Quick Smartphone Hacks #6 Adjust

Last week we looked at cropping, straightening and filters that can add a touch of clarity and magic to a smartphone photo.

This week see what happens when you adjust brightness or saturation to finesse your edits in more easy ‘take your time’ steps.

Simple Exposure Adjustment

If you find your images are too dark it’s not a disaster. You can either adjust the exposure before you take your photo, or afterwards in an app. Shooting live with kids or a pet, try a test shot to see if your exposure is OK. If not change it to suit.

iPhone

1. Open Camera
2. Tap six dots bottom right
3. Tap exposure > slider appears > sweep left or right.

Android Exposure Adjustment

1. Open Camera app.
2. Tap on your subject to focus.
3. A small sun icon and slider will appear next to the focus circle
4. Drag the sun slider up to make the image brighter, or down to make it darker.

---

Here’s a simple exposure adjustment for Teddy the tuxedo cat. Nothing complicated but, it may be just what you need! It is easy to adjust and voila – you have a better photo.

Saturation

Saturation describes the purity, intensity, or vividness of a colour that has not been diluted with white, gray, or complementary colours. [Add grey to a nice white paint, see how it becomes duller.]

Let me show you a couple of screen captures. First an inside image of Toulouse laid on Dash’s gift blanket from his friends in 2013. Second I amped up the Saturation to show you how vivid it can get. Your changes should be gentler but might add the touch of extra colour you need.

Challenge Yourself

Feel you are confident with adjusting exposure and adding a little saturation? Play around with some images and see what a difference it can make. Remember subtle is the way.

Then, I suggest you put on your explorer’s hat and bit a little deeper into your app, when you have time. See how many tools are in one iPhone app below!