Posted on August 18, 2022
How to stop smartphone apps from collecting your personal data
Smartphone apps can collect a whole lot of data about you:
Your name and email address, location history, personal contacts, photos and videos, purchases, health and fitness data, financial information, browsing and search history, your IP address and other sensitive data.
Why? Your personal data is worth money — and although Apple and Google are working to crack down, these companies may share and sell your data to third-parties, usually without you even knowing.
If you’re concerned about your privacy, here are a few steps you can take to further protect your data on your smartphone.
Stop third-party apps from collecting data on iPhone
- Limit app tracking, to prevent apps from tracking your activity across other companies’ apps and websites:
- Go to Settings > Privacy > Tracking > Toggle off “Allow Apps to Request to Track”
- Toggle any app in the list below to “off” as well
- Limit app access, , to contacts, microphone, photos, health, etc:
- Go to Settings > Privacy
- Click on the category you would like to limit app access (for example, Photos)
- Click on an app in the list and change the permissions
- Limit location sharing
- Go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services (Note: Location services may be essential for some apps to function properly or as expected, think ride-sharing, mileage tracking or weather apps.)
- Choose an app to change its permissions
Stop third-party apps from collecting data on Android
- Limit location sharing:
- Go to Settings > Location
- Choose specific apps to modify their location permissions
- Turn off diagnostic data sharing and marketing information:
- Go to Settings > Privacy
- Toggle off Send diagnostic data & Receive marketing information
- Turn off ads personalization:
- Go to Settings > Google
- Tap Ads. Toggle on Opt out of ads personalization
- Depending on your Android model, you may need to go to Settings > Privacy to access this option
- Delete or reset your Advertising ID.
- Remove permissions from apps:
- Go to Settings > Privacy > Permission manager
- Choose and tap a permission to modify settings
- Choose the app and tap Don’t Allow, Ask every time or Allow only while using the app
Posted on August 12, 2022
How CREDO funding is helping Planned Parenthood Action Fund fiercely fight for abortion rights
Note from CREDO: In January 2022, CREDO members voted to distribute $55,235 to Planned Parenthood Action Fund to help the organization continue the fight for reproductive freedom and health care access. In total, CREDO is extremely proud to have donated $3.7 million to Planned Parenthood, its Action Fund and affiliates since 1996. Please take a moment to read this incredible update from the organization about how it utilized funding from CREDO to preserve and expand access to reproductive care.
Planned Parenthood Action Fund is pleased to share an update on work CREDO has helped to make possible over the past six months.
This reporting period has been a time of grave challenges for reproductive health and rights: The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade has eliminated the federally protected right to abortion and opened the floodgates for as many as 26 states to move to ban abortion. A total of 36 million women — nearly half of the women of reproductive age (18-49) in the United States — and more people who can become pregnant — will likely lose abortion access within a matter of weeks or months, if they haven’t already. Communities that already face the greatest barriers to care will be harmed the most. While we are devastated, we are also resilient, better equipped and more determined than ever before. The Action Fund will never stop fighting to ensure every person has the care they need to control their bodies and build their futures.
As we approached the Supreme Court decision, the need to galvanize Planned Parenthood supporters around the existential threat to abortion access became increasingly urgent. The leak of Justice Samuel Alito’s draft opinion provided further impetus. Working in close collaboration with coalition partners, Planned Parenthood organizations participated in a national Bans Off Our Bodies Day of Action on May 14 that drew more than one million supporters to the streets. In the 24 hours following the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization on June 24, Planned Parenthood organizations mobilized tens of thousands of supporters across the country. More than 550 coalition events were held nationwide, including more than 80 hosted by Planned Parenthood organizations.
Earlier in this reporting period, we mounted a fierce fight to preserve and expand access as many states rushed to pass abortion bans in anticipation of the then-pending Jackson Women’s Health decision. The Action Fund worked at a furious pace to provide local Planned Parenthood advocacy and political organizations with the critical organizing, communications, lobbying, and policy guidance they needed to defend and expand access. We used these fights to further garner public awareness of how our rights were gravely threatened.
