If you love taking photos on your phone, you’re probably familiar with the frustration of dealing with harsh reflections or overly bright skies. But what if I told you there’s an easy, unexpected way to improve your phone photography? Here’s a tip that many photographers don’t know: use your sunglasses as a polarizing filter for your smartphone camera.
Why Use Sunglasses as a Polarizing Filter?
Professional photographers often use polarizing filters to reduce glare and reflections, especially when shooting in bright sunlight or near water. These filters help enhance colors and contrast, making skies bluer and clouds more defined, while cutting down on unwanted reflections from surfaces like windows or lakes.
While dedicated polarizing filters aren’t usually available for smartphones, you can achieve a similar effect using something you already have with you on sunny days: your sunglasses.
How It Works
Polarized sunglasses are designed to reduce glare, making them perfect for acting as a makeshift filter for your phone’s camera. Here’s how to use them:
- Put on Your Sunglasses: Make sure you’re using polarized sunglasses, as these are what will have the most noticeable effect on reducing glare and enhancing color.
- Hold Your Sunglasses in Front of Your Phone Camera: Simply place one lens of your sunglasses over the camera lens of your phone. Hold it as close to the camera as possible to avoid distortion or blurring around the edges.
- Adjust the Angle for Best Results: Polarizing filters work best at specific angles. You may need to rotate or tilt the sunglasses slightly until you find the sweet spot where reflections disappear, and colors become more vibrant.
- Capture Your Shot: Once you’ve found the perfect angle, snap your picture! You’ll notice how much clearer and richer your photo looks, especially in bright outdoor conditions.
When to Use This Tip
While this trick can be used in a variety of situations, it’s particularly helpful for:
- Reducing reflections on water or glass surfaces (like when photographing a lake or a city skyline).
- Enhancing sky and cloud detail, making colors pop and the sky look more dramatic.
- Improving contrast in bright outdoor environments, giving your photos a more professional, polished look.
- Shooting through windows without capturing unwanted reflections, perfect for snapping shots from a moving car or through a shop window.
Pro Tip: Experiment with Different Sunglasses
Not all sunglasses are created equal. Different tints and polarizations will affect your photos in various ways. Darker lenses might give your photos a cooler tone, while brown or amber lenses can warm up your images. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different sunglasses to find the one that gives you the best effect for your style of photography.
Benefits of This Tip
- Budget-friendly: No need to buy expensive polarizing filters or phone accessories—just use what you already have.
- Convenient: Sunglasses are something you likely have with you anyway on sunny days, making it an easy solution when you’re out and about.
- Improves image quality: This trick helps cut down on glare and enhance colors, making your phone photos look more professional with minimal effort.
Final Thoughts
Using your sunglasses as a polarizing filter is an unusual yet highly effective tip that can instantly elevate your phone photography. It’s easy, budget-friendly, and delivers results that will make your photos stand out, especially when shooting in bright conditions or near reflective surfaces. So next time you’re outside with your phone and sunglasses, give this trick a try and see how much it improves your shots!
