5 inexpensive products to make your photos and videos look just right
Suppose you’ve already spent big bucks on the latest iPhone or Android smartphone, and you’re ready to take mind-blowing photos for your friends and family. You fire up your camera, get in place and snap a photo — but lo and behold, it’s grainy and dark. What gives?
As powerful as your phone’s built-in camera is, it’s not a perfect system. Color balance, lighting and other factors can throw off your photo and turn what should be a professional shot into an amateurish mess. Tap or click here to see how you can put a professional touch on your photos.
But fear not, there are plenty of products and techniques you can use to bring your photos to life like never before. Here are some of our favorite tricks for getting the perfect shot.
1. Start using lenses designed for your smartphone
You don’t need to rely on your phone’s stock camera for photos and videos. There is a range of smartphone lenses that clip to your device and enhance your view without lowering your photo quality — or breaking the bank, for that matter.
This universal smartphone lens from CoPedvic uses specially coated glass to bring you a wider range of color in your shots, as well as different styles like a fish-eye lens, wide-angle lens, and macro lens for close-up photos. It even comes with a metal tripod so you can balance your shot without an unsteady grip.
2. Take video like a pro
Your smartphone is capable of more than you know, and thanks to its beefy computing power, all it takes is a few high-end accessories to turn it into a handheld movie studio.
This smartphone video and vlogging kit from Movo includes everything you need to shoot professionally, including a smartphone grip, boom microphone with fuzzy cover, LED lights and a Bluetooth remote. With this all-in-one kit, your home movies won’t look so homemade anymore.
And for iPhone 11 and 11 Pro users, here’s a quick tip. To keep recording videos from the photo app, press the shutter button and slide it to the right. Then, release it. You’ll keep recording without having to hold the button.
While you’re in this mode, you’ll also see a smaller shutter button that appears to the right. Tap it to take a still photo of what you’re recording, and tap the record button again to stop recording. Now you’ll have the perfect still photos to preview your masterpiece.
3. Use the ‘food photo staples’
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In the pre-pandemic days, going to work meant putting yourself together to look presentable. Now, you might be able to get away with off-camera bunny slippers and pajama pants, but there’s no excuse for grainy or out-of-focus visuals. Tap or click here to see 9 other work-from-home mistakes you’re making.
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