As summer is now in full swing, many of us are once again enjoying alfresco dinners, staycations, outdoor hikes, and much more. Soon, our phones will be filled with the memories we have created whilst reconnecting with our friends and family, with many of these being shared on our social media accounts for our followers to connect with. As such, following these five essential tips from photo book expert, Daniel Scheijen, will ensure you get the most out of your camera phone this summer.

5 simple ways to step up your photography game this summer:

Make the most of portrait mode:

When capturing objects, pets or people, portrait mode is a must. Creating a depth-of-field effect, which lets you capture photos with a sharp focus on the subject and a blurred background, is a failsafe way to capture professional-looking images effortlessly. When using portrait mode, it is essential to ensure you have good lighting and that your subject is sharp and in focus. To ensure it is in focus, tap on the screen where you want the photo to be its sharpest.

Always have great lighting:

Lighting will always be the most important element in photography. Without good lighting, a great photograph can be ruined. To ensure you have great lighting when shooting outdoors this summer, always use the sun as a light source, or you can use flash. My favourite time to shoot is always during golden hour – which is during the last hour of sunlight – as it always has the best light for photography.

Use the compositional grid:

Composition is the way elements in a scene are arranged within the frame. On your iPhone or Android, you can activate the compositional grid which will add a grid to your screen. This grid can be used as an onscreen guide to centre our images, create symmetry and balance the image.

Try burst mode:

Taking a beautiful action shot can often be challenging. Burst mode is perfect for these action shots. When capturing a subject in motion, simply enable ‘burst mode’ on your camera phone and you will be able to capture exciting shots with minimal effort.

Unusual angles and perspectives:

Often we capture our images at eye level, yet capturing an image from an extra-ordinary perspective can bring uniqueness to even the most basic images. Why not experiment with a combination of eye-level, high-angle, and low-angle shots this summer.