Education

50 Things I Have Learned About Mobile Photography by Misho Baranovic

By EyeEm Team - 4 min read

Our Melbourne-based EyeEm Ambassador compiled a compelling list of insights about taking photos with a smartphone.

Misho Baranovicis a photographer, mobile advocate and EyeEm Ambassador based in Melbourne, Australia. After shooting, editing and sharing with his iPhone for years, he compiled a compelling list of insights about taking photos with a smartphone on the ProCamera blog.

Our favorites are #11, #20, #43 and #50 – what are yours?

Here are 50 things Misho has learned about mobile photography:

  • There is no ‘magic’ app.

  • There is no ‘magic’ combination of fifteen apps.

  • Taking a photo is much more fun than liking a photo.

  • The best camera is the one you know how to use. Learn to control your focus and exposure.

  • Not all photos have to be square – think outside the Instagram box.

  • Show your best work! Think before you post and re-post and re-post.

  • That great photo app is probably not on Android😉

  • A good mobile photograph is a good photograph. Don’t be afraid to call yourself a photographer.

  • There are no good #selfies.

  • Remember, a hot breakfast tastes better than a cold breakfast looks.

  • Zoom with your feet not with your phone.

  • Backup your shots: The Cloud, Dropbox, a hardrive. Pick two and stick to them.

  • Print, frame, stick and gift your mobile photos. Just make them real!

  • Likes are a measure of popularity not quality. They are not the same thing.

  • Friends don’t let friends post pictures of puddle reflections. Find your own style.

  • Find a good camera replacement app and stick to it, practice makes the decisive moment perfect.

  • Don’t edit and cross the street at the same time.

  • Tagbombing is uncool #tagforyounotlikes.

  • #nofilter

  • An honest comment is worth at least a 100 likes.

  • Taking a street portrait? Offer to email the photo on the spot.

  • Turn on Airplane mode for distraction free shooting #zen.

  • A spare battery pack is the difference between destiny and despair.

  • Be confident when shooting, people can tell if you’re trying to be sneaky, especially with a mobile phone.

  • Be prepared, place your favorite camera app icon in an easy to launch spot. Mine’s in the bottom-right corner (right where my thumb falls).

  • Tap the power button to minimize your camera app, that way you’re ready to shoot after you swipe to unlock.

  • Your first 10,000 photos used to be your worst. Now, I think it’s closer to your first 100,000 mobile photos.

  • Natural is often more interesting than posed.

  • Learn to use a rule of thirds grid then learn to live without it.

  • It’s hard to tell the difference between a mobile, digital and film print (up to A3)

  • Great photographers don’t care what you shoot with. They respect vision not tools.

  • Gear acquisition syndrome can afflict mobile shooters. You don’t need the new case/tripod/lens attachment.

  • You can’t take a good photo with the iPhone flash.

  • The #streetphotography tag on Instagram has lots of pictures of people on streets, but not much street photography.

  • VSCO Cam is the new Hipstamatic.

  • Put your mobile photos on your own blog. Don’t just give them to social networks. They could disappear any day. I’m looking your way Posterous.

  • Pick up your old camera. You don’t have to shoot everything with the phone.

  • Great photo apps are rare, be kind to the few developers who care.

  • The sillier your case the better the impromptu street portrait.

  • All cameras will be connected within the next five years.

  • Your party photos will probably be blurry.

  • HDR is not a toy.

  • Online friends can and do become real life friends.

  • Share your photo secrets. No one can steal your personal vision.

  • The best looking mobile prints often have very little apping/editing.

  • It’s hard to follow more than 200 people on any social photo network.

  • Learn to spot the difference between good and bad criticism.

  • Follow the light. Follow mobile photographers who see the light.

  • The more you shoot the more you learn why you shoot.

  • Shoot for you not anyone else.

  • Recommended Blog posts
    New Mission: 25 Days of Summer
    Views from a city scarred by war. Ben Lowy takes our new filter to Sarajevo
    Taking Black & White Photography to the Next Level. Koci Shoots Capa

    Header image by @mishobaranovic