Focus for the Main Thing: Shoot on the phone as a professional photographer

Without exaggeration, on the phone the whole life of a modern person is concentrated: from important dates in the calendar to favorite memes and discount cards in coffee houses. Moreover, almost everyone has a smartphone with a good camera, which makes it a useful tool not only for lovers, but also for those who dream of becoming a professional photographer.

But what to do if you have the means and desire to shoot, but there are no necessary skills? We asked professional photographer Alexander Novikov to tell (and show) all newcomers and those who just want to expand their knowledge a few tricks to attracting a professional photographer. And they sent a novel from Huawei Nova 13 Pro as an assistant.

Why Nova 13 Pro?

The smartphone can easily replace professional technology and is placed in the pocket due to the stylish, ultra-inthin and ergonomic case, but it is the most interesting in the rooms. Both the front and the main are equipped with the XD portrait engine, which analyzes the bone structure of the face, helping to create a clear contour as accurately as possible and naturally convey the skin tone while eliminating any shortcomings or inaccuracies. The physical tunable aperture independently adapts (read: think for you) to any format and script. Developers are also building artificial intelligence into the smartphone, especially useful for group photos – the function independently analyzes a set of images and faces in the frame to select the most successful.

But for the purity of the experiment, we focused on subject photography and, in order not to be complicated, decided to shoot at home.

Alexander Novikov, photographer

Use natural light whenever possible. Remove it by the window or on the street on a cloud day to avoid sharp shadows. Thanks to the AI-built HDR function, the Nova 13 and Nova 13 Pro cameras analyze the brightness structure and optimize light and dark areas, dealing with harsh shadows and contrast light. And with a lack of natural light you can add additional. For example, a decorative table lamp or chandelier.

It is better to choose a plain or neutral background so that objects stand out. You can use simple fabrics, paper or even walls. Try to avoid too bright or busy background, which can distract attention from the main subject.

Do not forget about postage and remember that even small changes can improve the quality of the picture. I am not a supporter of the use of external processing applications, so I did everything in the room at once, creating contrast, brightness and color scheme. And you can use apps to edit photos. Nova 13 Pro has an intuitive interface and lots of instant processing opportunities, so it’s almost impossible to get confused.

Especially, with depth of sharpness and various focal lengths. Nova 13 Pro is equipped with a physically adjustable aperture. I used a wide aperture of f/1, which naturally erodes the background and distinguishes objects in the foreground. Now about focus – another useful trick. In subject shooting, the clarity of the main object in the frame is important, so you often need to use several lenses at the same time. And on the main camera Nova 13 Pro there is already a large MacroCodul and F/2.2 aperture, so there is nothing to change. Comfortable? A lot!

There is no need to be just an object in the frame. Add additional textures to make the composition look more attractive. It can be wood, fabric or additional objects that do not attract attention. For example, I used glassit on a frame with toilet water.

And lastly, but not for what it’s worth: be sure to experiment and don’t be afraid to try different approaches. After all, the more you practice, the better your images will become. And if you’re ready to move from theory to practice, head to Huawei’s official website for a new assistant that will soon be available for purchase starting January 24.

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