Cameraphones and iPhones

Oh, yeah—cameraphones. Let's not forget the most popular kind of camera in the world, with annual sales in the billions.

Most cellphones have cameras built in, yes, but "camera" is a generous term. The quality of the pictures, as you've probably discovered, is pretty horrible except in bright light when your subject is standing still.

That's not to knock cameras on phones; they're a lot better than not having cameras on phones. You at least have some record of funny or interesting sights. And there are hundreds of times when camera + phone makes a lot of sense: You're shopping and want your spouse's opinion on some item you're looking at, for example, or you're parking your car in some infinite garage and want to remember that it's right under the "LEVEL 2B SOUTH" sign.

Just don't expect the photo quality to get you hired at Sports Illustrated.

Even so, believe it or not, a lot of this book's advice applies even to cameraphones. All the techniques for composing a shot, for example, make sense even if you're packing only a cellphone. The chapters on editing and using your photos generally apply, too.

That's the beauty of photography. Master the basics, and you'll improve your art—no matter what gear you're packing.

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