Here are some camera tips for iPhone / iPad users. Even if you've been using
an iOS device for a while there are options you still may not be aware of. I find
that people are surprised to learn about these tips.
Access Camera from Lock Screen
When you push the home button to turn the device on, you get to the lock screen where you have to swipe to the right to go to the home screen. But from the lock screen you can see a small camera icon in the lower right corner. Swiping that icon upwards takes you right to the camera. I tried tapping on the camera icon at first and was confused when nothing happened. Then I realized you have to swipe up on it.
Camera Settings
The arrow in the top center of the camera screen is a button for camera settings, such as exposure, self timer, flash, night mode and live photos. Live photos is actually a 3 second video to give your photo a little action. Be careful though, it will take up a lot disk space on all the devices you store your photos if you use it a lot. There are also HDR (High Dynamic Range) options in the main phone Settings > Camera.
The rectangle for exposure adjustments
The rectangle that briefly shows in the camera screen sets the focus and exposure. You can change the exposure by tapping the screen at a lighter or darker area to have the exposure change to that area. Also, when you tap the screen and see a little icon next to the rectangle, then you can swipe up or down the screen to lighten or darken the exposure. The more swipes up, the lighter the picture. After using either of these exposure methods to make
adjustments, if you tap and hold the rectangle for a second, it jumps a bit larger to indicate it's locked on to those settings and you'll see the "AE/AF locked" text. Then take as many picture as you want. When you tap the screen again, returns to the auto settings.
Quick view your photo
After taking a photo, you can view it by tapping the image in the lower left corner. This opens the picture you just took. If it's ok, just tap "Done" in the upper right corner and the camera app comes back up ready for your next photo.
Other Options
The Photo, Video, Time Lapse, and Slo Mo settings are self explanatory, as are the Flash and Timer options. The circular arrows icon is for front or rear facing camera in case you feel the need for a selfie. And, you can use the sound level buttons on the side of the phone to take a photo if it's more convenient for you.