ONE | TWO | THREE | FOUR | FIVE | SIX | SEVEN
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6 Tips to Improve Your iPhone Travel Photography — And One Mistake to Avoid
There have been plenty of times on vacation that I’ve left my DSLR in the hotel room and have relied solely on my iPhone to snap photos — or, in the case of a quick weekend jaunt, left it at home entirely. I used to have pangs of regret, but now that iPhone camera technology has improved so dramatically in past years, it really can be a great substitute for the times that a traditional camera is too big and bulky to bring along.
I’m not the only one who sees the merit in using the iPhone in place of the “real” camera. I attended a virtual event recently with Pete Souza, former President Obama’s official White House photographer, who admitted to using his iPhone camera in place of the DSLR on occasion. If he can do it, I think that gives us all permission to opt for the camera that’s always in our pockets and purses!
It’s a big part of why I was intrigued to see a press release come across my email promoting photographer and author Scott Kelby’s new book, The iPhone Photography Book, a comprehensive guide to iPhone photography that goes through techniques to improve your snapshots with hints that include editing, composition, organization, and more. I had a chance to connect with Scott to share six tips for iPhone photography success with you, and the one mistake to avoid.
1. How to Stop “Missing the Shot!”
If you’ve ever missed a great moment because by the time you unlocked your iPhone, found the Camera app, and then launched it, it was too late, try this trick: When you pick up your iPhone to take a shot, don’t unlock it. Just pick it up, immediately swipe left, and your Camera app appears ready to go!
2. The Best Times to Shoot Travel
The best time to make beautiful travel photos is when the light outdoors is soft and beautiful, and that happens twice a day: about 30 minutes before sunrise, up until about 15 minutes after sunrise, and in the hour before and after sunset. A bonus for shooting around dawn: the tourists will not be awake yet, so you’ll get great shots with no crowds—just beautiful light and tourist-free monuments, streets, and scenes.
3. A Better Way to Take Photos without Tapping the Screen
On a traditional camera, you press a physical button to take a shot, which is one of the big advantages of a traditional camera. But, believe it or not, you can do the same thing with your iPhone: just press the volume up or volume down button to take a shot. Try it once and you’ll use this trick again and again.
4. Capturing the Moment vs. Composition
When you see something charming, or fascinating, or wonderful happening, forget the composition and just capture the moment. We can always go back and crop the photo later in the Photos app to create the composition we were hoping for, but if you miss the “moment,” that moment is gone forever.
5. How to Stop from Having Photos That Are Too Dark or Too Bright
If you’re looking at a scene in front of you, and it seems too dark or too bright, or if your subject is backlit with the sun behind them, right after you tap on the screen to focus on your subject, tap-and-hold your finger on the screen and drag up to make the whole image brighter or down to make it darker.
6. The Secret to (and Two Methods for) Shooting Food
One big reason people love to travel is that they love trying the food, so you want to come back with shots of the amazing dishes you had on your trip. The secret to great food shots is simply great light, and you get that by shooting during the daytime and asking to be seated either outside (under an umbrella or roof of some sort) or right by a window. The two methods for getting great food shots: Turn on Portrait mode and zoom in tight (you don’t have to show the whole plate—just parts of it), and the classic “iPhone from overhead shot straight down on your food” shot.
One Mistake to Avoid: Showing Too Much of the Scene
When you try to capture an entire building (like a cathedral or an opera house or a classic, old building), you usually wind up with things that ruin the romance and timelessness of the shot because there are billboards, signs, power lines, etc. You don’t have to show the whole scene. Compose the shot to where you avoid all those distractions, just showing part of the building. Think of it as a “detail” shot. The viewer’s mind will fill in the rest of the image, but you’ll have an interesting and captivating image without all the distractions.
For more iPhone photography tips, you can pick up Scott’s book here!
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This post contains affiliate links. I received a review copy of Scott’s book, but was under no obligation to write about it.
On the Right Foot: The Hot-Person Vaccine, Work Spouses, Moths vs. Style Icons & More!
We’re back from our trip to Charleston! It was so nice to get away, even if being on a plane felt surreal after all this time! We definitely ate and drank our way through the city, and I’m eager to share all of the places we went in the next week or so!