Planned Parenthood advocacy and political organizations scored important defensive victories despite the hostile climate. For example:
- In February pro–reproductive health legislators in Virginia defeated a measure that would have banned abortion in Virginia after 20 weeks of pregnancy and subjected providers to potential felony charges for violating the law.
- Several abortion restrictions were defeated in Iowa, including a medication abortion restriction bill, a trigger ban, and 12-week ban, which all failed to meet a procedural deadline and earn a final vote.
In more supportive states, Planned Parenthood advocacy and political organizations have successfully advocated for the following measures to expand abortion access:
- The Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act in New Jersey, a historic law that includes protections for abortion, birth control, and pregnancy care;
- Repeal of Illinois’s parental consent requirement, removing the final abortion restriction on the books in a state that became critical to abortion access since the fall of Roe;
- Colorado’s Reproductive Health Equity Act, which codifies the protections established by Roe into state law; and
- A California bill eliminating out-of-pocket costs for abortion patients covered by private health insurance plans.
Also during this period, Planned Parenthood Action Fund worked to promote a bold, proactive federal policy agenda and ensure that the Biden-Harris administration prioritized sexual and reproductive health care. We have been in close communication with the administration about the abortion access crisis since Texas’s six-week abortion ban went into effect in September 2021. As we got closer to a ruling in Jackson Women’s Health, the administration used its bully pulpit to shape the national conversation around the chaos and harm of overturning Roe. Examples include Vice President Harris’s virtual roundtable with abortion providers — including doctors from Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and SW Missouri and Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast — and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s testimony at a Senate hearing about how banning abortion would be “very damaging” for the economy.
The Planned Parenthood Action Fund is rallying the overwhelming majority in this country — the 80% who support legal abortion — while working with local Planned Parenthood advocacy and political organizations to fiercely defend against restrictions in strategically selected states. We are also providing support to expand access wherever possible, while prioritizing those states where gains will increase access for people living in adjacent, more restrictive jurisdictions.
As part of the Bans Off Our Bodies campaign, Planned Parenthood Action Fund and Planned Parenthood local organizations are organizing millions of advocates around the country to demonstrate widespread momentum for abortion rights. In July we launched a “Summer of Dissent,” a mass mobilization that harnesses the outrage of the Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision into a movement-defining state of action. This includes hundreds of events; volunteer phone banking and social media outreach; a corporate day of action; and actions by Planned Parenthood Black, Latino, and patient organizing programs.
Additionally, we are pressing the Biden-Harris administration and Congress to do all in their power to safeguard abortion access. In the immediate aftermath of the court’s ruling, the Action Fund and our coalition partners have been working with the administration to implement emergency and longer-term measures, including those in the Executive Order (EO) signed by President Biden in early July. The EO takes a vital step toward protecting and defending access to abortion care in a post-Roe reality.
CREDO has been a staunch corporate partner throughout this crisis — showing up time and again to voice support for abortion access leading up to and in the wake of the Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision. Planned Parenthood Action Fund is deeply grateful for CREDO’s incredible partnership and unwavering commitment to reproductive rights. Thank you for standing with us at this pivotal moment.
Posted on August 12, 2022
Grounded in Love, Justice and Belonging – She the People Reimagines a World Led By and For Women of Color
Note from the CREDO team: This August, She the People is among three amazing groups that will receive a share of our monthly grant. Funding from the CREDO community this month will help She the People’s efforts to elevate women of color as a core voting bloc and leaders of a new progressive political and cultural era.
Read this important blog post from She the People’s Fariha Hussain, Major Gifts and Donor Relations Director, then click here to visit CREDODonations.com to cast your vote to help determine how we distribute our monthly grant to this organization and our other amazing grantees this August.
Founded and led by Aimee Allison — a recognized voice in the national efforts to elevate the power of women of color — She the People is amplifying the leadership, insights, power and solutions brought by women of color across the nation. The organization is building a multiracial coalition to ensure women of color win racial justice, gender equality, and an inclusive democracy.
