Tips

iPhone cameras offer you the option of shooting a photo in HDR, or high dynamic range. This comes in handy when you face situations where the dark parts of your shot are too dark and the light portions are too light, such as a back-lit photo. Without HDR your camera with either underexpose or overexpose the whole photo. With HDR your chances of getting a better, more properly balanced exposure are greater. Colors will be richer and more vibrant.  

 Go to Settings>Camera> and you will see High Dynamic Range at the bottom. Toggle HDR off. I know, that seems counterintuitive, but the only way you can get the HDR icon to appear when you open your camera is to have it toggled OFF in your camera settings. Go figure, but you know Apple! If you want to keep a normal version of any photo you take with HDR, toggle “Keep Normal Photo” on. Personally, I don’t do that. I keep that option turned off, as I am confident enough that my HDR shot will be good, and I won’t need a “Normal” version of the same shot. I don’t need more photos to delete! 

 Now, open your camera and take a photo. Look in the top bar of your camera, where you should see HDR, and engage it by making sure there is no slash through it. When you take your shot, be sure to hold your phone very still. High dynamic range photos take a little longer, so don’t mess things up by moving your hands. Steady hands = better photo! 

This shot was taken with HDR turned off. Notice the overexposed brickwork and pale, almost white sky.

This is basically the same shot taken with HDR on. See how the bricks are the color of bricks and the sky is a more vibrant blue. 

Play around with HDR and remember to keep your hands steady! Take your shots . . . . Tell your story.