50 Things I Have Learned About Mobile Photography by Misho Baranovic

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.