Smart portraits
Anybody with a half-decent smartphone is probably already more than aware of its prowess for capturing off-the-cuff shots. But, when used in a considered way, they’re also superb for portraiture.
Most modern smartphones have some kind of portrait mode, designed to mimic the effects of shooting with a wide-aperture lens. The results from these modes, powered by clever AI and algorithms, have become ever more impressive.
A lot of smartphones also have full manual modes, which is useful too. Most high-end smartphones also include short telephoto lenses, giving you a close approximation to shooting with something like a classic 50mm or 85mm optic.
In this piece, I asked three photographers who have all been using their smartphones to excellent effect to show us exactly what can be achieved by using the device in your pocket, including one who has been using smartphones to take portraits remotely, sometimes – impressively – from the other side of the world.
On the last page, we’ll discover which smartphones on the market are ideal for this kind of work, to help you to choose one for yourself.
As always, we’d love to see your pictures. So if you’ve been using your smartphone to take portraits, send them via the usual methods listed on page 3.
Elaine Taylor
Elaine is a moderator of a number
