Trekking with an iPhone? How to Capture the Best iPhone Photos

Written by EJ Ray

April 16, 2021
Home >> Travel >> Trekking with an iPhone? How to Capture the Best iPhone Photos

We all know that the latest iPhone has a brilliant phone camera. Of course, there are other great smartphones, but when it comes to photography, the iPhone steals the cake. Now imagine yourself carrying your iPhone on a long-planned trek. The beautiful mountains, the inspiring greenery of the wilderness, and the blues of the gushing waterfalls. Who would not want to capture all these for a lifetime of memories?



If you have a trek or a hiking expedition coming up, you might want to brush up on your photography skills and capture some memorable photos. Your DSLRs might be too heavy while on your trek, so your iPhone can swoop in to save the day. However, there are a few tips that you might want to pay attention to if you want to capture the best trekking photos. Here are our suggestions for how to take the best iPhone photos.

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Lighting for Your iPhone Photos

Even people who have never touched a camera in their lives would know that nothing is quite as important as lighting when it comes to photography. Adequate lighting can add an ethereal quality to a simple shot. On the other hand, inadequate lighting can mar a perfectly framed shot. Therefore, before you intend to take a picture, see to it that you have optimal lighting around you.

Here is a simple tip to use the lighting in your favor. Try to locate the sun. Having the sun behind the object you are photographing usually makes for the best lighting direction. So try to take the picture when the sun is behind you and the object is well-lit.


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best iPhone photos

Lighting is important when trying to capture the best iPhone photos. Image by Zozz_ from Pixabay



However, if you are shooting a typical sunrise or want to capture the setting sun, make sure you face the sun from an angle. You can use the HDR setting of your iPhone to take pictures, as this enhances the quality of the photos.

Framing Your Shot

The second most important element of photography is the framing of the shot. Whether you use your DSLR or your iPhone, framing of the photographs is vital for any medium. Most people, while hiking and trekking, make the mistake of holding their phones in the ‘portrait’ mode while shooting anything. This leaves a lot of area around them that could have been otherwise captured. It offers a different perspective when you hold your phone in the ‘landscape’ mode so that you can cover as much area as possible.



best iphone photos

Be sure to try both landscape and portrait mode. Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

Another great tip that you can follow to take beautiful photos on your iPhone while hiking is opting for the rule of thirds. This means you need to break down your composition of the photo into three parts so that you can line up your objects well and cover as much area as possible. You can turn on grid mode to help you estimate the thirds.

best iphone photos

Use the grids on your iPhone to use the rule of thirds to help you frame the shot.

Basic Editing for Your iPhone Photos

Once you have taken care of the lighting and the composition of your photos, the last thing that you must do is use basic editing apps and software on your phone. Fortunately, iPhone has a number of free apps and software that you can use to enhance the quality of your photos. In fact, iPhone has some in-built editing tools that you can use to add the final touches to your photos. You can explore these features and see which editing tool works the best for your photo before you post it on social media. In fact, some of these tools on iPhones even help in making an animated.gif from still photos. You might want to try them out.

Summing Up

The iPhone is hands-down the best phone for photography and is every photographer’s delight. If you have a trek planned for the future and have access to an iPhone, use these tips to improve your photography skills to take the best iPhone photos. Be sure to check Wander for great ideas on where you can get outdoors to practice your iPhone photography skills.

If you have a trek or a hiking expedition coming up, you might want to brush up on your photography skills and capture some memorable photos. Your DSLRs might be too heavy while on your trek, so your iPhone can swoop in to save the day. However, there are a few tips that you might want to pay attention to if you want to capture the best trekking photos. Here are our suggestions for how to take the best iPhone photos. 



Written by EJ Ray

EJ Ray is a traveler at heart. It is part of her soul and she loves to share her travels through her words. She has traveled the world, seeking great food, wine, and experiences. EJ was born in the Eastern US but has lived across the country and in Europe and Mexico. She also took to the road for a while, exploring from her RV. EJ always seeks the next great sip, bite, and adventure.

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