Common Wisdom: Smart phones don't take good landscape photos. Not true!
This is an UN-RETOUCHED iPhone 5 photo, using Apple's native software.
For nearly a year after buying my iPhone 5, I thought that it was good for close-ups, and lousy for landscape-style photos. You may have had the same experience. But in this photo, the distant horizon is as crisp and clear as the interesting arch formed by the dead Ironwood branch in the foreground.
Tip 1: Get something in the foreground
The iPhone camera requires something in the foreground as a point of focus. Once I realized this, I started taking GREAT photos with my iPhone.
The photo in this paragraph (we'll talk about the frame and text in a moment) was taken at sunset in Tucson County Mountain Park. Notice that the focus in not on the cactus in the immediate foreground (bottom right) but on the rock to the left of the photo. Play with it, and shoot several photos. Digital is free and immediate, and we like that!
Tip 2: Choose strong reflective lighting
The photo at the top of the post was taken ten minutes before sundown. The rays of the setting sun painted the landscape with bright golden light. Early morning light gives the same result. This same photo, if taken at noon, would appear drab and dull.
Tip 3: Use the free online app PIXLR Express to personalize your photos on the fly
Visit the App Store / Play Store to download the free online app by AutoDesk, Pixlr Express. It has an amazing array of editing capabilities. In the photo next to Tip 1, I used it to frame the photo and place my name in the bottom right hand corner. You can also use Pixlr Express to superimpose one photo over another, and to change the opacity of the top photo.
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