Mike's Smartphone Photography, Travel, and anything else I can think of, Blog

Ever wondered why your smartphone photos sometimes come out blurry? In this blog I will be giving you three very simple tips on how to sharpen up your images. The first tip is to clean your camera lenses. Your phone probably spends a good part of its time nestling up against dust and debris in your pocket and your bag, all of which compromise the clarity of the images. So start by giving the lenses a gentle wipe with a proprietary lens cleaner.  The best way to hold a smartphone when setting up a photo is with both hands, gripping it firmly with your elbows tucked into your body to maximize stability and minimize blur. Holding your smartphone with one hand with your arm fully extended is inviting camera blur! My third tip is for when you're using a tripod, whether it's because you're working in low light or when you want to create that silky smooth water effect when photographing a flowing river or a waterfall, and so need a longer exposure. Everytime you reach ...

Your smartphone goes everywhere with you: it’s probably the first thing you check in the morning and the last thing you scroll before bed. So when it’s cluttered—packed with unused apps, endless notifications, and thousands of photos—it can quietly add to feelings of overwhelm. Added to this, your phone only has a certain storage space, which if you aren't diligent can soon get gobbled up unnecessarily. A full or near-full phone storage leads to significant slowdowns, app crashes, inability to download new apps or updates, and failure to take new photos/videos, as the operating system needs space for temporary files and virtual memory; it can even prevent the phone from booting, potentially damaging the storage chip over time. The device struggles with essential background tasks, causing lag, freezing, and poor battery life. Decluttering your phone is a small lifestyle reset that can make a surprisingly big difference to you and to your phone's longevity. Start by letting go of...

Hi! Welcome to my first blog of 2026. Today's blog is about a feature of the Adobe Lightroom Mobile app that you might not be aware of. By the end of this blog you will know where to go to create short videos of your Lightroom Mobile edits, and how you can use them to promote your content to your existing and potential audience. Before I start, for those of you who are familiar with my output, you'll know that I have been a long-time fan of Snapseed, and that I have given the impression that it's the only photo editing app I use. Well that's partly true. Although Snapseed is my main editing app, I also occasionally use Lightroom Mobile alongside it. It was whilst carrying out some edits on the Lightroom Mobile app that I came across the Create Edit Replay function. First a bit of background. Adobe Lightroom Mobile introduced the ability to save photo edits as a time-lapse video, often used for social media reels, with its June 2023 release (version 8.4). This feature, w...

Welcome to my latest blog, which this week is an update about the Ulanzi Cap Grip II that I first reviewed in 2024. I have included that 2024 blog below for your information, which I suggest you read. Hi! Welcome to my latest blog, which this week features a review of my latest piece of smartphone camera gear. I didn't used to be a gadget/gear type of person, that is, until I discovered smartphone photography, and now I can't get enough of them. If you've read my Blog #33 titled What's in my smartphone photography bag ? you'll have a good idea about the various bits of kit I have accumulated to go with my smartphone camera. My newest thing is a smartphone grip holder.  In this blog I am going to set out the advantages of using a grip holder, as well as some instructions on how to set it up. The grip holder I will be reviewing is the Ulanzi Cap Grip II (See Photos 1- 4 below) which retails for less than £20 from Amazon. Using a grip handle for smartphone photography ...

Welcome to my latest blog, which today is going to look at one of the most basic aspects of photographic composition, the rule of thirds. Do your photos feel... boring? Most people put their subject right in the middle, which makes for a predictable shot. To prevent this happening you need to learn about and apply the rule of thirds to every shot you take. It's a simple trick that pros use to create dynamic, engaging photos. In my last blog I talked about cropping as a way of improving the composition, the point of focus, and story. That was all in post, but now I am going to show you how to use the four lines, nine squares grid feature to transform your everyday snapshots in camera. First, you have to find and turn on the grid (Camera > Settings > Grid). Next, instead of centering your subject, place the most important elements (like a person's eyes, a tall tree, or a far-off horizon) along these lines or at the four intersection points. It is best when shooting landscap...

Welcome to my latest blog, which today is focusing on why you should take the cropping of your photographs very seriously, and why a great crop can make a world of difference to your photos. Cropping a photo means cutting away the outer edges of an image to focus on a specific part or to change its shape or composition. Essentially, cropping helps you refine the image so it shows exactly what you want. Cropping is one of the most powerful post-processing techniques in your editing armamentarium, which if used correctly can enhance your photographs and create maximum impact. Cropping involves consciousness decisions to remove unnecessary elements from the edges of your image to guide the viewer’s eye and strengthen the composition. It also helps to set your subject, the point of focus, where it will evoke maximum interest. There are three fundamental principles to great cropping: composition, focus, and story. One bit of guidance is to use the rule of thirds. Imagine dividing your image...