Whenever J.Crew has its next sale, I’m buying this top to go with these pants, and I’ll probably throw in these earrings for good measure.
The shade from Victoria Beckham cracks me up.
Oh man, I heeded the CDC’s recommendation to get the first vaccine available to me. I should have waited for “the hot-person vaccine.” 😉
Moths and style icons go head-to-head (part one and part two).
The history of the work spouse.
Hate to break it to you, but the end of the 1918 influenza pandemic probably didn’t lead to the roaring ’20s.
A case for the only cracker you should serve with cheese.
Zara is getting into the beauty business.
Everyone seems to be getting this cookbook!
In case you missed it:
- How we spent 48 hours in Chicago.
- What I bought and loved last month. (Truth be told, I’ve decided to return that Anthro blouse.)
- Rainbow Row and a few more Charleston snapshots.
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Things I Bought & Loved: April 2021
IN THE WARDROBE
See all of this year’s sartorial additions here.
- Maeve ‘Colette’ peasant blouse in mint and brown stripe – I’ll admit that listing this in a “bought and loved” post might be a bit misleading as it’s the one item this month I’m not totally sure about. I love the cut and drape of this blouse, and I also enjoy having lightweight blouses for summer when I want to shield my skin from sun exposure. However, the one I picked has a mint and brown stripe that’s not available online. I worry that it reads a little too “circus” with the full sleeves. If I end up returning it, I might reorder it in the “blue motif” print that wasn’t available in store. That looks a bit more versatile. I went with my regular size medium in this one. The small was fine from the waist up, but I need the extra room around my hips that the medium had.
- Target puff-sleeve tiered dress in mint – This dress runs stupidly large like all of Target’s a-line shifts lately. I bought it in a small, which fits perfectly around the bust. It has more than enough room throughout that it probably makes me look larger, but I don’t care. It’s so darn comfortable and I know I’ll reach for it during the warmer months.
- Ancient Greek ‘Eleftheria’ sandals in brown – I bought these in the natural hue three years ago and wear them all of the time in the summer. They’re definitely looking “well loved,” which prompted me to order a new pair in another color. They’re a splurge, but the cost-per-wear makes them a great piece.
- Old Navy tiered linen-blend dress – I’m not surprised this dress sold out. It’s by far the best Old Navy item I’ve purchased in years (aside from the jersey dresses I wear nearly every day working from home).
- Nike ‘Daybreak’ sneaker in light blue – The best Nike colors sell out fast and I’m glad I sprung for these baby blue sneakers. They’re fun to wear with dresses. I went with my regular size, despite reviews urging to size down a half size. They fit perfectly.
- Madewell seersucker apron tank top in black – With the pants below, this tank is perfect for a jumpsuit look that doesn’t require bathroom acrobatics. I went with my regular size.
- Madewell seersucker pull-on crop pants in black – I also bought these in my regular size!
- Target floral-print blouse in cream – I’m a sucker for cheap summer clothes and I can’t help add a few things to my cart when I’m at Target. (Even if the lack of fitting room access right now results in a lot of return trips to bring ill-fitting items back.) This top is a hit with it’s bright colorway and lightweight fabric. I also love the pretty detailing at the wrist.
AROUND THE HOUSE
- HAY glass straws – The set I bought is slightly different; they’re longer and have a slight bend. However, the colors are the same and they’re so good!
- HAY cloth napkins in lavender with brown edging – The color combination on these give me so much joy that I had to scoop them up!
- Schoolhouse ‘Matter’ Lamp – I realize this lamp isn’t everyone’s style and that’s okay. I’m in love with it’s 1960s vibe and it makes me ridiculously happy each time I look at it. Just like everything else I’ve purchased from Schoolhouse, the quality is excellent.
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48 Hours in Chicago: What we did in the Windy City at the tail end of the pandemic
It feels so weird to have left the house for a post-vaccinated getaway after being on lockdown for over a year, but it was such a nice way to get reacquainted with “normalcy” after 13 months of quarantine. We had this mini getaway on the books since November when tickets for Immersive Van Gogh went on sale. I had wanted to see the exhibit since its European debut and the rave reviews that followed. While I had no idea if April would be safe enough to visit Chicago, I figured it was worth the risk of losing the ticket fee and booked tickets right away. Thankfully, we both got our Johnson & Johnson vaccine on March 20, making us fully inoculated by the time our trip rolled around.
