12 tips to improve your smartphone photography
Stop covering up the flaws of your photos with filters! We have selected many tips to help you make your photos so much better.
Smartphone cameras have come a long way in the past few years. Now, for a good picture, you just need to get your favorite gadget and make a couple of taps on the screen. Although, if you look at some photos on Instagram, you can understand that not everyone succeeds even in this.
In fact, there are many ways to improve the quality of photography, and if you think you are ripe for maximum professionalism in this, then I have bad news for you. The camera of each smartphone is different from the rest, so sometimes even small changes can dramatically change the picture.
Our colleagues at Lifehacker.com interviewed dozens of expert photographers for basic tips on how to improve the quality of smartphone photography. Take a look at them, perhaps tomorrow you will become a popular instamographer.
Use the light correctly
This advice applies to all phone models: the subject should be facing the light source, but not the camera. The main problem with smartphone cameras is that they work with little light. Therefore, our main task. give the camera the maximum amount of light. You may need to think a little about how to place the object, but you will like the result.
Wipe the lens
Stupid? But no. By wiping the lens before shooting, you will save yourself from photos with subtle but unpleasant spots and dots. If you like to touch your phone with greasy hands, then this advice will come in handy.
Avoid the zoom
Use physical zoom. How? Very simple: if you need to zoom in on an object, walk up to it. That’s all. As a last resort, if you can’t get close to the subject, you can simply crop (crop) the photo in the editor. By doing so, you will achieve the same result without losing anything. A photo taken with digital zoom will be ruined forever.
Flash
Most photographers recommend turning off the flash on your smartphone altogether and using it only as a flashlight. However, in a situation where you need to take a photo in the dark, a flash can still come in handy. Just put it in “Auto” mode and the smartphone will decide for itself when to turn it on.
If a situation arises in which you doubt whether you need a flash, then the best choice would be to take two photos: one with a flash, the other without, and after that figure out which one turned out better.
Understand the settings
Of course, if you are lucky enough to own an iPhone, then this is the only setting available to you. on / off grid. However, if you are using an Android device or an Unauthorized Application, then the number of settings can cause a nervous tic. But they will have to be figured out, especially if you want to improve the quality of your photos.
Check permission
Most smartphones allow you to choose the resolution of your photos. Needless to say, for the best quality it should be maximum?
Turn on image stabilization
When you press the button to take a photo, move the phone slightly. This also applies to breathing and to various involuntary gestures, which can also blur and ruin the photo. Therefore, if you are NOT a sniper, who knows how to control your breathing, then you should look in the settings for image stabilization and turn it on.
Adjust white balance
In most cases, modern cameras themselves determine the white balance. over, quite good. But in a situation with a small amount of light, even they can guide and transform your picture into something terrible and suitable only for friends on Instagram. Sometimes the camera takes a few seconds to determine the amount of light. For example, if you suddenly entered the premises from the street or vice versa. Gave her these few seconds, you Reduce the chance of taking a bad photo.
Adjust exposure
Exposure determines the amount of light that hits the lens. It’s worth playing around with this setting on your own, as it is highly case-dependent. The higher the exposure, the more light hits the lens, and the photo becomes brighter and brighter.
Adjust colors
If adjusting the white balance and exposure does not give the desired results, you can try adjusting the colors. For example, in GIMP on a computer or in a smartphone app.
Make the photo black and white
If all else fails, then you have to be like a hipster and make your photo in black and white. In most cases, this filter hides major flaws in the photo and makes it more interesting.
Some smartphones support real-time filters, and you can immediately photograph the subject in black and white. We do NOT advise you to do this, as there will be no turning back.
Make your photo look less mediocre with filters
We left this tip for last, so that you first use the other methods and use this only when absolutely necessary. Some filters really make a photo look unusual and beautiful. But you don’t chew gum on bad breath in the morning.?
You should NOT apply all of these tips to every shot. A little experimentation, and you will find your style and tips that work best with your photos.
How to improve video quality in conferences. Theory and practice
The quality of the video often depends on the effectiveness of the negotiations or communication. There are many factors that can affect image transmission. In this article, we will analyze the main issues and share ways to solve the most popular problems related to the quality of the video stream.
Equipment
The camera responds by stealing the video. It can be a built-in camera in a laptop or phone, a connected WEB or PTZ camera. They differ in quality and purpose. The weakest, as a rule, are cameras built into the device, since manufacturers often save on quality and supply the cheapest modules in the kit.
WEB cameras are the most popular devices on the market with thousands of models: from budget devices to the business segment with premium quality. PTZ cameras are used to equip various types of meeting rooms, lecture halls, conference rooms and have a high-quality sensor and the ability to remotely control.
