5 Shots You Can Take With a Small Camera

The ‘smartness’ of a smartphone’s camera has grown by leaps and bounds over the last decade. Yet, there are still some of us who crave that feeling of holding a proper camera in our hands. It is here a small camera comes into play. Compact and lightweight, these small cameras provide the perfect way to capture your memories on the go. If you’re all out of ideas on how to capture these moments, here is a guide to getting five quality shots with these cameras.

1. A Heaven Full of Stars

Taking pictures of the night sky will never go out of fashion. There’s just something so magical about a cluster of stars laced across a moonlit sky, no? Bliss. Now, you see, the problem with night shots is that there isn’t enough light. Well, duh.

When your camera senses the absence of light, it instinctively fires the flash. That’s something we don’t want since we’re looking for a more natural shot. So, first thing’s first, switch off the auto-flash on your camera.

Next, you’d want to set the shutter of your small camera to the slowest speed. The shutter of your camera is its eyelid. The longer it stays open, the more light it’ll be able to capture. You see, there is adequate light during nighttime too. That’s why we’re able to see things in it.

Your camera simply needs a little time to sense all those lights we can sense instantaneously. If you’re unsure about the shutter speed, consider toggling the “night mode” of your camera. Next, you’d want a tripod to steady your camera. And, voila, a picturesque night sky scene.

2. Portrait Time

Lighting is your best friend when shooting portraits with your small camera. From golden hour to afternoon showers of sunlight, just make sure your subject is easily visible. Next, set your tripod about 10 feet from the subject and zoom in onto it. By taking the zoom to the max, you’ll create a shallow depth of field which in turn will make your subject pop.

3. Fill Flash

Fill flash is a technique where the photographer forces the flash to fire up even when there’s adequate light all around. This can help you enhance a shot that was already well-lit, to begin with. Use this technique for close-up shots for the best results.

4. The Psychedelic Aesthetic

If you’re all about those psychedelic and trippy effects, consider switching on the slow sync flash mode on your camera. If your camera doesn’t have such a mode, you can also use the night or party modes.

What’s important is that your camera should extend the shutter speed and fire the flash. While it’s doing that, give your hand a slight jerk. This will keep your subject sharp and the background all blurry. You can also ask your subject to move which will create a trailing effect all around.

5. Go Macro

While macro shots have been all the craze in the new iPhones, this mode has been present in most small cameras for quite some time. Simply toggle it on and go as close as 0.4 inches to the subject for some vivid close-up shots.