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Designed with capabilities to take great photos on the go without the heavy, bulky body seen on traditional cameras, smartphone cameras have become one of the best ways to capture memories. Whether you’re traveling to a new city, exploring beautiful landscapes, taking portraits and selfies, or hoping to capture some wildlife shots, your phone can be a fantastic option for taking impressive photos, particularly with upgraded features like RAW shooting, night and portrait modes, and self-timers. In addition to a quality smartphone itself, there are plenty of accessories specifically designed to help you get the best shots — and they happen to make excellent travel companions. From compact travel tripods for taking long exposure shots and selfies, to high-quality lenses that attach directly to your phone’s lens, these accessories can boost your smartphone travel photography game.
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We love the tiny but mighty Joby HandyPod 2 for a travel tripod that’s portable but stable. Tripods are one of the best photography tools to have on hand, especially when traveling. A tripod is useful for reducing shaking, which can make your photos (particularly long exposure photos) blurry. The long exposure setting on your smartphone can help capture waterfalls with a dreamy effect, or nighttime images like the northern lights. Tripods also come in handy when setting the self-timer on your phone. Shooting a time-lapse video? No problem with this tripod. It’s pocket-sized and easy to carry around in your backpack or purse when exploring — just pull it out and enjoy a quick set-up when you need it. Since it holds cameras up to 2.2 pounds, it’s perfect for smartphone photography. Want to switch effortlessly between portrait and landscape mode? The smart push-button mechanism allows you to do this fast, so you don’t miss the shot. The legs don’t extend, but they do have rubber feet so you don’t have to worry about the tripod (and your phone) slipping and crashing to the ground. The built-in ball head is compatible with most tripod accessories.
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If you have an iPhone 11 or earlier model, or a Pixel or Samsung device, you’ll need to either purchase the stick-on adapter or a phone case with magnets built in.
Make annoying phone clamps a thing of the past with the Moment Tripod Mount for MagSafe, which works with virtually any tripod. This mount makes using a tripod fast and easy, and you won’t have to fumble around to set it up. Its lightweight and compact design makes it easy to travel with and it’s extremely user-friendly as well. The magnet is strong, so you can feel secure about your phone staying attached and safe. If you have an iPhone 12 and onward, the built-in MagSafe means you don’t need a special case or attachment to use this tripod mount. It doesn’t get in the way of your phone lens when shooting via wide angle, either.
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We love the budget-friendly Godox LEDM32 Smartphone Mini Light for its ease of use, compact size, and functionality. For low light situations, this external light is a lifesaver for taking smartphone photos thanks to its 32 high quality LED beads. Whether you’re indoors or taking photos in the evening, this device adds soft lighting to help improve the quality and exposure of your images. The battery life is impressive, lasting up to 45 minutes on a full charge and another amazing feature is that the brightness is adjustable so you can tailor it to your needs. It shines best from 1.6 feet away from the subject and is fantastic for both photo and video, providing more natural-looking illumination than a typical flash.
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Compatible with both iOS and Android, the Moment Bluetooth Remote is our top pick when it comes to remote shutters. Using a wireless shutter is fantastic for creating sharper photos as well as eliminating shake when taking long exposure images. We love the compact size and included attachment cord so you can clip it to your bag, tripod, or even your key ring. Perhaps the most impressive is the distance you’ll be able to activate your shutter from though. Take a photo from up to 32 feet away using this bluetooth remote (but be sure to keep an eye on your phone when you’re that far from it!). With its simple to use design, budget-friendly price point, and easy portability, you can’t go wrong with this smartphone photography accessory.
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Our top pick for a stand-alone extra lens to attach to your smartphone is the Moment T-series Tele 58mm lens, which allows you to zoom up to six times closer to your subject. As a standard, it also sits twice as close to the main camera lens of your phone. This allows for sharper shots versus using the zoom on your smartphone, which diminishes the resolution. Fantastic for landscape, wildlife, and portrait photography, this lens definitely elevates your smartphone photo game by offering more flexibility without sacrificing quality. Video will also benefit thanks to a beautiful bokeh effect and an overall cinematic vibe. This lens is easy to use, as it features a straightforward mounting process and quickly twists off. This lens is compatible with most phones, but it’s wise to consult the description before purchasing.