Now more than ever, women of color are critical to strengthening racial and gender justice in our troubled country. Polling and history demonstrate our commitment to a progressive solution-oriented agenda as voters, activists, and leaders. Yet women of color are underserved as a community and significantly undervalued and underrepresented at all levels of government. It’s time for that to change.
Our country needs the full participation of women of color to advance new, justice-centered possibilities. Grounded in the values of love, justice and belonging, She the People is building for this transformative change led by Black, Latina, Indigenous, Muslim, Asian American and Pacific Islander women working across a national network connecting women of color to transform our democracy.
Working in strategic coalition with women of color and their organizations from around the country, She the People surfaces insights from our diverse communities to activate leadership and social change by:
- Charting a path towards an America redefined and inspired by women of color.
- Building a multiracial coalition to ensure women of color leaders, candidates, organizers, creators, and voters to win racial justice, gender equality, and inclusive democracy.
- Centering women of color in political conversations and decisions, with a focus on multiracial, Muslim, trans, undocumented, poor, and women with disabilities.
- Illuminating untold stories of our participation and power in community and national political movements and successes and then winning seats in governance and leadership.
It’s Our Time – Join the Movement
We are redefining and elevating women of color as a core voting bloc and leaders of a new progressive political and cultural era. There are several ways to support our work:
- Cast your vote for She the People to receive the CREDO monthly grant
- Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Posted on August 11, 2022
How to clear your phone’s cache to save space and improve performance
It’s inevitable: Our phones start to slow down and that precious memory space begins to fill up — causing a whole host of annoying problems that seem to get worse over time.
So how can you improve the performance of your smartphone and free up space for more photos, videos and text messages?
Clearing out your cache. In this week’s quick tip, we’ll show you how to clear your cache to save space and improve your smartphone’s performance.
So what is cache?
Essentially, cache is the data stored by your phone’s browser or apps after opening a webpage or program for the first time to speed up loading times the next time you access it. While this can help load times in the short term, this digital clutter can eventually use up a lot of space on your phone and slow it down in the long run. That’s why we recommend clearing out your cache once a month.
Clear cache on an iPhone
As we mentioned above, there are two types of cache stored on your device: app and browser cache. Here’s how to clear both:
Clear cache on Safari
Safari is the default browser on iPhones. If you use a different browser, click these links for Chrome or Firefox to learn how to clear the cache from those apps.
- Go to Settings > Safari > Tap Clear History and Website Data, then confirm.
Clear iPhone app cache
- Go to Settings > General > select iPhone Storage then let the page load.
- You will see a list of apps sorted by which ones are using up the most space.
- Click on an app, then tap “Offload App”
- Additionally, you can enable “Offload Unused Apps” to automatically save space from apps you haven’t used recently
Clear cache on Android
Clear cache on Chrome
- Open the Chrome app > tap three dots for More > History > Clear browsing data and follow the instructions to clear out cookies, site data, cached images and files.
Clear Android app cache
- Open Settings > Storage > Other apps.
- Tap the three dots in the top right and choose “Sort by size”
- Choose an app and tap it, then tap Clear cache.
Posted on August 10, 2022
We Won’t Go Back: Thousands of Everyday Women Gather in Houston, TX for this year’s Women’s Convention
Note from the CREDO team: This August, Women’s March is among three amazing groups that will receive a share of our monthly grant. Funding from the CREDO community will power travel and accommodations scholarships for the Women’s Convention in Houston, TX, so everyday women activists can build the skills and community required to create the feminist future we all need.
Read this important blog post from Caitlin Breedlove, Deputy Executive Director of Organizational Advancement at Women’s March, then click here to visit CREDODonations.com to cast your vote to help determine how we distribute our monthly grant to this organization and our other amazing grantees this August.
