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Introduction

Android smartphone photography continues to amaze me. Last night as I was looking up at the brilliant night sky, I was able to photograph the full moon with such magnification that I could see details in the moon’s impact craters! Of course the ability to photograph the moon close up is easily done with a larger DSLR or mirrorless camera, but for a smartphone to have advanced to such an extent that you can create decent astro-photographs is amazing.

The good news is that not only are the physical cameras on Android devices getting better each year, but the software that processes your photos within your smartphone also gets better with each software update. I encourage everyone to update their Android smartphones to take advantage of a better photography experience. No matter what kind of Android phone you have, you can create amazing images that you will be very proud of.

Maybe you’re someone who has always found the technical side of things easy, but you struggle with capturing emotion, mood, metaphors, and heart in your photographs. Or maybe you’re the opposite, where you feel and understand the soul of a particular place, but have a challenging time with the technical side of photography. Regardless of what your challenge is, this book is well-suited to help you both master the artistic and the technical side of Android smartphone photography.

About This Book

Android Smartphone Photography For Dummies is a book written to help you navigate your phone’s incredible camera system and discover the heart and soul of smartphone photography. No matter what level of photography experience you have, the goal of this book is to get you excited about the possibility of seeing photo opportunities each day. As your Android smartphone is almost always with you, either in your backpack, purse, schoolbag, or back pocket, you almost always have access to a surprisingly good quality camera. This book offers you the creative and technical tools that will fuel your desire to photograph pretty much daily.

In this book, I show you how to

 Control light in its many forms to create the best-looking photos.

 Accentuate your images by applying the Rule of Thirds and other compositional tools.

 Initiate Burst mode for sports and street photography to ensure that you get the shot.

 Access and use the extra camera features, such as panoramas and selfies.

 Navigate your way around all of the Google Photos app settings and options.

 Take and edit your photos in the quickest and most accurate way possible.

 Create the best landscape, sports, family, travel, products, and street photographs.

 Edit, organize, and share your photos.

 Create smooth-looking videos.

I wanted this book to work perfectly for users of all Android makes and models. As of this writing, there are 1,300 brands that produce over 24,000 distinct Android devices. And each brand is able to custom design the look and feel of their Camera app and settings. As it’s impossible to create a book that addresses the exact options of all 24,000 Android devices, I’ve been able to craft this book using the universal Google Photos app. The look of the Google Photos app is mostly consistent throughout all 1,300 Android brands. When the look of the Camera app differs slightly from manufacturer to manufacturer I make sure to explain that your own device may differ slightly in appearance to my examples. But not to worry! The differences are often as minor as the shape or color of an icon, and no more.

To reach the highest number of Android users possible, I created this book using three Android smartphones and both Android 10 and 11 operating systems. These three devices span three segments of the market:

 The single lens Motorola Moto G7 Play using the Android 10 operating system. This budget phone won’t be upgraded to Android 11.

 The single lens Google Pixel 4a using the Android 11 operating system. This mid-range phone will eventually be upgraded to Android 12 when the new operating system is released.

 The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G using the Android 11 operating system. This professional-level smartphone features a very high quality multi-lens camera system.

It’s possible that you have a phone from a different manufacturer, such as HTC, Xiaomi, or Sony. As the pre-loaded Google Photos app is universal in its appearance and functionality, you will be more than fine following along with each tip and technique.

It’s also important to mention that I took all the photography examples in this book with my previously mentioned three Android smartphone models.

Foolish Assumptions

This book assumes that you may know nothing about smartphone photography, yet is also highly accessible and valuable to those who may consider themselves as advanced amateurs. Android Smartphone Photography For Dummies guides you through the best practices of mobile photography, helping you gain a new creative outlet to express yourself!

So to start you out on a path to photographic success, I assume that you

 Have an Android smartphone and its operating system is up to date.

 You have access to Wi-Fi or use a data plan with your mobile phone provider.

Other than these two presumptions, I explain everything else in the book in great detail so that you never feel overwhelmed or bogged down.

Icons Used in This Book

This book, like all For Dummies books, uses icons to highlight certain paragraphs and to alert you to particularly useful information. Here’s a rundown of what those icons mean:

A Tip icon means I’m giving you an extra snippet of information that may help you on your way or provide some additional insight into the concepts being discussed.

The Remember icon points out information that is worth committing to memory.

The Technical Stuff icon indicates geeky stuff that you can skip if you really want to, although you may want to read it if you’re the kind of person who likes to have the background info.

The Warning icon helps you stay out of trouble. It’s intended to grab your attention to help you avoid a pitfall that may harm your smartphone or photos.

Beyond the Book

In addition to what you’re reading right now, this product also comes with a free access-anywhere Cheat Sheet. To get this Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and search for “Android Smartphone Photography For Dummies Cheat Sheet” in the Search box.

Where to Go from Here

Throughout this process of discovering the ins and outs of Android smartphone photography, take inspiration from other photographers who have mastered their preferred photographic genre. Instagram is a good resource for this. However, it’s critical that you don’t allow yourself to feel bad if your photos are not up to that level. Practice creating photographs every day, if possible, and you will most certainly see your abilities improve radically over a short period of time.

Creativity is in everyone to some degree, and it’s often the case that we simply need a guide to kick-start that engine. It’s my hope that this book will serve that function and help you to master the technical parts, which will free you to absorb the artistic aspects of smartphone photography. I know that you can do it!