photography skill. For this photo, what can I do to improve it?

My advice to you would be to search around the web and find guides for learning the basics of photography. (Exposure and composition) There are hundreds, if not thousands of guides on the web.

Like someone earlier mentioned. Practice is also key. And do what's called "working the scene", this means trying out all sorts of different angles one would not normally see vs someone who would just be standing there and raising their camera to their face and clicking the shutter.

Another thing if you're into a specific Type of photography, look at sites like 500px and do searches of that particular type to get visual references of what "makes" a good photo in the type. Think about what it is about the image you like so much. So that next time you're out you can keep those references in mind and can apply that to your own.

 

[Applejuiced]

Going out and buying a "real" camera such as a dslr does not make anyone a better photographer. Understanding all the basics and "rules" to follow will help anymore more than the equipment. Better gear just means you can achieve specific types of photography or "effects".

Person A knows the basics and "rules" but uses an iPhone.
Person B knows very little but buys the brand new Canon 5ds along with all the top L lenses canon has to offer.

Person A's photos will still probably be more pleasing and more "photo" like instead of the "just a snapshot" person B would take because of lack of knowledge.

There is very little gear can do when the user doesn't know how to use it.

I agree that learning the basics and the "rules" of photography is very important but it will only get you so far with a cellphone camera when it comes to photography.

 

[lagwagon]

I agree that learning the basics and the "rules" of photography is very important but it will only get you so far with a cellphone camera when it comes to photography.

Not only very important, it's the foundation of it all. Someone just learning photography won't hit the limitations of a phone camera right away. It takes time, I agree at some point yes it will happen that to progress further they would perhaps needs to invest in a dslr. That being said the iPhone is quite capable of producing amazing images for new comers and the experienced. It's all up to the user taking the photo.

 

[ToddH]

Go here. Tons of info!

http://iphonephotographyschool.com

 

[cynics]

With that photo I would have not got that thing on the right in the photo so I wouldn't need to crop it out afterward. And I would have taken a couple while focusing the exposure on different points in the photo just to see which is best. The major problem though is it does inspire curiosity or emotion its just kind of bland. That looks like a cool place but you didnt capture what YOU saw and felt with that image. Thats where skill from practice comes in. I recommend looking at cool photos that make you think and try to replicate them.

With an iPhone its generally best to get the most natural photo to start then edit it after for any blur effects, saturation, contrast, etc. If you let the iPhone do that stuff initially you are stuck with it. What looks good on your phones screen might look bad on a computer especially because of auto screen brightness. So if you edit the brightness and contrast but forget your phone screens brightness is low its going to be over exposed on a computer.

Also "better" is subjective and depends on what you are going for. You may want a tilt shift effect added to a photo because it looks cool but that doesn't mean everyone will like it. I'd recommend keeping the effects to a minimum though.

 

[bchreng]

For that scene, try getting low (on your knees) and take a picture looking up at the steps instead down below. Also try to catch a little bit of the sky from that angle if you can.

Google photography tips online, study other people's photos and, like the others mentioned, practice!