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Amp up your smartphone photography game with the Moment T-series Mobile Lens Starter Kit, featuring a trio of awesome attachable lenses as well as a mounting system and lens cleaning pen. Having a clean lens can really make or break a photo, so that should always be your first move before shooting. We love that you can customize your kit based on your phone model and lens preferences, which range from a 14mm fish-eye lens to a 58mm tele mobile lens, wider Anamorphic lenses, and a 10x macro mobile lens great for shooting flora, fauna, textures, and insects. A rear lens cap is also included for added protection to your phone.
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Sometimes a good ring light is all you need to elevate your video and photo game, and the Lumecube Ring Light Mini is the perfect portable accessory that ticks all the boxes for soft, even lighting. Whether you’re vlogging, shooting product imagery, or just in need of extra lighting for indoor photos or a zoom call, this light adds flattery to almost any situation. We love how versatile this mini ring light is thanks to an extendable stand that spans 16 to 40 inches and a 180 degree rotating mount that allows you to tailor your angle and even shoot top-down images and video. Brightness and color can easily be adjusted with user-friendly controls, and the included mounting options just make it even more versatile.
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To avoid dropping your phone when taking photos and videos, the ShiftCam ProGrip Mobile Battery Grip is here to help. We really like that it can charge your phone while in use, and provides a much better ergonomic grip on your phone, making it feel more like a camera. The straightforward set-up makes using it a breeze and you can easily switch between landscape and portrait modes with the adjustable grip. The grip has a Bluetooth shutter built-in for quick and easy shooting so you don’t have to tap your phone’s screen while using. The cold shoe mount and tripod connection make this a flexible accessory for adding lighting and microphones or attaching to a tripod.
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Enjoy hands-free shooting with your smartphone using the Casely Grippy Silicone Suction Phone Mount, which uses MagSafe technology. Compatible with iPhone 12 and higher models, the magnet sticks directly to the back of your phone so you can attach the suction cups to any clean, flat surface such as a mirror, windows, etc. The hold is strong and secure, so you don’t have to worry about your phone falling while shooting. If you want to forgo a tripod for traveling, you can still enjoy the benefits of mounting your phone for still shots and video using this handy silicone suction phone mount that’s super compact and lightweight — as long as you have a surface to stick it to. The fact that it comes in five different colors is a bonus.
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With amazing functionality and a line-up of helpful features, the SnapGrip Creator Kit is our top pick for an all around solid kit. For content creators looking to raise their photography and video quality, a multifunctional kit like this can be exactly what you need. The MagSafe connection offers a secure hold, and the 180 degree pivot system makes it easy to shoot in landscape or portrait view, while included light provides four levels of brightness. We love that it also has a built-in wireless power bank, so you don’t have to drain your phone battery while shooting. The grip helps you hold your phone steady, and the wireless shutter button on the grip makes it easy to snap a photo without having to touch your phone’s screen. A small tripod with a rotating ball head is included as well, and it allows for a full 360 degree range of motion so you can choose the precise angle you want.
Tips for Taking Better Photos With Your Phone
Consider lighting
It goes without saying that lighting is one of the most important elements of photography. When shooting with smartphones, correct lighting is even more crucial since phone cameras aren’t as capable as mirrorless or DSLR cameras. The flash on smartphone cameras can only do so much, so it’s wise to consider purchasing a compact external light that projects soft lighting for your photos or videos. Other great attachable lighting options include the tiny Joby Beamo Mini LED which has a range of up to 3.3 feet, is waterproof and shockproof, has a magnetic back, and is tripod/clamp mountable. In general, the goal is to get the most natural looking light, and adding an external light can help to achieve this for smartphone photography.
Prioritize stability
Don’t underestimate the power of stability when choosing smartphone photography accessories. A stable camera, whether it’s built into your phone or not, will take the sharpest images and help reduce potential blurry photos and even allow for selfies, group photos, and long exposure shots. Having a travel tripod, selfie stick, grip, or clamp can help achieve the most stable photo and video results.
