People photographs are likely some of the most common things to be captured on a smartphone. Most of them include some kind of portrait mode, designed to recreate a classic shallow-depth-of-field effect you might normally expect to see from shooting with a standard camera and wide-aperture lens. In recent years, the quality of these portrait modes, as well as the overall prowess of phones in general, has improved greatly, and you can get excellent results – particularly if you pick up one of the flagship models listed here.
Having your phone always with you makes it great for candids of friends and family, but you can also treat your smartphone like any other camera and set out with a dedicated portrait session in mind. If you don’t already have portrait gear in your arsenal, it’s a good way to give the genre a go without picking up specialist kit.
The phones here are the best you can currently buy, so they tend to be on the pricey side. But, if you’re thinking of upgrading, it can be a good investment. Do shop around for various contract deals; also you may already be able to find some of these models second-hand. Skipping back a generation or two is also a savvy way to save cash.
How does portrait mode work on a smartphone?
