The Samsung 90-Day Photography Challenge

Start with

Photo mode, then More; open each mode once without shooting

Looks right when

A list of three unfamiliar modes or icons, each with your guess at what it does, ready to check against the tutorial.

Common mistake

Skipping the top bar. Motion photo, the timer and the aspect ratio live up there, and the icons change from mode to mode.

If your phone can't

On the Galaxy S26, Night no longer has its own tile. It's the moon icon inside Photo mode.

Tutorial: Samsung Camera Icons and UI Explained (One UI 9)

Start with

Camera settings → General → Grid lines; Shooting methods → Press Volume buttons to → Take picture

Looks right when

A grid in the viewfinder, a volume key that fires the shutter, and a note of your default resolution (usually 12MP) and format (JPEG or HEIF).

Common mistake

Leaving the 50MP or 200MP mode on all the time. It gives up the pixel binning that keeps indoor and night shots clean.

Tutorial: Best Samsung Camera Settings for Better Photos (2026)

Start with

Photo mode, 1x, default settings, no filters

Looks right when

Twenty unedited frames in a Gallery album called Day 3 baseline, with a mix of bright, dim and moving subjects.

Common mistake

Deleting the weak ones. You'll re-edit this set on day 75, and the weak frames are the ones that show your progress.

Tutorial: Samsung Galaxy Photography Guide: Lenses, Modes and Editing

Start with

Gallery → Albums → + → Album; tap the heart under a photo to favorite it

Looks right when

A challenge album holding the baseline set, with five favorites you can find in a few seconds.

Common mistake

Relying only on the Favorites album. Over 90 days it fills up with family photos and screenshots, so keep a challenge album too.

Tutorial: Samsung Gallery App: Organise, Search and Back Up Photos

Start with

Photo mode, tap each zoom button in turn (0.6x, 1x, 2x, 3x, 5x, 10x where your phone has them)

Looks right when

You can say which buttons on your phone are real lenses and which are crops, from the drop in fine detail between them.

Common mistake

Pinching to an in-between value like 4x. The phone crops the 3x lens to get there, so you get a softer version of both.

If your phone can't

A-series phones and the Z Flip have no telephoto, so everything past 1x is a crop. Compare the ultrawide, 1x and 2x and see where detail softens.

Tutorial: Samsung Telephoto Lenses: 3x, 5x and 10x on Every Galaxy

Start with

Photo mode, tap and hold the subject until AE/AF lock shows, then fine-tune with the exposure slider

Looks right when

A locked frame that keeps the brightness you chose after reframing, next to an unlocked one that drifted.

Common mistake

Locking on the brightest patch by accident. The phone darkens everything else to match it, which is rarely what you wanted.

Tutorial: Samsung AE/AF Lock: How to Lock Focus and Exposure

Start with

Photo mode, timer 2s from the top bar, elbows against your ribs

Looks right when

Fine edges like text, leaves or hair look crisp at 100% zoom in the new version, where the first one looked smeared.

Common mistake

Judging sharpness on the small preview. Nearly everything looks sharp at screen size, so pinch in before deciding.

Tutorial: How to Make Samsung Photos Sharper: Settings and Technique

Start with

Camera settings → Swipe Shutter button to → Take burst shot; then drag the shutter down and hold

Looks right when

One frame from the burst where the timing clearly beats the rest, like feet off the ground or a head turned toward you.

Common mistake

Pressing and holding the shutter without swiping. On current One UI that records a short video clip instead of a burst.

Tutorial: Samsung Burst Mode: How to Capture Fast Action with Galaxy Phones

Start with

More → Single take; move slowly and keep recording for 5–10 seconds

Looks right when

At least one result, such as a crop, a filtered still or a short clip, that you'd keep over the normal photo.

Common mistake

Pointing it at a static scene. It has much more to work with when something in the frame moves or changes.

If your phone can't

On the Galaxy S26, Single Take is hidden by default. Install Camera Assistant from the Galaxy Store and turn it on under Additional modes.

Tutorial: Samsung Single Take: Where It Went and How to Use It

Start with

Photo mode, Motion photo icon on in the top bar; timing under Advanced picture options → Motion photo capture

Looks right when

A Motion photo whose clip holds a better moment than your shutter press, so you know which situations are worth leaving it on for.

Common mistake

Forgetting it's switched on. Each file is noticeably bigger than a plain photo, which adds up over 90 days.

Tutorial: Samsung Motion Photos: Shoot, Edit and Turn Them Into Video

Start with

Photo mode, phone braced on a wall or railing, 10x, then 30x, then your maximum

Looks right when

A written number, such as 'detail falls apart past 30x', that tells you the furthest zoom worth using on your phone.

Common mistake

Shooting maximum zoom handheld while walking. At those focal lengths even your breathing shows, so brace the phone first.

If your phone can't

Only Ultra models reach 100x. Base S models stop at 30x and A-series phones at 10x, so run the test up to your own limit.

Tutorial: Samsung 100x Space Zoom: What It Can and Can't Do

Start with

More → Panorama; sweep slowly and keep the arrow on the guide line

Looks right when

Two panoramas with a straight horizon and no visible stitching breaks across people, cars or water.

Common mistake

Letting something move through the sweep. A passing car or person comes out chopped in half or doubled.

Tutorial: Samsung Panorama Mode: How to Get Clean, Level Panoramas

Start with

More → Hyperlapse, speed Auto, phone propped still on a ledge or bag

Looks right when

A smooth clip of a few seconds where the light or clouds visibly change and the horizon stays level throughout.

