How to Take Better iPhone Pictures to Share

A quick Flickr search shows the iPhone on the list of most popular cameras with four digital SLR cameras. This means that even with the growing popularity of DSLRs cameras, many people end up using the camera that is the most accessible. For iPhone users, that camera is the one built into their handset.

With the growing number of photo applications in the iTunes App Store, creating and sharing your iPhone pictures is easier than you think. Here are a few tips and recommendations for getting the most out of your iPhone camera.

While the iPhone camera is certainly not perfect, it is still possible to get good pictures if you remember to work within its limits.Try to keep these things in mind when snapping away with the iPhone and your photos are sure to improve:

• Keep the iPhone steady: Many people tend to poke at the touchscreen when taking pictures with their iPhone. This often results in blurry pictures because poking at the screen causes the iPhone to move while capturing the picture. Instead, try holding the iPhone with both hands and placing your thumb on the virtual shutter button. When you are ready to take a picture, simply slide your thumb off the button and the iPhone will take the shot.
• Avoid the sun: One major problem with the camera built into the iPhone is its inability to deal with high contrast scenes. An example is when you try to shoot into the sun. Most cameras do not perform well under these conditions but I have found the iPhone handles this worse than most. The next time you are shooting in bright sunlight, be aware of the sun and avoid shooting directly into it. Chances are if you are squinting from the sun in your eyes, the resulting iPhone picture will be a washed out mess.

Once you take better pictures with iPhone, there will still be times when a little editing can make a good photograph even better. From simple editing to creating panoramas, these two applications can really enhance your iPhone pictures:

• Photo fx: A simple and inexpensive photo editing application that allows a range of creative filters to be added to your iPhone images. The application costs $2.99 in the iTunes App Store and is great for exploring your creative vision. For me, every photo I take with the iPhone gets some form of editing in Photo fx before I share it with the world. My review of this useful iPhone App can be found here.
• AutoStitch: If you like creating panoramic images, then AutoStitch is for you. For $1.99, this app gives you the ability to create panoramas right on your iPhone. Since the iPhone lacks the ability to zoom, taking a series of shots to create a panorama can be the best way to fully capture the scene before you. For more information about AutoStitch, check out my review.

The iPhone gives you the ability to share your photos with friends via email or text, but what if you want to upload them to the Internet to share with your online contacts. If you are like me, displaying your work online can be as enjoyable as creating it with the iPhone. Here are two ways to quickly upload and share your iPhone images from anywhere:

• Flickr: One of most popular places for showing off pictures online is at Flickr. With the recent release of the official iPhone Flickr App from Yahoo, uploading your iPhone photos to your Flickr account has gotten even easier. The app is free and is available now at the iTunes App Store.
• Facebook: As the popularity of Facebook continues to grow, more and more people are using Facebook to share their pictures with friends and family. If you want to quickly upload pictures from your iPhone to share with your Facebook contacts, download the free Facebook App and you'll be up and running in no time.