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Okay, yes, there are a ton of tutorial threads for taking photos of your models. But they tend to focus on getting decent equipment and setting up a light box, et cetera. But what if you're out on deployment? At this point in my life, my smart phone (Galaxy S4) is probably about the best I'm going to be able to do. I might, MAYBE get a dedicated camera at some point, but I'm a bit too cluttered in my tiny space as it is. So, with that said, does anyone have any advice for getting better photos out of my android phone? For instance, is there a really good camera app? A good setting that will adjust for the terrible lighting in my room? Need some help here.

Well, firstly, as nearly all phone cameras are adjustable, get the point of focus right. most phone pics I have seen lately the focus point is no-where near whats being taken. have the flash on, and then most phones do the rest.

+1 to this.

I also only have an S4 and I'm interested to find out.

I've learned that that pieces of paper of cloth as a background helps to declutter the photo, putting more emphasis on the mini.

bopins wrote:
Well, firstly, as nearly all phone cameras are adjustable, get the point of focus right. most phone pics I have seen lately the focus point is no-where near whats being taken. have the flash on, and then most phones do the rest.

Every time I have the flash on it washes out all the detail from my models. Is there a way to mitigate that?

you can either hold the phone further away and zoom in, or find the aperture control and make the number bigger. eg, 5.6 to 8.

If you have a desk lap, it will help I a lot. When I used my iPhone 4s, I hold a lamp next to the phone when I take a picture, using that light instead of a flash, it does help a lot.

All my gallery photos are done with:

Iphone 4s + Portable Tripod, Backdrop In A Box,Table Light, 16" Studio Lighting Photobox Kit

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/310782108861?lpid=82

Basically set up the box, put two lights on the sides with diffused light, No flash, Stable phone and BAM.

Good enough for government work.

The more stable your camera on a tripod, the better it can use apature mode, and the less flash/light you need.

That's an interesting kit, nkelsh. I'm looking at it and wondering if it might even fit in my cramped workspace. Does the photobox collapse away for storage? I really, really can't have a big box cluttering up an already limited work area.

 bossfearless wrote:
That's an interesting kit, nkelsh. I'm looking at it and wondering if it might even fit in my cramped workspace. Does the photobox collapse away for storage? I really, really can't have a big box cluttering up an already limited work area.

Yes, the one I have folds flat and has two pockets for the tripod lights and velcrows in such a way to basically be like a small bag.

Here is another one, that has a photo of what it looks like folded up:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/260942185996?lpid=82

It folds up into that black pouch thingie in the bottom left of the photo.

Just a few thinks I've learned from my galaxy s3:

- DO NOT use the flash

- put the model(s) infront of something, be it white paper or the box they came in, you need a good backdrop

- Get good lighting, at least one lamp that can be directly ontop or behind you as you take the picture

- I like to take pictures with HDR on, and resize them later on

and something else but im tired and havnt taken my meds yet, I'll try to remember to comeback if I remember.... probably wasnt that important anyways

EDIT: (this isnt what I was thinking before but its something else) I dont mean to say you need a light box or anything, I just have a lamp with 2 joints and printer paper and my pics are usually fine (unless im lazy)

[quote=BewareOfTom
EDIT: (this isnt what I was thinking before but its something else) I dont mean to say you need a light box or anything, I just have a lamp with 2 joints and printer paper and my pics are usually fine (unless im lazy)