Can I take landscapes pictures with my smartphone?

Why Smartphone Landscape Photos Don't Look Like What Your Eyes Saw

Spoiler: Yes, you can. You can take good landscape pictures with your smartphone. Just keep reading.

Introduction

We all love to take photos of landscapes with our smartphones, but have you ever noticed that the pictures don't always look like what you saw? The colors may seem off, the image may be too dark or too bright, or the details may be lost. In this blog post, we will discuss the reasons behind this phenomenon and what you can do to improve your smartphone landscape photography.

The Limitations of Smartphone Cameras

While smartphone cameras have come a long way in recent years and can produce stunning images, they still have some limitations. One of the main limitations is the size of the camera sensor. Smartphones have very small camera sensors compared to DSLR cameras, which means they capture less light and detail. This can result in noisy or blurry images, especially in low-light conditions. Additionally, smartphones usually don't allow you to change lenses, and sometimes you need a specific focal length to evoke the desired emotions.

Here is a list of features that DSLRs or mirrorless cameras have that smartphones do not:

Larger camera sensor: Mirrorless cameras have larger sensors compared to smartphones, which means they can capture more light and detail. This results in clearer, sharper, and more detailed images, especially in low-light conditions.
Ability to change lenses: Unlike smartphones, mirrorless cameras allow you to change lenses. This gives you more creative control over your images and allows you to achieve different focal lengths and creative effects. For example, you can use a wide-angle lens to capture a sweeping vista, or a telephoto lens to capture a distant subject.
Better dynamic range: Mirrorless cameras have a wider dynamic range compared to smartphones, which means they can capture both bright and dark areas in the same image. This allows you to capture more detail in high-contrast scenes, such as a landscape with a bright sky and dark foreground.
More manual controls: Mirrorless cameras have more manual controls compared to smartphones. This includes the ability to adjust settings such as aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. This gives you more creative control over your images and allows you to achieve the desired look and feel.

But... are these missing features stopping you? Is this what you need to improve your photography skills? It depends.

So can I take good landscapes pictures with my smartphone?

Yes, you can definitely improve your photography skills. Even if you have never used a camera before, your pictures may still look average if you use a professional camera. However, if you buy a camera and become more interested in photography, you will learn new skills and start taking better pictures. Additionally, you will likely begin to edit your pictures and pay more attention to composition.

In short, people who take better pictures with a camera do so not necessarily because of the camera itself, but often because they are more interested in photography. They learn and read about how to take pictures. It's possible that the problem isn't your smartphone.

General Tips for Landscape Photography with Your Smartphone

Despite the limitations of smartphone cameras, you can still take great landscape pictures with them. Here are some tips:

Clean your lens: Before taking a photo, make sure your smartphone lens is clean. Use a microfiber cloth or lens cleaning solution to remove any dirt or smudges.
Use the rule of thirds: The rule of thirds is a basic principle of photography that involves dividing the frame into thirds vertically and horizontally. Place the horizon line along one of these lines to create a more balanced and visually pleasing composition.
Use leading lines: Leading lines are lines within a photo that draw the viewer's eye towards a specific point. Use natural lines in the landscape, such as roads, fences, or rivers to guide the viewer's eye towards the main subject.
Use natural light: The best time to take landscape photos is during the golden hour, which is the hour after sunrise or the hour before sunset. During this time, the light is softer and warmer, which can create a more dramatic and atmospheric image (Have you ever seen a landscape picture on my Instagram from a sunny day at midday, maybe not).
Experiment with different angles: Don't be afraid to get low or high to capture a unique perspective. You can also try tilting your phone to create a more dynamic composition.
Edit your photos: Use editing apps to enhance your photos, but be careful not to over-edit. Adjust the exposure, contrast, and color balance to create a natural-looking image.

By following these tips, you can take stunning landscape photos with your smartphone that look just like what you saw.

However, I believe there are two critical points that need to be corrected and improved. The first is composition and lighting, and the second is post-processing or editing.

The Importance of Composition and Lighting

Smartphone landscape photos may not look like what you saw is due to poor composition and lighting. When taking a photo, it's important to consider the placement of objects within the frame and the lighting conditions. A poorly composed photo can make the landscape look cluttered or unbalanced, while poor lighting can result in a dull or washed-out image. Smartphones can also struggle with dynamic range, which is the ability to capture both bright and dark areas in the same image. This can result in overexposed or underexposed areas in the photo.

This is why the image becomes overexposed when taking a portrait with the sun positioned behind the subject. This problem can occur even with professional cameras, although they are better equipped to handle such situations. However, it is still important to be aware of this issue.

Ok, this blog is not a course about composition but basically; If there is something distracting in your frame, change your perspective or move.

If you see an intense source of light that is blowing out your image, move a little bit.
Again, use composition techniques such as the rule of thirds or leading lines.
Edit your pictures. Every smartphone has the ability to make minor adjustments, such as sharpness or light. I would typically decrease the sharpness (I'll explain shortly).
Keep your horizon straight!
Keep your horizon straight!
Wait... keep your horizon straight. This is the most common mistake that can ruin your pictures.

The Role of Post-Processing

Dolomites
**iPhone 12 Pro - No editing**

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**iPhone 12 Pro** - I made minor adjustments to the contrast and color to make it look as close to the original as possible. You can choose to edit it yourself or let the software from Apple do it for you instead.

Dolomites
Canon EOS R5 + Canon EF 24-70mm @70mm f/2.8 L III IS/ ISO 200 - f/5.6 - 1/200 sec

Lastly, the way you process your smartphone landscape photos can also impact the final result. Many smartphone camera apps have built-in editing tools that allow for minor adjustments. If you are serious about photo editing, consider downloading a better app. You may argue that you don't want to edit your pictures because you want them to be real and not fake. However, if you don't process your pictures, your smartphone will do it for you. Even in the analogue times, Kodak or Fujifilm made films with their colors and decided how the overall look of the image was going to be. We live in an awesome time where you can choose the look you want. If you don't do that, a default software developed by Apple or Samsung will manipulate your picture and make it look unnatural. So, do you think that if Apple or Samsung develops or edits your picture it's more real than doing it by yourself?

Anyway, the thing is that the built-in software on your smartphone isn't as smart as you might think. It often overexposes or underexposes photos and messes up the color balance (but I don't blame it - even my professional-grade camera would do the same thing in automatic mode with JPEG files). Smartphones also tend to oversharpen images, resulting in an unnatural look.

Conclusion

In conclusion, although smartphone cameras have limitations, there are steps you can take to improve your smartphone landscape photography. Consider composition and lighting conditions when taking a photo, and use editing tools to enhance the final result. This is not cheating; you (and not your phone) are just making adjustments. With practice and patience, you can capture stunning landscape photos with your smartphone that look just like what you saw.

You may discover that photography is a subject that interests you, or something you simply enjoy or even love. If that happens, you might decide to purchase a camera, as your phone may be limiting you, particularly in challenging conditions where light is poor or if you want to explore a specific discipline in photography, such as astrophotography.

If you've never done photography before, chances are your smartphone is not limiting you. In fact, using your smartphone for landscape photography is a great way to start and learn. Remember, the best camera for you is the one you have with you right now.

Do you still doubt that the photo was taken by a phone? Here's my proof: