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

Written by EJ Ray

April 16, 2021
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If you have a trek or a hiking expedition coming up, your DSLR might be too heavy, so your iPhone can swoop in to save the day. Here are our suggestions for how to take the best iPhone photos. 

We all know that the latest iPhone has a brilliant camera. Of course, there are other great smartphones, but the iPhone steals the show when it comes to photography. 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?

While iPhone cameras are incredibly powerful, you can take your photos to the next level by enhancing them on your desktop. Snap your shot on your iPhone, then refine it using image enhancement software to bring out the best in lighting, detail, and color. This is a great way to prepare your images for professional use or social media.

If you have a trek or hiking expedition coming up, you might want to brush up on your photography skills to capture 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 taking the best iPhone photos.

Lighting for Your iPhone Photos

Even people who have never touched a camera know that lighting is nothing less than crucial in 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 taking a picture, ensure optimal lighting around you.

Here is a simple tip to use the lighting in your favor. Try to locate the sun. The sun behind the object you photograph usually provides the best lighting. So try to take the picture when the sun is behind you, and the object is well-lit.

best iPhone photos

Lighting is essential for capturing the best iPhone photos. Image by Zozz_ from Pixabay

However, if you are shooting a typical sunrise or want to capture the setting sun, face the sun from an angle. You can use your iPhone’s HDR setting to take photos, which enhances their quality.

Framing Your Shot

The second most crucial element of photography is the framing of the shot. Whether you use your DSLR or your iPhone, the photograph’s framing is vital for any medium. While hiking and trekking, most people make the mistake of holding their phones in the ‘portrait’ mode while shooting anything. This leaves many areas around them that could have been otherwise captured. Holding your phone in the ‘landscape’ mode offers a different perspective 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 for taking beautiful photos on your iPhone while hiking is using the rule of thirds. This means breaking your composition into three parts so you can align 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 you must do is use basic editing apps and software on your phone. Fortunately, the iPhone has many free apps and software that you can use to enhance the quality of your photos. In fact, the iPhone has some built-in editing tools that you can use to add the final touches to your photos. The native tools available when you edit photo on iPhone—exposure control, color warmth, sharpness, and vignette—cover the full range of adjustments move images need before they’re ready to post, without downloading a single third-party app.

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 and have an iPhone, use these tips to improve your photography skills and 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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