Understand the specs and settings
It’s important to understand the standard settings of your smartphone’s camera and which ones you can adjust to improve the quality of your photography. For instance, if using the iPhone 15, you can change the Megapixels to 12, 24, or 48 in your camera settings, with 48 providing the highest resolution images. Additionally, use “tap to focus” to keep your chosen subject as sharp as possible. If you hold down when using this setting, you can also lock the focus area so it doesn’t automatically move in the middle of composing your shot. This is particularly important when shooting in portrait mode, since the mode is meant to blur the background area that’s not in focus. The “grid view” can help you line up your photos, too.
Although the “auto mode” works a fair amount of the time, utilizing the manual controls like exposure settings and shutter speed to get better results in certain situations allows you to get even more creative. When you tap to focus and lock it, you’ll see a little sun (brightness) icon that you can slide up or down to choose the right exposure for your image. The other way to access this and other manual controls is in the hidden menu, seen when tapping the down arrow on the top of your screen in camera mode. The plus/minus icon controls exposure. If you have a single shot that requires different exposures (say, for the sky and subjects or foreground), try shooting in HDR (High Dynamic Range) mode which will blend several images together, yielding the best results. Also in this hidden menu are the controls for burst mode (you can take 10 quick photos at once), flash, self-timer, and more.
You can also change your iPhone’s shutter speed (which controls how long the shutter is open and affects movement in your images), but you’ll need an additional app like the Camera +2 or Slow Shutter Cam. For instance, if you’re taking a photo of a pet, child, or quick action, you’ll want a faster shutter speed to avoid blurry images. If you’re trying to capture something in very low light, like the northern lights, or want to slow down movement of water for that dreamy effect, you’ll need a slower shutter speed.
Your phone will likely automatically choose “night mode” in low light settings, but you can turn it off if it makes your photo look too unnatural.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is RAW mode on my phone?
RAW mode is many photographers’ go-to setting, as opposed to JPEG. The difference is in compression, file size, quality, and overall editing ability. JPEGs are compressed files that don’t take up as much storage room on your phone, but allow for a lot less flexibility when editing, and ultimately aren’t as high-quality. For most purposes like social media, websites, and small prints, JPEG is just fine. If you want the ability to fine-tune edit, have more control over the final image, and potentially produce bigger prints, shoot in RAW format — the images produced are uncompressed and much larger, but are more detailed. To change this setting on your iPhone, open the camera app, and in the upper right corner, click RAW so the line going through it disappears. You can also go into your settings and choose Apple ProRAW under Camera and “photo capture.”
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Can I print large photos taken with a phone?
The megapixels your phone has and the mode you’re shooting in (JPEG or RAW) will determine how large of a photo you can print without it appearing blurry. Photos up to 11 x 14 inches will print just fine, but if you want to print 24 x 36 photos and larger, you may end up with lower resolution and noise (grainy appearance). Generally, most newer smartphones should be able to print images up to 16 x 24 inches. Still, it’s best to use the 48 megapixel setting, and, if you shoot in RAW, edit the image and export it at around 300dpi (dots per inch) for the best results, in which case you can likely print up to 24 x 36 inches with little issue.
There isn’t a setting to figure out pixel sizing in your photo, but you can use math. Take a look at the info box which displays the image’s metadata. This will show how many megapixels a photo was taken in and the long and short edge in pixels. Now, you can divide the longer edge of the photo, (say it’s 3,000 inches) by the longest edge of the print size you’d like (let’s say 18 inches) to find the ppi, which should be at least 240 for high quality results. In this case, the photo comes out to 166ppi, and printing something big wouldn’t come out very clear. However, you could print something up to 10 inches on its longest size (so an 8 x 10 print), which would be of high quality. Another easier option is to upload the file to a site for ordering prints to find out if the image resolution is too low to be printed clearly.
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How do I edit photos taken on my phone?
There are many photo editing apps, and the built-in editing tools for the iPhone 15 are pretty great for basic edits. But if you’d like to do more, like remove something from an image, enhance clarity, or brighten up the background or subject, then Adobe Lightroom is your best bet. The mobile Lightroom app is quite intuitive and makes editing photos on the go a snap.
Why Trust Travel + Leisure
A travel photographer herself, T+L contributor Lauren Breedlove used her personal experience with smartphone photography as well as research to curate this list of the best portable phone accessories for smartphones based on her findings.
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