Let’s take a look at what can get in the way of a video call and which camera provides the best video quality.?
What are the problems of video quality from the camera??
“Weak” camera
As mentioned above, built-in cameras, like budget WEB-cameras, do not allow us to Get a good quality image. When the resulting image is expanded to full screen, all its flaws become clearly visible.
Let’s compare the image from the built-in camera of an ASUS laptop and a Logitech c920 webcam:
In the same way, you can compare budget WEB-cameras with another segment. Just Display your image on the screen and try to look at the quality in different scenes.
Weak computer
The processor is responsible for processing and transmitting the image. If he does not have enough computing power and he noticeably “freezes” during video calls. then the problem is in him.
The signal can be a high level of processor load during a call (can be viewed in the task manager), system freezes as a whole, significant heating of the laptop.
The processor load can be viewed in the task manager
Try to close applications running in the background, extra tabs in the browser, or clean the system the second way, up to reinstalling the OS.
Also, the problem may be in the camcorder driver. Try installing or updating it. You can always download the driver from the manufacturer’s website.
If that doesn’t help. time to change the processor, RAM and the second computer hardware.
Weak communication channel
With a weak Internet connection, the video can be significantly distorted, partially displayed and disappear for seconds. This may be due to a weak connection channel. Check your speed on the website: http://www.Speedtest.Net/ Recommended connection speed for good quality video calls. 500 kbps. 1.5 Mbps on incoming and outgoing channel. If your connection DOES NOT provide this speed, but the provider’s tariff is higher, check: Internet cable, WI-FI router and programs that can download the channel on your computer.
Why does the image get noisy?
Image noise. this is an attempt to compensate for the lack of light in dark areas with the camera and weak matrices will produce a poor-quality picture.
The difference between clean and noisy images
This is most often caused by low light on the subject. Try increasing the brightness or number of lamps, or increasing the lighting from a natural source. open the curtains! Some cameras may produce a “noisy” image after extended periods of use. This is due to an increase in the operating temperature of the chamber. You can try to give her time to cool down and repeat the video call. Many modern cameras are equipped with a high-quality sensor, which copes with the delight of the image even in low light and does not make noise. We draw your attention to PTZ cameras.
What is the maximum angle of view and rotation needed for conferences?
If you are placing the camera in meeting rooms, then you need everyone to fit into the frame, the camera’s angle of view is responsible for this, with its increase, the camera’s field of view also increases.
Try to choose a camera with a viewing angle of at least 75 degrees, then most of your room will accurately fit into the frame, but do not forget that with increasing angle, objects, especially distant ones, will become poorly visible. In this case, PTZ cameras with the ability to zoom (zoom) come to the rescue. With them you will be able to show the general plan, and significantly bring the speaker on the screen closer, which gives an additional effect of presence.
But not all PTZ cameras have a wide maximum viewing angle, but the undoubted advantage lies in the ability to control the rotation of the lens using the remote control, through a computer via RS232 protocols | 485, or via a driver using the UVC protocol. For example, the CleverMic Wide PTZ camera has a viewing angle of 105 °, can rotate 340 ° on the horizontal axis and 120 ° on the vertical axis. Other PTZ cameras can be viewed in the corresponding section on our website.
Why is the image dark or only the silhouette of the speaker is visible??
The silhouette may appear in strong light behind the subject. In this case, we advise you to choose the right place so that the light illuminates the face, and does not drown out your image with its brightness. Conversely, if the image is generally dark, it is recommended to increase the light level. Move closer to a window or install more powerful lamps. Note that modern cameras are more effective in dealing with both problems and are able to produce high-quality images even in poor conditions. Maybe it’s time to update?
Small objects, the interlocutor cannot see the faces
Videoconferencing often involves many people from both sides, different speakers, presentations, and more. A static camera can capture a general shot, but it will not be able to focus the attention of the interlocutors on a specific speaker. In this situation, we recommend using PTZ cameras. They are equipped with optical zoom, can be conveniently installed above the monitor or on the ceiling, are remote controlled and some are equipped with a speaker tracking function. Your interlocutors will appreciate it. You can watch the work of the PTZ camera CleverMic 1020z in our video.
Image has streaks or flickering
This effect is called flickering and is caused by the desynchronization of the refresh rate of the artificial lighting and the WEB-camera.
You can deal with this programmatically. We’re looking for refresh rate settings. For video communication, I use TrueConf Online and I found the following column in the webcam settings:
Choosing 50 Hz completely solved the problem. I also found a similar setting in the driver settings of my webcam:
Poor video quality when making a video call from a mobile phone
This may be due to one of the following reasons:
- Poor connection quality or wireless wi-fi. The solution will be to find a place with the best mobile network signal or deal with the state of wi-fi.