Amid the greatest attacks on our freedom and bodily autonomy in a generation, we are filled with rage and determination. Thus we must consolidate everyday women and allies together into a force with one overriding purpose: to strengthen our capacity to defy and defeat the radical right, as we work to build a feminist future where everyone can thrive. We won’t sugarcoat the situation: These are dire and dangerous times. We won’t win back what we lost overnight. No single strategy can undo the damage that has been done. This moment requires all of us to bring our best and highest contribution using every tool in our toolbox.
Not everyone’s work at this moment is to organize women as a political group, but it is ours, and this roadmap is our offering as a strategic intervention. Our opposition seeks to divide us, and yet we commit to organizing with people of all genders who are affected by the current onslaught of attacks, as well as our allies.
That is exactly why we organize to build power — especially with this August’s Women’s Convention in Houston, TX. The Women’s Convention is a weekend of workshops, strategy sessions, inspiring forums, creative expression, and intersectional movement building. It will be a place where cause, community, and creativity intersect. We provide a space where people can meet, share common interests, and engage on issues of civic engagement, accelerated by pop culture. We engage activists by melding traditional organizing programming with non-traditional programming, including salons, art spaces, screenings, social programming, and women’s workforce development.
We know that a robust and growing majority of the country’s population supports our values, even as the right works to enact its racist, sexist, xenophobic, homophobic, and transphobic priorities into violent public policy with long lasting and deeply harmful impact.
Our interventions will bring together people from the gender justice, racial justice, LGBTQ rights, and environmental justice movements, to build collective power for both the short- and long-term. We are gathering in Houston this summer to nourish and strengthen our spirits, to sharpen our organizing skills, to forge the personal connections that sustain every movement for justice. We know that there will be no solution that does not involve more of us, more everyday people, not just the choir. We need to broaden our partnerships: that is why the convention partners with Planned Parenthood, Black Feminist Future, National Women’s Law Center, NOW, Mozilla, National LGBTQ Task Force, UltraViolet, and so many others. We know that we need more brand new activists: which is why we organized the content of the convention around delegations from 43 states, and learning tracks that equip new women activists with skills while building community.
Tarso Ramos of Political Research Associates often says when you study the history of authoritarianism you see that a key antidote to this tyranny is a mass-based women’s movement. We need one now. So, we are uniting women and our allies around shared values, experience, and culture so we can heal wounds from the pandemic, the economic depression, and a history of racism to build a nation that works for all of us.
The 2022 Women’s Convention is not just about building a community, it is about building a community with a purpose. It is for us those new to social change, and those of us who need to rekindle our hope and determination through community. We need to glimpse the feminist future we want in order to build it.
Posted on August 3, 2022
Vote for Abortion Care Network, She the People, and Women’s March this August
Every month, CREDO members vote to distribute our monthly grant to three incredible progressive causes – and every vote makes a difference. With recent unprecedented attacks on women’s rights and reproductive freedom, we hope you will join us to support three amazing groups fighting for women’s rights who urgently need our help: Abortion Care Network, She the People and Women’s March.
Abortion Care Network
Independent clinics provide the majority of abortion care in the U.S., but most people don’t know they exist. ACN is changing that. Together with its network of care providers and allies, ACN works to ensure that abortion care is accessible to all.
Funding from CREDO will be used to support the network of independent community clinics who provide the majority of abortion care in the U.S. They’re doing the work, and they need your support.
She the People
She the People is amplifying the leadership, insights, power and solutions brought by women of color across the nation. The organization is building a multiracial coalition to ensure women of color win racial justice, gender equality, and an inclusive Democracy.
Funding from the CREDO grant supports She the People’s efforts to elevate women of color as a core voting bloc and leaders of a new progressive political and cultural era.
Women’s March
Women’s March harnesses the political power of millions of diverse women and their communities to create transformative social change. The organization is a women-led movement working to build a feminist future. We won’t go back, not now, not ever.
Funds from this CREDO members will power travel and accommodations scholarships for the Women’s Convention, so everyday women activists can build the skills and community required to create the feminist future we all need.
Your vote this month will determine how we divide our monthly donations among these three progressive groups. Be sure to cast your vote to support one, two or all three by August 31.
