If you follow me on Instagram you will know that I currently shoot 99% of my photos on my phone, whether it be my iPhone 7 Plus, or my work phone – the Nokia 7 Plus.
As much as I love using a camera to snap away, since finding myself without a camera I have really grown to love mobile photography. I find it much easier than carrying around a camera, I understand the settings a little bit more and although the quality isn’t *as good* as it would be on a DLSR, it’s pretty damn good considering.
Recently, I took part in an incredible project run by Three UK, Samsung Mobile and Traverse. The idea was to use the Samsung Galaxy S9+ for two weeks to take photos, with our best photo to be displayed in a London art gallery among 40 more incredible influencers.
The phone arrived the day I moved house, so it was a couple of days before I ‘unboxed’ it and really got a chance to have a play around with it. The first thing I did was load it up, log into my Instagram and post an Insta story on both my iPhone 7 Plus and my loaned Samsung phone, side by side. Straight away, you could tell a difference with the quality.
Not only was it clearer, sharper and more crisp, but the colours were incredible and so much more true to life. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll know I love a colourful feed so this was absolutely PERFECT for me.
Shooting with the Samsung Galaxy S9+
A few days later I planned a shoot with a friend, so I thought it would be the perfect time to test out the phone. We headed to the nearby town of Bridgnorth as it is super cute and instagramable – the perfect place to test out my new toy.
The Samsung Galaxy S9+ allows you to take quality photos on both the 12MP front camera AND the 8MP rear camera. It has two f-stop modes (F1.5 and F2.4) and a category-defining Dual Aperture that adapts to bright light and low light automatically – perfect for those shots in Instagram cafes with low light. The S9+ camera also has an optical image stabilisation (OIS), which means you can clear, crisp photos even if you’re a little shaky (or on a bumpy ride)! This is super handy for me as sometimes I struggle with shaky hands or grabbing a quick shot!
With a live focus it made the portrait shots I did SUPER easy, which I LOVED. So much so, I picked one of my portrait photos as the final piece to be displayed in the London Art Gallery.
So, back to my day in Bridgnorth – we spent the entire day taking photographs in wheat fields, on the cliff railway and of the incredible views from the top of the town. All of which was made SO MUCH easier with the Samsung Galaxy S9+ – and with the live focus it literally felt as though I was shooting with my old Olympus Pen!
The quick launch button was also an incredible touch, as it meant I could launch the camera before my phone was out of my pocket – so there was no way I’d miss those shots that normally pass me by (it happens a lot, seriously).
Tips for Mobile Photography
? Have a play around with ALL of the settings to find what you’re most comfortable with, and what works best for you.
? Use your phones ‘Pro’ mode if it has one, it’s there for a reason and can help you create some INCREDIBLE shots.
? Turn on the 3×3 grid to help you line and frame your photo, avoiding the need to straighten in an app afterwards.
? Try shooting with your mobiles ‘burst’ option to catch fast paced photos, perfect for those shots of you where you want to looking like you’re on a casual stroll.
? Similar to with your camera, use the rule of thirds to help frame your photograph.
? Use mobile apps like Lightroom, Snapseed and VSCO to add the final touches to your photos.
? Try not to use the zoom feature if you don’t have to, it decreases the quality of the photo and makes it even hard to edit post shoot.
The #ThreeGallery
I LOVED using the Samsung Galaxy S9+ and I was gutted I had to give it back, but at least I can say that one of my photographs was displayed in a gallery among some INCREDIBLE shots, which is pretty cool right?
I couldn’t attend on the day, but Traverse very kindly sent me a photograph of my chosen shot on display and I think I am in love. It’s one of my favourite photographs I have ever taken and I am so so happy with it. Now, where can I get myself a Galaxy S9+? ?
Kirsty Leanne
xoxo
