by Mishra Planeswalker

Created on: January 08, 2009

We live in a world that is the stage for a massive technological uprising. We are constantly attached to technology of some sort, and these devices are getting smaller and more powerful every year. One of the most beloved technological innovations of the 21st century is the camera phone: a mobile phone with the capability to take and store pictures.

Whereas in the past, one was unlikely to have a camera on one's person when a "Kodak moment" came along, modern telephones contain cameras so that whenever the urge strikes you, you can snap a picture. Shoving a bulky camera into your pocket wasn't convenient, and people would not bring them when they didn't expect something photo-worthy to occur. Unfortunately, spectacular and funny moments don't wait for someone to have a camera to come along. So using that idea, the Olympus camera company developed the Deltis VC-1100, which could transmit recently taken pictures via phone lines. Unfortunately, the phone had very poor images to show for its efforts, and this would be the trend for the years to come. Even in modern times, the photo quality that can be produced while using a camera phone is sub par when compared to a dedicated camera. Luckily, thanks to new technologies and some smart photography skills, you can make your images look as if they had been taken from a normal, dedicated camera.

You photos can be improved in three ways: prior to taking them, while you're taking them, and after the pictures have been shot. Before purchasing a cell phone with picture taking in mind, you should consider the quality of the camera that is built in. This is commonly measured in megapixels, and most phones on the market today will have a very low rating, usually less than a single megapixel. However, there is one phone on the market that boasts a stunning two megapixel built-in camera, Apple's revolutionary iPhone. The photos taken by the iPhone look so impressive that they look beautiful, even when blown up to large resolutions on a computer. However, if the iPhone is a bit out of your price range, consider altering your photo taking technique.

Even though the photos you take with your cell phone are supposed to be casual and spur-of-the-moment, you can prep for a photo quite easily to ensure a clearer product. Ensuring that your subject is not hidden in shadow is essential, and being in the presence of natural or artificial light is a must if your want a crisp snapshot. Above all, you should keep a steady hand as you snap your picture. This is because almost all cells phones (save the aforementioned iPhone) have a terribly long lag time between starting and ending the shot. If you think your shot is good, and jerk your hand away before your photo has time to fully take, you'll most likely ruin your photo, and sometimes any chance of saving your precious moment.

Almost all camera phones have the potential to transfer their photos to a computer, and by using various pieces of post-production software such as Adobe's Photoshop or the open-source GIMP software, you can easily restore the quality of your phone photos. The GIMP is free image manipulation software that runs on all operating systems, and has the potential to turn a shabby-looking phone picture into one that might have been professionally taken, give the proper time investment.

There are many ways to improve the lackluster quality of many cell phone pictures. You can get a phone like the iPhone with a higher-quality camera, be more careful when actually snapping the shot, or use powerful software to enhance the image. Combining these three options can create results that are nothing short of spectacular, while still being created by the cell phone you carry around everywhere.

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