Nature Photography How To

So you're out for a stroll, and photography is the furthest thing from your mind. But all of a sudden you notice something small that would make a great macro shot and wonder if this small slice of beauty can be captured effectively with the iPhone in your pocket.

The answer is an unequivocal "yes" if you understand the appropriate settings to use, a few compositional tricks, and how shooting closeups with a mobile device can be different than when there's a mirrorless camera or DSLR in your hand. You'll also learn how to enhance your results with a simple post-processing workflow in Lightroom Mobile.

This lesson comes from the iPhone Photography School, a popular YouTube channel with a simple motto: "You don't need an expensive camera or heavy gear to capture jaw-dropping photos." And this holds true whether you're shooting portraits, sunsets, landscape photos, everyday moments—and even attention-grabbing macro imagery.

The tips and tricks are presented in the context of photographing flowers, which are obviously difficult to find outdoors this time of year. But everything you'll learn is equally applicable for more timely tiny subjects like snowflakes, jewelry, and any number of tiny subjects on the frozen ground. You'll also see why the best place to start is the comfort of your backyard.

The first step is configuring the iPhone properly for this unique style of photography, and it should come as no surprise that the appropriate settings are significantly different from those you choose for capturing more conventional scenes. You'll then want to change how you observe the world around you so that you don't ignore all the tiny details that you may have overlooked in the past.

Skillful composition is another crucial element, as is understanding how to employ an iPhone's focusing features—especially in light of a phone's admittedly awkward form factor. Remember that every lens has a minimum focus distance, and this fact holds true for the lenses on your phone.

The instructor also describes how to use affordable macro lens attachments, designed specifically for iPhones, that will enable you to get as up-close-and-personal as possible. And the shooting tips described are equally important for getting the job done to perfection.

So take a quick look, head out into your yard, and see how much macro magic you're able to create. Then visit the iPhone Photography School YouTube channel for more mobile photography tips and techniques.

We also suggest watching the recent tutorial we featured in which an experienced Swedish pro explains why winter is the right time for capturing minimalist outdoor photographs. He offers a  bunch of helpful tips and techniques, and he just happens to be a macro specialist.