Six iPhone Camera Features to Enhance Your Photography

Apple’s latest iPhones bring advanced camera features like Portrait Mode and Photographic Styles. Yet, even the standard photo mode offers several tools that can significantly improve your photography skills. Whether you own a new iPhone or have been using one for years, here are six camera settings worth exploring to elevate your photography experience.

1. Use the Rule of Thirds with Grid Overlay

Apple’s Camera app includes a grid tool to help apply the rule of thirds, which enhances photo composition by dividing the frame into nine equal sections with two horizontal and vertical lines. This tool helps position key elements along the lines or intersections for a more balanced shot. Enable the grid in your iPhone settings:

• Go to Settings > Camera.
• In the “Composition” section, toggle on Grid.

When using the grid, focus on:

• Key Elements: Identify the primary subjects of the photo.
• Subject Positioning: Align key subjects along the grid’s lines or intersections.
• Horizontal Composition: Place horizons or horizontal elements on one of the grid’s lines.
• Balance: Arrange secondary elements to balance the composition.
• Experimentation: Adjust placements creatively to explore different impacts.

2. Straighten Top-Down Shots with the Level Tool

The Level tool in iOS 17 ensures precise alignment for overhead shots, such as food photography or objects on the ceiling. It helps create straight, balanced images. To activate the Level tool:

• Open Settings > Camera.
• Toggle on Level.

When using the camera:

• Select a mode like Photo or Portrait.
• Point the camera directly up or down.
• Align the floating crosshair with the fixed crosshair in the center. When both glow yellow, the phone is perfectly level.

3. Perfect Horizontal Shots with Horizontal Leveling

iOS 17 introduced a horizontal leveling tool for straight-on shots. When enabled, the tool displays a broken horizontal line that turns yellow once the phone is properly leveled. This feature works subtly to ensure perfect orientation. To enable:

• Open Settings > Camera.
• Toggle on Level.

Use this when shooting horizontally aligned subjects, allowing the interface to guide subtle adjustments.

4. Capture Action with Burst Photos

Burst Mode captures multiple photos in rapid succession, perfect for action scenes or unexpected moments. To activate and use Burst Mode:

• Open Settings > Camera.
• Toggle on Use Volume Up for Burst.

In the Camera app, long press the volume up button to start capturing burst shots. A counter indicates the number of photos being taken. Release the button to stop. Burst photos can be reviewed and edited in the Photos app under the “Bursts” album.

5. Mirror Selfies for a Familiar Look

By default, selfies taken with iPhones are flipped, which can look different from the preview. Adjust this to create mirrored selfies:

• Open Settings > Camera.
• Toggle on Mirror Front Camera.

This change ensures the captured selfie matches the preview, aligning with how most third-party apps handle selfies.

6. View Outside the Frame for Better Composition

On iPhone 11 and later models, the “View Outside the Frame” feature reveals additional content outside the photo frame, aiding in alignment without cropping. Enable this feature in settings:

• Open Settings > Camera.
• Under “Composition,” toggle on View Outside the Frame.

This setting provides extra context by using wider lenses to preview surroundings, allowing you to fine-tune alignment and composition before capturing.

These six iPhone camera features offer powerful ways to improve your photos, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced photographer. Experiment with them to take full advantage of your device’s capabilities.