PILE TIPS
FIVE TIPS
for
Taking Better
Project Photos
with your
Smartphone
SBy Brian Fraley, Fraley Construction Marketing o you want to capture high quality photographs, but you
lack the budget for a professional photographer or highquality
camera equipment? There has arguably never been
a better time for amateurs to capture decent shots because of that
little high-powered gadget in their pocket, the smartphone.
While the importance of high-quality photographs has not faded,
it’s better to capture an acceptable photo of your work in progress
than to have no photo at all. The following will serve as a foundation
for aspiring smartphone construction photographers.
1. Buy a smartphone with a quality camera
When it’s time to buy a smartphone, make sure the camera functionality
and photo resolution are among the criteria you consider.
Today’s smartphone cameras are competing with actual cameras
when it comes to quality. In fact, Samsung has an ultra-high 64Mp
to 108Mp smartphone sensor, which has a resolution equivalent to
that of a high-end DSLR camera.
2. Adjust the settings
You’re not aiming to become a professional photographer and the
smartphone doesn’t have as many settings as a traditional camera,
so your best bet is to use the auto setting, which is usually the
default. The only settings you might consider changing are High
Definition Resolution (HDR) and flash. One of the benefits of digital
photography is that you can compare shots using each setting
right on the jobsite.
3. Get closer to the subject
One of the most common problems with construction photos
is that the shot is taken from too far away. Zooming in with the
smartphone is as simple as touching the screen with two fingertips
and sliding them away from each other. Reverse the motion
to zoom out. Getting closer to the subject can also help you to
overcome lighting challenges.
Cajun Industries & Maxim Sergeenkov/123rf
4. Experiment with lighting
Lighting can be tough on construction sites, especially when you’re
down inside of a deep excavation. There are some situations where
you simply can’t get good photographs without supplemental lighting.
The best you can do is to take your shots in the best lit portion
of the site. You might also alternate between flash and no flash to
see which delivers the best photos.
5. Edit your shots for perfection
One of the best things about digital photography compared to
traditional photography is that you can edit your images. There
are dozens of software brands on the market, but most will find
the Photos app in Microsoft Windows 10 to be a perfect option.
You can easily straighten, crop and lighten the photo to improve
your results. For a quick fix, you can use the option “Enhance Your
Photo” under Filters.
The smartphone has opened up doors that were closed when
traditional cameras were the only option. Both hardware and software
continue to compensate for poor photography, giving even
the most unskilled amateurs the ability to capture acceptable
shots. One thing that hasn’t changed is that you still need to understand
the fundamentals and have a certain level of skill to capture
high quality photos. And of course, there are uses that demand professional
quality. Make sure you know when to hire a photographer
and when to break out the smartphone. t
Brian M. Fraley is the owner of Fraley Construction Marketing, a marketing
content specialist with a 100 percent focus on the heavy construction
industry, a market he’s served for more than 25 years. Fraley is
active on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. He also publishes
the Construction Marketing Straight Talker Blog and contributes to
various trade publications.
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