- Bad software. Many applications are NOT optimized and cannot provide quality communication. We recommend trying TrueConf Mobile.
- The loaded RAM of the phone. We recommend that you close all unnecessary applications in the background and try to conduct the session again.
- Poor phone camera quality. You can only solve this problem by buying a new device.
The video of the interlocutor freezes
If more obvious problems besides this one are NOT noticed and the computer generally works fine, then there can be two reasons:
- Bad communication channel
- Problems on the side of the interlocutor
Picture and sound out of sync
We recommend that you update your device driver or use other software. Try TrueConf Online.
How to improve the quality of secrets and tricks
Did you shoot an interesting video material, but when viewing it, it turned out that the picture quality is not particularly pleasing? Do not be upset! With the help of good software for editing and processing videos, you can easily fix the situation! Download the new video editing video editor, which can effectively remove video clip defects. From the article you will learn how to improve video quality and learn the secrets and tricks of successful editing.
Edit video in video editing
Even those who have never worked with such software will be able to efficiently process clips in our editor. The menu is designed in such a way that you understand what each button, each slider does. Just a few simple steps. and the problem video turns into an excellent film.
Downloading software
The first step is to download the software from the official website. Wait until the distribution is finished downloading and install the software on your computer using the Settings Wizard. Find the shortcut on your desktop and double-click on it. In the window that opens, click “New Project” to get started.
Start window of the program
Add video
It’s time to add a video clip to your project. The video processing software allows you to view all the folders on your computer without leaving the editor. Click “Add video and photo”, find the material you would like to process, and drag it to the timeline. You can take several files into the project at once.
Add video to the editor
I fix defects
Dark fuzzy picture
If you shot footage in a dimly lit room, the image may come out dark with vague details. The program for improving the quality of video editing will help to remove an unpleasant defect. Go to the “Properties” tab and scroll down to the “Improvement” section. Move the slider for brightness, saturation and contrast, achieving the best picture. Curves will help you more flexibly adjust the quality.
Adjust brightness, contrast, saturation
Incorrect color gamut
If you feel that the colors in the video clip are not displaying correctly, it makes sense to perform a quick color correction. Find the color tone settings in the same “Enhancement” section. Move the slider, align the colors until they look the most natural.
You can dramatically improve your footage with just a couple of clicks. In the “Enhancement” section, check the “Auto Levels” and / or “Comprehensive Enhancement” boxes. In addition, you can eliminate the shaky hand effect by selecting Image Stabilization.
Extra fragments
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To crop a video clip, simply click on the crop button above the timeline. Move the frame so that only what you need remains in the frame. Next to the crop tool, you can find a way to reverse the video 90 degrees or 180.
The program automatically recognizes black bars
Cutting off the extra fragment
Play speed
Do you want not too interesting material to play faster? Or, on the contrary, want to enjoy the moment of a gentle kiss? Then in the top menu click on “Video” “Change video speed”. Move the slider, setting how much to speed up or slow down the playback.
Sound problems
If you are not satisfied with the original soundtrack, use a program to improve the quality of the video. Video editing allows you to replace the original audio with the one of your choice. Open the Video Properties tab and set the original volume to zero. Then, to find a replacement, open the “Music Collection” item in the working window. You will have access to a collection of more than 200 different tracks. And also by clicking the “Add Audio Files” button you can upload music from your computer.
Save the clip
After finishing the work, you need to save the finished film. Video editing software allows you to prepare a video of any format. AVI, MPEG, HD and other extensions are available, you can make a clip for recording on DVD or for viewing on mobile devices.
Go to the “Save video” tab, in the list that appears, mark the preferred format. Now adjust the resolution and quality settings and wait while the video is converted.
Video saving options
Make your movie brighter
Sometimes improving video quality. this is just the beginning. If you want to get a truly effective and professional film, it’s worth resorting to creative tools. There are plenty of them in the video editor:
Titles and screensavers. Add them to your film strip for a stylish frame. The collection of the program contains a lot of beautiful templates. All that remains is to add welcome and end captions to make your movie look more professional and complete.
Select titles and screensavers
Smooth transitions. Beautiful animation at the junction between different parts of the video is necessary to smooth out sharp jumps. You can choose a regular transition, slightly blurring the boundaries, or pick up more creative options if the idea requires it.
Colorful effects. Make your image stand out with dozens of cool filters. Bring the tenderness of watercolors, vintage chic or the atmosphere of your favorite movie to your video clip! The built-in catalog will offer several categories of effects for every taste, you just need to choose the right one.