If you’re also looking to take a “vaxication” to the Windy City, it feels like a safe city to be in. Nearly everyone was wearing masks even while walking outside, and restaurants were adhering to social distancing guidelines with outdoor seating when possible. Below, you’ll find a recap of what we did during our 48 hours in the Windy City!
Thursday //
When we visit Chicago, we’ll drive down to Harvard, Illinois which roughly an hour and fifteen minutes away from Madison. We’ll park our car for a few dollars a day and take the Metra to Chicago’s Ogilvie Transportation Center. It’s about a two-hour journey by train, but it’s so much easier than dealing with a car and parking in the city. It’s easy enough to get around Chicago by foot, the “L” train, and — typically — taxis. However, cabs and Ubers were few and far between when we were visiting, and it sounds like that’s been the case throughout COVID. So, make sure to bring shoes that you can walk for miles in. I opted for shoes that weren’t broken in and had the blisters to show for it!
After getting to the city on Thursday, we dropped off our bags at our hotel (21c Chicago) and headed out for the remainder of the day. Our first stop was Cruz Blanca. This brew pub has become a staple of our Chicago trips. The beer is great and the Mexican food is outstanding (the torta and the lime- and cilantro-forward green salsa are both noteworthy). After lunch and a couple of beers each, we set out to shop around Fulton Market and ducked into the new HAY store where I picked up a set of glass straws for our bar, and a set of lilac cloth napkins with brown edging (here are the matching placemats). We had one more beer, this time at Haymarket Brewery, before going back to our hotel to freshen up for the evening.
We headed back out early evening en route to Green Mill Cocktail Lounge. This cash-only jazz club has been open since 1907 and was a popular hangout for both actors and mobsters. They have two shows a night: an early show without a cover and a late show with one. We stopped in for a pre-dinner cocktail during the early show and enjoyed banter with the bartender and music by a jazz soloist. I really want to go back on our next trip to the city. It’s such an intimate place with a lot of historic charm, and I just love all of the stories surrounding the place! Afterward, we ended our night with moules et frites for two in the Hopleaf courtyard, a must stop for Belgian beer enthusiasts.
Friday //
I know I shouldn’t get excited about Starbucks when I’m in another city, but the Starbucks Reserve is legitimately good. Their nitro cold brew is way better than the swill served at their normal coffee shops, and they have prosciutto breakfast sandwiches. (While I didn’t get around to posting a Portugal travel guide — yet! — I ate prosciutto daily on that trip and it made me the happiest!) There’s no indoor dining during COVID, so we took our breakfast to go and found a little park to dine in.
After breakfast it was finally time to head over to Immersive Van Gogh! It was such a wonderful experience. More and more U.S. cities are being added to the tour, and I do recommend that you grab tickets if you have an opportunity to do so. They did a great job at social distancing (as you can see by the projected circles on the floor in the images below).
We left the exhibit after about an hour in search of lunch and stopped by Small Cheval, one of Au Cheval’s burger joints. Au Cheval had laid claim to the best burger in America and while we have waited two hours for a reservation in the past, going to Small Cheval is the better option. It’s the same burger and during COVID, you can just order online for pickup and eat at their patio.
We wrapped up our Chicago outing with a grocery run to Eataly and then out near Logan Square, stopping at the Greetings From Chicago mural at 2226 N Milwaukee Ave. followed by drinks at Pilot Project Brewing. At this point, I had enough of walking around — my poor feet couldn’t take it anymore! — and we grabbed two slices at Paulie Gee’s and beer from 7-11 to take to our hotel.
Where to Stay //
We stayed at the 21c property near Michigan Avenue. This boutique hotel chain is one of my favorites — we’ve stayed in one in Louisville and another in Cincinnati — because of their in-house art galleries that feature local artists. Another charming aspect are the commissioned penguin statues that adorn each property (each city has its own color). I love the touch of whimsy they add to the otherwise sophisticated accommodations.
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