So machst du coole Fotos/ Videos mit deinem iPhone oder Android Phone

If you've been on Instagram, Flickr, or Pinterest and seen an impressive close-up of a flower, insect, or even a piece of jewelry, you may have wondered if you can do it too - especially if you don't have a pro camera. Fortunately, you don't have to buy expensive DSLRs or special equipment to take shots like this. All you need is a cell phone, a macro lens, and a little experimentation. In this post, I'll give you some tips to help you take professional macro shots with your phone.

Fortunately, you don't have to buy expensive DSLRs or special equipment to take shots like this. All you need is a cell phone, a macro lens, and a little experimentation.

In this post, I'll give you some tips to help you take professional macro shots with your phone.

Macro Lenses

The easiest way to snap super macro photos with your smartphone is to get a macro lens. This actually enlarges your item and gives them more details. Your images will not experience quality loss as in the case of magnifying with the digital zoom. Regarding the quality of the lenses, unfortunately there exists a wide spectrum. Convince yourself by pictures shot with the macro lens and don’t be impressed with ‘fake phots’. The respective magnification depends on your particular subject which you like to photograph. Some smartphones have a macro mode that allows you already to get closer to the subject. However, with an additional macro lens you can significantly improve this and shoot your motif increased even more.

Lightning

Lighting is a key factor in creating a successful image. This also holds true for macro photography. Daylight is probably the best and easiest lighting.

You can shoot at sunrise and sunset to get the best lighting effects.

If it is too dark, the smartphone LED can be used. Some phone brands already have this feature integrated in the native photo app. However, it is also possible to download apps with this feature.

A diffuser for the mobile LED helps to avoid reflections. However, aside from adding depth to your image and making it look three dimensional, the shadows cast by stronger light can create interesting patterns that bring interest to a photo.

Depth of field and design

The opportunities to take new, unique, and exciting macro shots are endless! However, the depth of field is limited. The greater the magnification, the smaller the sharpness range in the images. When shooting macro, the point of focus can dramatically alter how your image appears. A simple couple millimeters produces an entirely different visual effect. Just take several photos (e.g. with the burst function), focusing on different objects and and excite the viewer with your new macro world.

Composing your picture

Sometimes your magnification is too large to take an image with the entire item in the frame. Even with the smaller magnification (e.g. 5x) you can only image a part of the subject, like the center of the flower or some petals. This is the creative part of macro photography! You can shoot the subject from different perspectives, directly from above, from the side or even from below. Experiment by shooting the same subject from different angles.

And always remember: keep your phone steady. You can also use a tripod. But in general, it is enough to keep your hands steady by holding the phone camera with two hands close to your body or by leaning on your surroundings. You can also try to hold your breath during taking your shot.

And now have fun taking macros. Because the most important thing is: enjoy what you do!

I would be very happy to receive any suggestions or comments!