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O

K, so you’ve been reading

this column for a few

months. You’re finding it

quite interesting. Perhaps

you’re thinking this Clinch

chap just might have a

point about mobile photography. And that

maybe – just maybe – there actually is

more to this than meets the eye.

Well my friends, we are just approaching

the time of year when you can put your

theories and mine to the test. Yes, it’s

nearly holiday time. The best way to really

push yourself and find out if you like mobile

photography and if it suits you is – prepare

yourselves – not to take your camera on

holiday with you!

We’ve all done it and I’m as guilty as

the next man. Those grandiose ideas of

starting a project. Shooting some deep and

meaningful portraits of Greek shepherds.

Getting up at dawn to capture the beauty

of a Mediterranean sunrise. All have fallen

by the wayside as soon as a glass of chilled

TECHNIQUE

timclinchphotography.com

Mobile phone photography gives everyone the chance to experiment

with all kinds of apps. But it also allows you to travel light. Tim Clinch

has ideas, recommendations and a challenge for you...

THE SMART GUIDE

TO PHOTOGRAPHY

In fact, the toppest of top tips. If I could pick out the one fault that I see more

often than any other, the thing that drives me round the bend and the thing

that so many people don’t even seem to notice:

GET THE HORIZON STRAIGHT

There is a very fashionable trend around at the moment that I do not like.

It’s not for me and I don’t enjoy it, and it is unfortunately prevalent in mobile

photography. It is the ‘wacky angle’ school of photography. You know, the idea

that tilting your picture at a crazy angle will somehow render it more

interesting, edgy, modern...

Well I may be a grumpy old so-and-so, but I’m a broad-minded grumpy old so-

and-so. If this is the sort of thing that floats your boat then by all means go for it.

However, if you are not aiming for this particular effect, please get the horizon

straight. It’s as basic as basic gets, yet so often I see pictures ruined by this

simplest of faults. Practice with your phone, or use the grid feature available,

or correct it afterwards – but for heaven’s sake do it!

TOP TIP

1 2 3

rosé and a plate of prawns appear. The

lovingly packed case of expensive camera

equipment languishes under the bed.

At first you might get annoyed with

yourself, but believe me, after a few days

you’ll be delighted not to be lugging the

kit around with you. And if you’re still at

the experimental stage, it’s by far the best

way to get to grips with what your camera

phone can do.

So here are a few tips on how to make

the most of mobile photography on holiday:

1

Make sure you have enough battery

and storage capacity. As I’ve

mentioned before, make sure you

have some way of extending your battery

life, such as one of the excellent Mophie

storage packs (mophie.com). And back up

your photos. I have my iPhone synced to

automatically back up all my photos to my

Dropbox account whenever I’m in a Wi-fi

zone. It’s free and available for IOS and

Windows, so just do it.

2

Don’t bother with the zoom. Digital

zooms on mobile phones don’t work

like a real zoom lens, they just show

you a close-up of the same picture, so

shoot away and crop in later while editing.

Which brings me on to...

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