We asked eight photographers what their secret is for taking great photos with your cell phone. This was answered

For a long time now, mobile phone cameras have in the vast majority of cases been sufficient to obtain quality result, typical even for a professional camera, although there is clearly still some distance. This has been driven by great industry leaders such as Apple, Samsung, Huawei and Xiaomi.

Last week we were able to attend an event organized precisely by Xiaomi in collaboration with Leica, a well-known camera manufacturer with which the Chinese brand has been collaborating for many years in the field of camera technology for its flagships. There we were able to meet eight professional photographers from eight different countries from Europe who revealed some of their secrets to immortalize scenes and moments using only their mobile phone cameras.

You no longer need to carry a DSLR camera with you

Clearly, neither the photographers we had the pleasure of speaking with nor other professionals doubt the still obvious distance between the traditional camera and the mobile phone. However, “the difference is almost unnoticeable” as Javier Corso, a documentary photographer who, among other things, works for National Geographic, told us.

Portuguese Rui Caria, also a documentary photographer, emphasizes The amazing evolution of smartphone cameras and its amazing versatility. The fact that you can carry it in your pocket, take it out and shoot at any time is a real joy for this and other photographers we spoke to, such as Maurice Pele, a photographer who pays particular attention to this issue.

For street photographer Fabien Ecochard, the latter is also interesting because he can explore the city without carrying the weight of a camera, and because of its versatility the ability to easily position ourselves the way we want. Going down to earth to take a photo is “nothing” for these photographers (or anyone with a cell phone with a good camera), and neither is going anywhere without an invasive element.

All of the photographers interviewed are professionals with many years of experience and have been using smartphones for many of their projects for several years. We might think, as in this case, that ultimately they are only doing this because it is a collaboration with Xiaomi. And maybe that was the starting point, but given his exhibitions, his work remains as amazing as if it were shot with a traditional camera.

What advice do professionals give for taking good photos with your cell phone?

After speaking in depth with photographers and attending their workshops at SOLO Gallery in Madrid, we were able to collect tips that these photographers apply in their work with mobile photography. This is what they love to share with all those who, with more or less involvement, want to get great results using only the camera of their phone.

Patience

There was talk about spontaneity, so that at any moment you could take out your cell phone and shoot. And while it’s not contradictory, some photographers we spoke to emphasize the value of patience as a necessary weapon if you want to take a good photo. Sometimes you don’t get it the first time, but maybe you get it the second time. Or the third. Even the fourth or fifth. “It’s important to be able to wait for the moment and keep shooting until we get what we want.”

Using RAW mode

Absolutely all the photographers we spoke with agree that the RAW format needs to be highlighted. They talked about the Xiaomi 14 Ultra and how this is its main feature, but it applies to more and more high-end smartphones that have it. This is perhaps the worst way to get a beautiful photo at first, but without a doubt the best and only one that guarantees absolutely no processing, so you can edit the parameters manually and then yes, get a photo worthy of any other professional camera.

Maximum megapixels always

We already know that megapixels are not everything in a mobile phone camera and that it is useless to have a sensor of, for example, 200 megapixels if it is not accompanied by a good configuration. However, if everything else is fine and all the tips have been applied, professionals always recommend opting for the maximum resolution mode of mobile cameras. Combined with RAW, this is ideal for creating good edits in post-production without sacrificing quality.

Use Pro mode

You can get good photos automatically, but all the photographers we spoke to agreed to use the camera app’s “Pro” mode and change various settings to get a unique photo based on the conditions of the scene. However, they argue that modern mobile phones already work very well in automatic mode, so they have no barriers to recommending their use to those with less technical knowledge.

Set up filters

Many mobile phones already allow the creation of personalized templates, in which a certain configuration that we have previously set is used as a standard. Photographers encourage us to create our own style and already have some presets for certain types of photographs, and this way we can more easily give consistency to our entire collection, as well as leave our personal stamp.

Don’t be afraid of “bad conditions”

Light isn’t always the best option for photography, but by varying your capture settings and a trained eye in later editing, you can capture great scenes even if it doesn’t seem like the most optimal situation at first.

Enjoy the process

This is an excellent reflection, for which we must give credit to Rui Karia, but which his colleagues have also proposed to a greater or lesser extent. Photography is a job or a hobby, but above all an art. Having fun along the way is key if you’re passionate about it, and the Portuguese place a special emphasis on this for anyone willing to venture out.

The photographs you saw in this article were taken by these photographers using a “simple” smartphone. After all, they are the result of a meticulous approach to one’s work and undeniable proof that a mobile phone can be more than useful in producing professional work.

These photographers have a lot of experience working with professional cameras, which obviously makes their task much easier. Nevertheless, By applying advice like the ones we are given, everyone can at least try. Neither they nor we believe that professional cameras will disappear because of smartphones, but without a doubt, we are experiencing a pleasant moment in which a mobile phone can now become an ideal and unique companion. Regardless of whether you have prior knowledge or not.

Cover image | Javier Corso

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