In a world where beautiful social media posts influence many of our travel decisions, it’s only natural that we not only want to travel to gorgeous featured destinations, but also want to recreate iconic photos and videos we see populating our feeds. I’ve been there. You’ve been there. We’ve all been there. And the number one question asked is always, “what camera did you use?”

You know what’s coming, right? I’m going to tell you the camera doesn’t matter. Not really.

It’s true, most of the time, the camera doesn’t really matter unless you’re looking to produce really high quality, canvas size prints or editorial work. Most entry based DSLR cameras will give you the same results but - this is the whole point of this blog - so will your phone. Most of us are walking around with quality cameras right in our pockets. And while it can take a little bit to perfect the art of phone photography (I say this as someone who’s always traveled with a DSLR), current generation iPhones & Androids are powerful tools that can even out-perform some DSLRs in certain conditions.

If you’re already used to traveling with your DSLR or mirrorless camera, I’m not going to tell you not to do it. That would make me such a hypocrite. I recently upgraded to mirrorless, and I’ll never give up carrying a camera everywhere I go because the photos do hit differently. But, I also have to admit that my iPhone has come through on many an occasion and literally saved the day when I shorted my Nikon in Iceland during a particularly nasty downpour. That was day 4 of a 2-week trip. After spending a solid 24-hours in a constant state of shock, I accepted that my iPhone would have to fill in the gaps. Did I get some of the epic landscape shots I had hoped to get? No, but I did come away with a boatload of photos and videos that I’m nevertheless proud of.

So if you’re looking to up your smartphone travel photography game, read on for some tips that’ll make your photos stand out from the crowd.

The Benefits of Using Your Phone to Photograph Your Travels:

The most obvious reason is, it’s always on you!
It’s easy to point & shoot on the fly, while also having the option to play with presets and manual settings
It’s super versatile and easy to handle if you want to get creative and try out a trending hack
Instant gratification - you can immediately share your photo or video to your feed
Edit on the fly with the use of mobile editing apps

Wipe Your Lenses

Make it a habit. Anytime you reach for your phone, just give your front and rear lenses a wipe with your sleeve or bottom of your shirt. You wouldn’t believe how much of a difference a dirty lens will make on your photos. A smudge or fingerprint is all it takes to make your photo blurry, unfocused and low quality.

Turn On the Grid Lines

Have you ever taken a gorgeous photo of a sunset or sunrise, only to realize later that your horizon line was totally askew? Or your city photos are tilted, causing you to cut off important details if you try to crop and straighten? Turn on your grid lines and see how much easier it is to frame your shot, and keep it level. Grid lines will also give you a guide of where to frame your subject according to the Rule of Thirds. Frame your subject along the lines, or better yet the intersection of the lines, and you will have a much stronger image.

Stuðlagil Canyon, Iceland, 2022
photo by Ana Santos

Include People in Your Landscape Photos

Soaring landscapes are gorgeous and we always want to capture them, but usually our smartphones won’t be able to capture what we see. In order to give the landscape some scale, try to include at least one person in your shot. Not only will the place instantly look grander, it will also give your photo a completely different vibe. If you’re traveling solo, this could be a little bit more difficult to plan, but if you’re at a popular destination, chances are someone will eventually wander into your shot regardless.

Use Portrait Mode

The most obvious difference between a smartphone snapshot and a DSLR photo is the use of depth of field. By using Portrait Mode on your smart phone, you’ll be able to blur the background and attain truly gorgeous portraits or detail shots. While in Portrait Mode, you’ll be able to adjust your aperture which determines the amount of background blur.

Use Burst Mode

Specially useful during candid or action shots, burst mode is a life-saver if you’re trying to get that quintessential jumping shot, or trying to wrangle a group who can’t keep still. Hold down the shutter and your phone will fire off several rapid photos, ensuring that eyes will be open and there’ll be at least one winner among the bunch.

Bonus Tip: Visit Popular Places at Off Hours

I’m not a morning person by any means, but sometimes getting out ahead of the crowds is not only the best, but the only way to have a particularly popular landmark all to yourself. I’ll let you in on a little secret - this is the way most travel bloggers and influencers work. For example, going to be spending a few days in Rome and really want a photo in front of the Trevi Fountain without literally hundreds of people swarming in around you? Hit the streets by 6-7am and you’re likely to have the place to yourself. The same idea applies to Iceland in peak summer months. There’s nothing more magical than having a waterfall all to yourself. Visit in the middle of the night while the sun gives you gorgeous golden hour light and you’ll never want to visit tourist spots during ‘normal’ hours again.

While this is a short list, I believe it’ll give you a good stepping off point to really up your travel photography game while using a smartphone.

In addition, I would also recommend filming video during your travels - you can always grab a still frame and turn it into a picture. If you really want that extra wow factor, consider investing in a gimble to stabilize your shots. I just picked up an Insta 360 Flow, and cannot wait to get out there and experiment.

Number one thing to remember is, please be mindful of other cultures and be respectful of monuments, temples, churches, landmark sites and your fellow travelers.

Have fun! Reach out to me on Instagram, I’d love to see your adventures!

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5 Expert Tips to Elevate Your Phone Travel Photography