No DSLR? No problem. You can still shoot amazing photos on-the-go using just your phone. Take it from me – the majority of the photos in my portfolio were shot on an iPhone! These 10 phone photography tips will help you nail your next Instagram shot in no time.

Wipe Off Your Camera Lens

It may sound basic, but you’d be surprised at how often people forget to do this and they wonder why their photos turn out foggier than an episode of Stranger Things.

Use Burst for Quick Action Shots

Jumping, fireworks, and quick movements of any kind are hard to capture at the perfect moment. If you don’t have Spiderman-like reflexes, no problem. Hold the shutter button down on an iPhone to capture a series of photos called a burst and pick your fave!

Tap on What You Want in Focus

Whether it’s a cupcake or your cat’s nose, tap on the screen until you see a yellow square appear on what you want in focus. Looking at a beautiful sunset? Tap the clouds to make sure you’re capturing the colors & textures clearly. This was shot on iPhone using the focus function!

Avoid Zooming In

This can reduce the quality of the photo and take away the sharpness. You can always crop later to zoom in!

Lighting, Lighting, Lighting

I could write an entire blogpost on this and shoot, maybe I will. Always aim to shoot in that soft, natural light in a shaded area. Avoid photographing in direct sunlight which can lead to squinty eyes and weird shadows.

Flash is Not Your Friend

Most of the time. If you’re just trying to get a silly group photo at the bar, knock yourself out. If you’re trying for a quality photo, stay away from the flash and use editing apps to brighten things up later.

Switch Up Your Angles

Get high, get low, and go sideways. Shooting from different perspectives will give you options to choose from later and a unique angle can make your photos stand out on social media and stop the scroll. For example, I laid on the ground for this shot!

Use the Volume Button as a Shutter Substitute

Stretching your arm out for a quick selfie? I know the feeling when your thumb can’t quite reach that round circle and you’re about to drop your phone on the sidewalk. Use the volume buttons on the side of your phone to take the photo!

Use the Rear-Facing Camera As Much As Possible

It’s higher-quality than the front-facing selfie camera, I promise!

Swipe Up on the Lock Screen for Quick Camera Access

Rather than typing in your passcode and searching for the camera app among all of your other apps, simply swipe up on your phone screen to open the camera in a pinch.

There you have it! These basic phone photography tips may seem simple, but I promise they will take your photos a long way. What did I miss? Comment and let me know your favorite phone photography tricks!