Portrait Mode for Bloggers

I got my iPhone 8 plus about a year ago and, as an on-the-go content creator, it has changed my life because of its portrait mode feature. (and P.S. I really did not need a new phone, my iPhone 6 was working just fine, but as soon as I played with portrait mode in the Apple store, I knew it was really going to make my life as a blogger much easier. I also really didn’t want to change to the Plus size but decided to make that sacrifice and now I’ve really grown to love my giant-ass phone).

I wanted to write this post because I feel like: 1) even though I don’t think professional SLR photos are going away, iPhone photography is clearly on-the-rise and potentially even preferred by Instagram followers (as far as blogging goes), and 2) I think the term “portrait mode” is a little deceiving and, in my experience, people really do not know how to maximize this amazing feature that most of us have right in our pocket. I think most people just use it for actual portraits/headshots of people, but what most haven’t realized is that it is excellent for product photography as well.

Whether you’re a blogger, small business owner, or just anyone who likes to be creative, this article is going to show you some great examples to help you take better product / still photography (which can be anything! your cupcake, your new throw pillow, whatever) using portrait mode.

*Something to note: even though I’m referencing the iPhone’s portrait mode, all of the following tips and examples can apply across any sort of portrait mode that any non-iPhone phone might have; I just don’t personally have any experience with those, but no part of this article is specific to using this feature on an iPhone.

First, let’s go through some things to keep in mind when using portrait mode…

Tips when using Portrait mode:

1. The most important thing to know when using portrait mode is: the background needs to be a good distance away from the subject. If not, then using portrait mode has no benefit and is just zooming in/cropping for no reason. If the subject is close to the background and cannot be moved away from it, use regular camera mode and call it a day.

2. Make sure the subject is in focus by tapping the subject and letting the phone adjust. Sometimes it takes a few tries, but good things come to those who wait 😉

3. Don’t get too close to your subject, but also don’t be too far. (super helpful right?!) It’s actually recommended that you are no closer than 19 inches, however I’ve definitely been successful ignoring that rule. I recommend starting there and then inching in or out slowly to see how the camera adjusts and handles the distance.

4. Whether you are taking a picture of a person or an object, something important to remember is that the subject must be still for it to work.

Quick iPhone-specific note: I only use the first option that you can swipe through within portrait mode: natural light. It is the only one I like for blog photography as it is the one that makes it look the most natural (surprise surprise!). I find the other options can look fake very easily and I have actually never used them successfully.

Also: iPhone Models that have Portrait Mode are: iPhone 7 Plus, 8 Plus, X, XS, XR, XS Max

 

Some examples:

On the left: without portrait mode  |  On the right: with portrait mode