CREDO members who use our products and services everyday are the reason we are able to make these donations each month. Learn more about CREDO Mobile and join our movement.
Posted on August 1, 2022
Abortion Care Network and the fight for abortion liberation
Note from the CREDO team: This August, Abortion Care Network is among three amazing groups that will receive a share of our monthly grant. Funding from the CREDO community will help ACN support the network of independent community clinics who provide the majority of abortion care in the U.S. They’re doing the work, and they need your support.
Read this important blog post from Nikki Madsen, she/her, ACN’s Executive Director, then click here to visit CREDODonations.com to cast your vote to help determine how we distribute our monthly grant to this organization and our other amazing grantees this August.
On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court released a decision overturning Roe v. Wade, decimating the right to abortion in the United States, fundamentally changing the definition of liberty and privacy in this country, and opening the door for states to ban or further restrict abortion. More than a month out from the decision, we still don’t yet know what it means for each state, for each independent abortion clinic, or for each person in need of abortion care now or in the future. However, we do know that more than half the states in the US are poised to completely ban or severely restrict abortion. In fact, since the decision, six states are currently enforcing trigger bans that either nearly or completely ban abortion.
It is clear that the Supreme Court’s decision is a violation of our human rights and undoubtedly signals an escalating public health crisis.
We deeply understand that this will be a confusing and chaotic time. In lockstep with independent clinics, abortion funds, practical support networks, and our partners at ineedanA.com, ACN will do everything we can to share what we know about where you can still get abortion care. You can still get an abortion in the US. Find a clinic and help accessing care at ineedanA.com, or text 202–883–4620 to find a clinic near you
Many of us have never known a world without the protections of Roe — and yet because of abortion bans, restrictions, and the continued onslaught of political and physical violence against providers, we have also never known a world in which the full promise of Roe was actually available to all of us. Some of us are here because we were able to have abortions (or our mothers, elders, partners or other loved ones were). All of us do this work because we know that liberation means that every person has sovereignty over their own bodies.
We all deserve so much better. While no one should have to travel farther, wait longer than they want, or navigate politically-imposed barriers to get abortion care, a compassionate, brave, resolute network of abortion experts exists. We are ready to help you get the care you need. You can find a clinic here, find an abortion fund here, and donate to help clinics stay open here.
The decision is both heartbreakingly painful and not shocking. The United States was built on reproductive control, and the movement to ban abortion has its roots firmly planted in racism, sexism, and so many other systems of interlocking oppression. While we are honored to be among those working towards a different, liberated future, we are not ignorant to the daily continued harm done by our country’s legacy of white supremacy, colonization, slavery, and misogyny. Today’s decision comes in the midst of continued violence and devastation to communities across the country: police violence against Black people, gun violence committed by white supremacists, continued attacks on queer and trans youth and so much more.
Abortion Care Network is committed to building a future where every person can get abortion care when and where they need it. We envision a world where decisions about pregnancy, sex, and parenting are met with trust, love, and support. The fight for bodily autonomy under a government that proclaims that we do not have the right to privacy, the liberty to govern our own bodies or our own lives is a generational one. It must also be an intersectional one, and we need you to be a part of it. That means working together not only to ensure that every person who needs an abortion can get the care they need, but also to undo racism and white supremacy, to protect queer and trans kids, to combat and call out violence at the hands of the state against our most marginalized communities, and to work towards a world in which everyone has what they need to thrive. That means we don’t leave anyone behind; we are stronger together and we are only liberated when each of us is free.
Our hearts are still broken, but we will continue to come to this work with love and determination, and we will move forward the same way:
If you have had an abortion, you are loved.
To those who provide abortion care — counselors, clinicians, call center staff, admins, midwives, and more — you are the most courageous, compassionate, ethical people we know. You are the underdogs but to us, you are the greatest champions.
To the people funding abortions, providing practical support, escorting patients, fighting for our rights in courts and statehouses, conducting one rigorous research study after another: thank you for working relentlessly and with such love.
