18 iPhone Photo & Video Tips to Look Like a Pro

Visual content is crucial in digital marketing and online engagement in today's digital age. Social media has impacted the travel industry, building a need to master your iPhone camera skills and creative efforts. Whether you're a content creator or want to capture stunning moments optimized for various marketing platforms, our photo and video experts are here to help. This guide will provide you with the best iPhone camera settings, photography tips, videography tips, and more. Get ready to unlock the full potential of your iPhone camera–let's dive in!

BEST SETTINGS FOR IPHONE CAMERA

1. Turn HDR for Video OFF (for iPhone 12 or later): HDR, or “High Dynamic Range,” doesn't enhance quality significantly and has drawbacks. It consumes more space and can cause overexposure issues when transferring between platforms like CapCut or Premiere Pro.
2. Record at 4K 60fps: iPhones support 4K recording for sharper footage. Adjust it in the camera screen or make it permanent (see image below). Note that 4K uses more space, so switch back if storage is an issue. Higher FPS or frames per second allows for smooth footage and better slow motion in apps like Premiere Pro. For editing in Instagram or TikTok, 30fps is ideal.
3. Lock ISO (Brightness): To lock the brightness at your desired level, use AE/AF Lock. Touch and hold the subject area, then adjust brightness by dragging your finger. AE/AF Lock keeps the brightness locked as long as it's displayed at the top of the screen.
4. Lock Your Focus: Similar to the above, your camera auto-focus might not line up with what you’re trying to achieve. If you selected your subject to lock brightness, congrats, you’ve already selected your focus! If you haven’t, just click and hold on the thing you want in focus until you see AE/AF lock.
5. Always Use Your Rear Camera! Even for "Selfie" Style Videos: The 4K settings from above only work if you’re using your rear camera. Ever wonder why some influencers’ marketing content looks so crisp even though they're filming a “selfie” style video? It’s likely because they’re using their rear camera on 4K.

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IPHONE PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY TIPS

1. Don’t Use Zoom: One of the simplest yet most effective techniques to improve your iPhone photography and videography is not to use built-in zoom but physically move the camera closer to the subject.
2. Give Yourself Buffer Room: When capturing videos for social content, it's essential to give yourself some extra time before and after the action or subject to ensure you have sufficient footage or image content for editing and trimming.
3. Understand Resolutions: The resolution of your iPhone videos determines the number of pixels within each frame, affecting the clarity and crispness of the footage; 4K vertical has a resolution of 2160x3840, while standard vertical is 1080x1920.
4. Know Where To Focus: Achieve optimal sharpness and clarity of your subject by clicking on it with the iPhone camera (you can click and hold to lock focus). With this feature, you can control what is blurry and what is sharp so your audience knows what to pay attention to.
5. Control ISO/Lighting: Find the ideal balance between light and dark by adjusting the ISO settings on your iPhone camera, ensuring your photos and videos are well-exposed and visually appealing. It is crucial to find good lighting because too much or little light can make the shot unusable for photo and video editing and digital marketing purposes. For this one, think Goldilocks. Not too dark. Not too light. Juuuust right.

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FRAMING CHEAT SHEET

1. Head Room: When capturing a person's face, ensure you leave a little space between the top of the subject's head and the upper edge of the frame. Adequate head room is important to ensure the subject's head isn't cut off at the top of the frame. Too much head room can make the composition feel unbalanced, while too little head room may make the subject appear cramped.
2. Look Room: If your subject is looking or moving in a particular direction, it's important to leave adequate space in front of their face. This gives the viewer a sense of where the person is looking or heading, adding a dynamic element to the composition. It's particularly relevant when shooting videos or capturing subjects in motion.
3. Lead Room: It is crucial to provide extra space in front of a moving subject to indicate its direction or trajectory. This technique is commonly used when capturing subjects in motion. By leaving ample space in front of the subject, you allow the viewer to see that it has someplace to go, providing visual anticipation and helping prevent the subject from appearing constrained or running out of the frame.
4. Grid: The grid feature on your iPhone camera is a valuable tool that can help you compose your shots effectively. When enabled, it divides your frame into a 3x3 grid with two horizontal and two vertical lines intersecting. For the cleanest look, either center your subject, align them along the grid lines, or place them at their intersections. Placing your subject off-center adds visual interest and creates a more balanced composition.
5. Movement: When shooting TikTok or Instagram reels with multiple videos, it's generally cleaner to have consistent movement in the same direction. This creates a smoother transition between clips and maintains a cohesive flow. It really depends on the style and what works best for your content, whether it's panning, tracking, or controlled camera movements. Remember to consider head room, look room, and lead room while incorporating movement.
6. Angle: For capturing a person's face, shooting from a straight-on angle is often the most flattering and straightforward approach. However, the choice of angle depends on the desired effect and context. Experiment with different angles, such as high angles or low angles, to add variety and visual interest to your shots. Additionally, when shooting b-roll or capturing different subjects, consider the angles that best convey the intended message or emotion you want to convey to the viewers.

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HOW TO SHARE IPHONE PHOTO & VIDEO

1. AirDrop: AirDrop is the best method for sharing your iPhone photos and videos, offering the highest quality transfer. By utilizing AirDrop, you can ensure that the original quality of your visuals is preserved, making it ideal for future editing and enhancing the work of video and photo editors.
2. Shared Albums: It's important to note that when you add videos to shared albums, they undergo significant compression, reducing their resolution to 720p even if they were originally filmed in 4k. This compression can pose challenges for editors who want to work with the video or combine it with other higher-quality videos. Consider alternative methods for sharing your videos if you want to maintain their original quality and provide flexibility for future editing projects.

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By implementing the best settings for your iPhone camera and utilizing effective photography and videography tricks, you can enhance your digital marketing efforts and elevate your content to new heights. Delicious Digital Marketing offers a range of photo and video services, including photography, videography, retouching, virtual tours, and more. Contact us today for help capturing compelling visuals that will make your content stand out and drive engagement.