Snap! How to Take Great Band Photos with your Smartphone

Long gone are the days where bands absolutely have to invest in pro photography to create gorgeous press images. While it's no bad thing to hire a professional photographer to shoot your photos, you can still take killer photos with a good smartphone and a bit of background knowledge. Here are several ways you can take great band photos with your smartphone.

Make Sure to Have a Good Onboard Camera

No two smartphones are created alike, so if you're intent on using your smartphone to take semi-professional quality photos, make sure your onboard camera is decent to good. If you're in the market for an upgrade or even a totally new smartphone, experiment with different models to test the difference between cameras, and choose the phone with the best camera that fits into your budget.

Almost all smartphones have both front and rear-facing cameras now, but making sure that you have both is an added bonus – because it's always a good idea to take selfies with your fans at shows, onstage or off!

Invest in a Tripod

For still shots of your band, regardless of locale, invest in a tripod. Tripods can be adjusted to a variety of heights depending on what angle you want, and removes the need to hold your phone while you're shooting. A lot of tripods feature smartphone slots now as well for just this purpose, so browse around online or in photography shops to find a tripod that fits your phone (or has an adjustable smartphone slot).

Choose Your Locale Carefully

Wherever you shoot, make sure that the locale fits the image of the band and the mood you're working to convey. If you shoot indoors, make sure the room you're shooting in is tidy and well-organized (many a good shot has been nearly ruined by the presence of too much clutter) and is adaptable to your purpose. Additionally, make sure that you either have ample natural light, whether direct or filtered via trees or clouds, or that the indoor setting you choose can be suitably lit to create great photos. Too much light can cause photos to be overexposed, though, so be prepared to adjust accordingly.

Even if you're not a pro photographer, you can still use a smartphone to capture beautiful images of your band – for press, for CD covers, for posters, and anything else you might need. So get your band together, grab your smartphones, and start snapping – you'll be surprised at what you can create.