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| Crooked Fork Creek Kooskia, ID |
Do you have trouble keeping your smartphone straight when taking pictures? Do the horizons in your sunset shots always tip to the left or right? Do photos of buildings lean left or right? If so, you may want to turn on the Grid feature to provide a reference for keeping straight lines straight.
The Grid is a setting in your phone's camera that shows a "tic-tac-toe" design on your screen. These lines do not appear in your image. They are a reference to help you keep the picture straight. Here's how to turn them on.
Grid Lines for an Android Phone
Open the camera app on your Android phone. In the upper left, tap on the gear icon to open the Camera Settings screen. Under the General section is the setting for Grid Lines. Tap the button to turn on the feature. Then tap the back arrow at the top left to return to the regular camera screen. You should see a set of lines dividing the picture area into 9 squares.
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| Left: Camera settings icon, Middle: Grid lines option turned on, Right: Grid lines overlaid with yellow to make them easier to see. |
Grid for an iPhone
Open the Settings app (gear icon) on your iPhone. Scroll down to Camera and tap on it. In the Composition section, tap the button for Grid to turn it on. Then tap the back arrow to return to the Home screen. Open the Camera app to see the set of lines dividing the picture area into 9 squares.
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| Left: Settings for Camera screen with Grid option turned on, Middle: Grid overlay in Camera app, Right: Grid lines overlaid with yellow to make them easier to see. |
Composition Aid
Having the grid visible can also help you with composing your pictures. The lines represent a technique called the Rule of Thirds. Placing your main subject along one of the lines or where the lines intersect can add more visual interest to your photo.
In the picture of the sleeping cat, the bottom left intersecting lines fall right on her eye, causing her head to be in the lower left rectangle instead of right in the middle.
In the photo of the boat, the photographer placed the bottom horizontal line across the top of the boat, leaving room for the lake and clouds in the upper part of the image.
Try turning on the grid in your phone's camera app and see if your photos straighten out!
If you want to learn more tips for smartphone photography, check on my class at the Lifelong Learning Center in Missoula, Montana, this fall. Take Better Pictures with Your Smartphone starts September 30, 2024. You can read a description and sign up on the website.