Apply beautiful effects
Text and graphics. Overlay pictures or inscriptions on the video track to realize your ideas. A collection of stunning fonts to delight creative lovers.
Everyone can make video better
With the video editor you will always know how to improve video quality and how to add music to video. Lack of experience in such programs will no longer be an obstacle. Easily eliminate defects, decorate the video with filters and animation, choose a convenient format. Our software will allow you to create a truly excellent video, which you will enjoy watching again and again!
Save yourself an article so as not to lose:
How to improve video quality
Even professional videographers often make mistakes when filming, let alone amateurs. It is far from always possible to take into account all the possible reasons affecting the picture. As a result, a small lack of light can provide digital noise, lack of clarity and color saturation, and an incorrectly set white balance. unnatural skin and clothing tones. However, you shouldn’t immediately delete such takes. they are NOT corrupted, since you can improve poor quality video using specialized programs. The best choice for this would be VideoMASTER.
How to use the program to improve video quality VideoMASTER
With our program, you can easily raise the quality of the picture, as well as edit the sound and make additional operations: sharpen or speed up playback. All you need is our convenient program in Russian and a little time. However, in spite of the High speed of work, VideoMASTER does NOT load the processor and does NOT reduce the performance of your computer. Get started by following our Step by Step Guide.
Preparatory
Download video converter VideoMASTER from our website and install it on your computer or laptop. Is it done? Run the software with a double click and download the video to work. To do this, on the left panel, click on the “Add” button. Indicate the path to the material to be improved. Videos can be added from a computer, DVD, downloaded from the Internet or recorded from a webcam.
Click “Add” and upload the desired videos to the program
You can process each video and then save it as desired. The program also allows you to glue an arbitrary number of videos into one file: just activate the “Connect” option on the left panel.
Video editing
The video enhancer allows you to transform any recording in a couple of mouse clicks. Click on the “Effects” button on the left panel. A list of filters available in the editor will appear on the screen:
- Saturation,
- Shades of gray,
- Lightening
- Blackout
- Pixelation,
- Spray,
- Avatar and others.
Check the box next to the effect you are interested in and appreciate the magical transformation in the player. You can combine different filters. The effects “Grayscale” and “Colored noise” look interesting together.
Changing video dramatically with effects
The video wizard allows you to manually adjust the video quality. Does it seem that the visual range lacks colors? Take a look at the “Improvement” tab. Here you will find tools for adjusting contrast, saturation, brightness, and hue. To make corrections, just start moving the slider on the desired scale to the left or right. So you won’t have any problems solving the problem of how to make good quality in a video with your own hands.
Adjust the brightness, saturation and contrast of the video in the “Enhance” tab
In the “Enhancement” tab there are also options for quick automatic correction “Complex enhancement” and “Auto-levels”. Check the box next to one of them, then the program will independently select the optimal parameters for the video and make adjustments.
Did the camera shake effect appear on the video due to the lack of a tripod during shooting? Use the Image Stabilization function. With its help, you can get rid of unnecessary “shaking” and significantly improve the quality of the video.
If you were shooting a specific subject from a long distance, then be sure to look into the “crop” tab. Here you can crop out excess in the frame and focus on the main subject. You can use the proportions prepared in the program or adjust the aspect ratio and size manually, focusing on your own preferences.
Crop your video. so you can focus on the main
Sometimes users are interested in how to improve the quality of a video if it was accidentally shot upside down. It’s simple. Before the main processing, look in the “Rotate” tab and Flip the roller 90, 180 or 270 degrees.
In the app, you can easily flip the video
The program includes additional tools that will be useful for users who like to experiment. In the “Speed” tab you can play with the video playback. Slowing down or speeding up the recording to create a comic or dramatic effect. In the same way, you can change your voice, making it lower or higher. In the “Text” tab, you can add a video floor of an inscription, logo or graphics from your PC.
Speed up or slow down video playback
Saving the result
Now you know how you can effortlessly improve poor quality videos. It remains only to save the video. Export the video in its original format, or assign a different extension to the clip. Want to upload a video to contact? Pay attention to the special profiles for social networks and video hosting, which are provided in the program. You can also create videos for viewing on a computer or on specific devices, even in HD resolution. to do this, just select the appropriate preset in the catalog.
Save the result in a format convenient for you
Share the result with the whole world
Wasted no more time looking for the best program to improve video quality. you have already found it! Download VideoMASTER, add videos and improve their quality in seconds. Share the result on social networks, upload videos to YouTube and be sure that they will NOT be inferior to the work of the pros.