To the activists, advocates, and artists who help us laugh, cry, rage, act, and find each other: thank you for holding us and moving us.
If you aren’t already in the fight for abortion liberation: join us. You can sit with us. Learn more at AbortionCareNetwork.org.
Posted on August 1, 2022
Our July grantees thank you for your support
Each month, CREDO members vote on how we distribute funding to three incredible nonprofits. Those small actions add up – with one click, you can help fund groups working for civil rights, gun violence prevention and digital rights. In July, CREDO members voted to distribute our monthly donation among the American Civil Liberties Union, Brady: United Against Gun Violence and Free Press Action. These donations are made possible by CREDO customers and the revenue they generate by using our services. The distribution depends entirely on the votes of CREDO members like you. And for that, our July grant recipients thank you.
ACLU
“We are incredibly grateful to CREDO members for sustaining the ACLU as we push back against assaults on abortion and voting rights and relentlessly fight for systemic equality and trans justice. We refuse to yield until all people can live openly without discrimination and enjoy equal rights. Thank you for standing with us.” – Anthony D. Romero, Executive Director, ACLU
To learn more, visit www.aclu.org.
Brady: United Against Gun Violence
“CREDO is an incredible partner in helping build a movement to take real action, not sides, in the fight to end gun violence in America.” – Kris Brown, President, Brady: United Against Gun Violence
To learn more, visit BradyUnited.org.
Free Press Action
“CREDO members are essential in the fight for digital civil rights and holding Big Media and Big Tech accountable for amplifying hate and disinformation. Thanks for supporting Free Press Action with your vote and your voice!” – Craig Aaron & Jessica González, co-CEOs, Free Press Action
To learn more, visit www.freepress.net.
Now check out the three groups we are funding in August, and cast your vote to help distribute our donations.
CREDO members who use our products are the reason why we are able to make these donations each month. Learn more about CREDO Mobile, the carrier with a conscience.
Posted on July 22, 2022
This Big Telecom company enabled the deadly riot on the U.S. Capitol
More than a year and a half ago, insurrectionists who were incited by Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol building to prevent the peaceful transfer of power.
Five people died, countless innocent people were injured and our fragile democracy has been on the brink ever since.
But did you know that a certain Dallas-based Big Telecom company bears some responsibility for this deadly riot?
It’s true. This well-known Big Telecom company — that has long donated to right-wing causes and Republican politicians — gave over $2 million to the 130 politicians who believed the “Big Lie” and announced they would not vote to certify the election.
Reporting by Judd Legum at the time revealed that AT&T gave $2,053,000 to 130 Republicans who announced that they would overturn the will of the voters and object to certifying then-President-elect Joe Biden’s electoral college victory.
These same far-right politicians fanned the flames of subverting our democracy which led to the domestic terrorist attack on the U.S Capitol.
Make no mistake: As the largest corporate contributor to this group of traitors, AT&T bears responsibility for enabling the Republicans who peddled lies and helped encourage the rioters who tried to overthrow our democracy.
Even after announcing that it would not donate to the Republican members of Congress who objected to certification, AT&T quietly restarted its political giving to right-wing political committees that will support the re-election campaigns of these same election objectors.
Unlike AT&T, CREDO is committed to financially supporting our progressive allies who fight for civil rights, economic justice, voting rights, peace, women’s rights, climate justice and equality.
These donations are just another example of AT&T’s long history of supporting the right-wing agenda, which includes hundreds of thousands donated to politicians who supported the Texas abortion ban and voter suppression bills, $2 million donated to Donald Trump, more than $1.1 million to Republicans during the 2020 election, and a history of supporting racist, anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ lawmakers.
Join CREDO Mobile, the phone company that donates each month — $93 million to date — to progressive nonprofits and gives you an alternative to doing business with big corporations that don’t share your values.
To help make the switch even easier, enjoy savings available on our website. Get on the nation’s best network, while supporting the causes most important to you – at no extra cost. Start making a difference every day with CREDO Mobile.
