Caldwell S. (Ed.) - Master iPhone Photography: Snap, Edit and Share Your Mobile Images

Contributors

Karissa Bell ( @karissabe ) is an app-obsessed writer based in San Francisco.

Associate Editor Serenity Caldwell ( @settern ) helps run the Superguide program. After taking hundreds of photos for this book, her new motto is always be snapping.

Alexandra Chang ( @alexandra_chang ) writes about all sorts of gizmos and gadgets for Wired . She loves her iPhone camera.

Lauren Crabbe ( @crabbeypants ) is a freelance writer living in San Francisco. She has a degree in photojournalism and a black belt in awesome.

Senior Editor Jackie Dove ( @jackidove ) runs Macworld s Create channel, which covers software, hardware, and services that help Mac users in creative pursuits.

Senior Editor Dan Frakes ( @danfrakes ) authors the Mac Gems column; covers the audio/video, accessory, and input-device beats; and writes about OS X and iOS, troubleshooting, and hardware.

Dave Johnson covers a variety of consumer and business technology topics, though he focuses on digital imaging and mobile computing.

Heather Kelly ( @kelly_heather ) loves photography, bunnies, cheese, and arguments. She is currently a tech reporter for CNN.com and lives in San Francisco, where she is probably cold right now.

Senior Editor Dan Moren ( @dmoren ) isnt presumptuous enough to take pictureshe much prefers to give them to others.

Senior Editor Tim Moynihan ( @aperobot ) has used nearly every pocket camera released in the past four years, and yet he usually reaches for his iPhone when he needs to take a photo.

Senior Contributor Derrick Story ( @Derrick_Story ) teaches digital photography on Lynda.com and runs a virtual camera club at The Digital Story .

Macworld Contributor Marco Tabini ( @mtabini ) runs a development and publishing company based in Toronto, Canada.

Macworld Assistant Editor Leah Yamshon ( @leahyamshon ) would like to thank iPhoto for iOS and her eight favorite photo apps for sprucing up her shots.

Chapter 1

Get Started

FROM THE BEGINNING Lets start with the basics, so you can learn to take beautiful iPhone photos like this one.

Digital photography is as much about our technical gear as it is about art, making our digital cameras one of the most unique gadgets in our day-to-day lives. You dont need to have an expensive DSLR or to lug around a point-and-shoot to capture good photos. If you have a smartphone with a built-in camera, you may already have the only camera you need in your pocket. The iPhone makes a surprisingly robust camera, thanks in large part to the built-in apps that let you shoot, manage, and sync your images.

If you own an iPhone or iPod touch, chances are youve used it to take a photograph or two before. But you can use your device for so much moreif youre willing to give it a shot. In this chapter, we explain why you might want to use an iPhone for such tasks, in what cases a digital camera might work better, and some good basics to know when it comes to iPhone photography.

Why Use an iPhone?

An iPhone isnt perfect for your every photographic need. But it can serve awfully well in many situations where you might once have needed a digital camera.

When you look at basics, it doesnt get any simpler than a camera phone. Smartphones are constantly upgrading the quality of their built-in cameras. Many even shoot high-definition (HD) video. While the image caliber of smartphones is still catching up with that of the most basic point-and-shoots, their popularity has skyrocketed.

The iPhone also has features that other cameras dont, including access to fun and creative editing apps. The phone stays in your pocket, so you always have a camera handy when unexpected moments come up. Its also incredibly small, which makes it easy to capture scenes without drawing attention to yourself. You can edit images and share them instantly with friends and family. Finally, the simplicity of its camera tools makes a smartphone the ultimate entry-level camera.

True, with an iPhone you lack some settings controls. The gadget also sports smaller image sensors and a fixed aperture (the depth of field in an image). Digital cameras and SLRs may allow you greater flexibility in that arena.

So yes, there are still situations where you might want a heftier piece of equipment, such as in low-light areas or when youre trying to capture fast motion. But for many others, the iPhone can be just as good asif not better thanyour DSLR. As the popular saying goes, The best camera is the one you have with you.

The iPhone versus a Digital Camera: Which Is Better?

iPhone	Digital Camera
Kids	Fast movement may result in blurry pictures, but quick access to the camera allows you to capture moments otherwise forgotten.	Takes higher-quality pictures, but you risk kids moving before you set up the shot or freezing up at the sight of a proper camera.
Food	Its always in your pocket, and you can quickly whip it out at the dinner table, though shooting dishes in low light may prove difficult. The iPhones lack of white balance controls may also over-color images; try a third-party app to warm up your food photo.