Posted on July 21, 2022
7 quick tips for taking better photos with your smartphone this summer
It’s summer and it’s hot outside! But if you’re like us, you’re braving the heat and venturing out with friends and family to make long-lasting memories — memories taken and stored on that smartphone camera in your pocket.
But do you ever feel like your pictures just aren’t as nice as the ones your friends post to social media? Don’t worry — we’ve got you covered.
In this week’s tip, we’ll give you 7 quick tips to improve your photography chops and take better photos with your smartphone.
Turn on your photo grid
First, let’s talk about photo composition. You may have heard of the “Rule of Thirds” — the concept of splitting the frame into a 3×3 grid or nine squares, like a tic-tac-toe grid, and positioning major elements in your photo inside these sections, or where the lines intersect.
Your phone can overlay this grid on your screen to help achieve a more interesting photo. Here’s how to turn on the grid for your Android or Apple device.
Look at your screen. Are there elements in the background or foreground that aren’t necessary? Where is the subject of your photo positioned in the frame? Take a few steps forward or back (or zoom in or out) to line up the important elements with the grid, and you’ll end up having a more interesting and well-balanced image.
Pay attention to the way you’re holding your phone
If you’re used to taking photos with your phone in an upright position, consider turning it on its side 90 degrees. You may see a big improvement in your images.
Alternatively, if you’re taking photos or videos for a specific social media platform, like TikTok or Instagram, you may want to create your images vertically.
Again, look at your screen and determine which orientation makes the most sense for your photo. Try it both ways, too — since you’re not shooting with film, you likely have all the storage space you need!
Clean your lenses
No matter how good your photography skills are, you’ll have a hard time taking great photos if your lenses are dirty or smudged.
Flip your phone over and take a look at the lens(es). Are they dirty? Give them a cleaning. Here’s a recent blog post on how to clean your phone the right way.
Turn on HDR mode
HDR mode, or High Dynamic Range mode, is a feature in all newer smartphone camera apps that helps bring out greater detail in the darker and lighter areas of your photos, and balances the light and colors a little better. With HDR mode, your camera takes separate photos at different exposures in quick succession and blends them together to increase highlights and shadows — and the result is a nice photo.
Just note that since this mode takes a little longer to process in your app, there may be situations where you wouldn’t want to use this feature, such as for moving subjects or where dramatic contrast is your intention.
Here’s how you can use the feature on Apple or Android.
Choose your lenses wisely
If you have a newer smartphone with multiple lenses, like the iPhone 13 Pro or the Galaxy S22, you’re in luck! These newer phones have dedicated lenses for telephoto, wide and ultra-wide angles to give you higher quality images with different perspectives.
Let’s say the subject of your photo is surrounded by a lot of distracting objects. By using your telephoto lens option, you can easily eliminate the noise in the background by zooming in. But what if you’re taking a picture of your friends at the Grand Canyon? You might want to choose a wide or ultra-wide lens to capture the stunning scene around you.
Try out “portrait mode”
The “portrait mode” feature on all newer smartphones allows you to sharply focus on your foreground subject while automatically blurring the background. This is a fun way to create portrait-style photos without having to lug around a big DSLR and fancy lens. Note that you will need to be a certain distance away for portrait mode to work, and you should hold your camera relatively still as the phone may take a little longer to process the image.
All newer Apple devices have portrait mode, along with many Android models. Here’s how to use portrait mode for your Apple or Android device, if supported.
Avoid flash & use natural light
When it gets dark out, don’t be afraid to turn off your flash. That’s because most modern smartphone cameras have pretty incredible night mode features that can capture sharp and crisp images in low light settings — all without the need for a tripod.
Newer iPhones (iPhone 11 and newer) should autodetect your lighting situation and activate night mode automatically. You’ll see a night mode icon at the top of the display when you’re about to take your photo. Make sure you hold your phone steady to avoid capturing a blurry photo.
On Android, the directions to enable night mode may vary from model to model. On a Galaxy, for example, open your camera app and swipe to and tap more, then tap night.