Common mistake

Stopping after 20 seconds. Hyperlapse speeds compress that into a clip too short to show anything happening.

Tutorial: Samsung Hyperlapse: Time-Lapse Speeds, Night Mode and Star Trails

Start with

Gallery → open a photo → Edit, then the AI tools icon

Looks right when

One edit where the removal is invisible at full size, and one where you can see the fill guessed wrong.

Common mistake

Erasing big objects next to edges or patterns. That's where the fill fails most often, so start with small things on plain backgrounds.

If your phone can't

Generative Edit needs a Galaxy AI phone, a Samsung account and a data connection. Without it, the object eraser handles small removals.

Tutorial: Samsung AI Camera: Every Galaxy AI Photo Feature Explained (2026)

Start with

Gallery, challenge album, heart your five picks

Looks right when

Five favorites and one named weakness, such as 'tilted horizons' or 'faces too dark', to watch for in phase 2.

Common mistake

Choosing by memory instead of quality. Judge sharpness, light and framing, since those are what you're training.

Start with

More → Pro, ISO 50 (or your lowest), shutter Auto, white balance Auto

Looks right when

A clean daylight frame plus a note of the shutter speed, which on a sunny day is usually faster than 1/1000s.

Common mistake

Changing several dials at once. Move one per shot so you can tell which change did what.

If your phone can't

Some older A-series Pro modes show only ISO, exposure and white balance. Do the ISO half of the task and watch how the preview changes.

Tutorial: Samsung Pro Mode Guide: Manual Camera Control Explained

Start with

Pro mode. Daylight 1/1000s at ISO 50–200; dusk 1/4s at ISO 50, phone resting on a wall

Looks right when

Two frames of the same water, one with frozen droplets and one with smooth streaks, and neither has blown-out white areas.

Common mistake

Trying 1/4s at noon. A phone lens can't stop down, so the frame goes white. Wait for dusk or deep shade.

If your phone can't

On S23 and newer flagships, Expert RAW's digital ND filter makes the slow version possible in daylight.

Tutorial: Samsung Shutter Speed: Freeze Action, Shoot Light Trails

Start with

Pro mode, WB Auto, then 3200K, then 5500K; keep ISO and shutter the same for all three

Looks right when

You can see that 3200K brings white walls close to white under bulbs while 5500K turns them orange, so you know which way the number moves color.

Common mistake

Expecting one number to fix mixed light. A room lit by a window and a lamp can't be neutral everywhere, so match the light on your subject.

Tutorial: Samsung White Balance: How to Get Accurate Colors Every Time

Start with

Expert RAW with ISO and shutter on Auto, or Pro mode with RAW copies turned on in Camera settings

Looks right when

Ten DNG files sitting next to their JPEGs in the Gallery, each several times larger than its JPEG twin.

Common mistake

Judging the DNG before editing it. RAW files look flatter and duller than JPEGs until they're processed.

If your phone can't

Expert RAW is for S-series and Z flagships, and A-series phones can't save RAW at all. Shoot the scene in Pro mode at −1 EV so tomorrow's edit has highlight detail to work with.

Tutorial: Samsung Expert RAW: Pro Photography Guide (2026)

Start with

Lightroom Mobile or the Gallery editor, Shadows +60 and Exposure +0.5 on both files

Looks right when

The JPEG's shadows turn blotchy or banded while the DNG keeps smooth tones, so you've seen the extra latitude yourself.

Common mistake

Comparing a DNG with a JPEG from a different moment. Use the pair saved from the same press of the shutter.

If your phone can't

No RAW on your phone? Compare a normal JPEG with yesterday's −1 EV version and see which one recovers the bright areas.

Tutorial: Samsung RAW vs JPEG: Which Format to Shoot and When

Start with

Pro mode, ISO 50, 2s then 4s, manual focus on a streetlight, 2s timer, phone braced

Looks right when

Continuous red and white streaks across the frame, with streetlights that still show their shape instead of huge white blobs.

Common mistake

Starting at 10 seconds on a lit street. Phone lenses are so bright that the whole scene burns out, so begin short and lengthen.

If your phone can't

If your Pro mode stops short of 2 seconds or has no shutter control, shoot the same street in Night mode and compare how it freezes the cars.

Tutorial: Samsung Shutter Speed: Freeze Action, Shoot Light Trails

Start with

Portrait mode, Blur effect, strength slider low, middle, then max; subject about 1.5 m from you

Looks right when

You can name the blur level where hair starts to look cut out, and you'll stay below it from now on.

Common mistake

Placing the subject against a wall. With nothing far behind them, the blur has little to work on and the edges look pasted.

Tutorial: Samsung Portrait Mode: Sharp Subjects, Creamy Bokeh

Start with

Photo mode, 3x (or 5x) lens, subject at the closest distance it will focus, background 5 m or more behind

Looks right when

Optical blur with no halo around the subject, even in fine detail like flower stems or loose hair.

Common mistake

Zooming digitally past the telephoto. That only enlarges what the lens already rendered, so the background gets no blurrier.

If your phone can't

No telephoto? Bring the 1x lens as close as it will focus to a small subject with a distant background. The Macro mode on A-series phones helps with tiny subjects.

Tutorial: How to Blur the Background on Any Samsung Galaxy

Start with

Photo mode, 2x–3x from up high; Snapseed → Tools → Lens Blur, linear, blur strength 80 or more

Looks right when

A scene where people and cars look like toys because only a thin horizontal strip stays sharp.

Common mistake

Shooting from street level. The miniature effect needs you looking down on the scene from well above it.

Tutorial: Samsung Tilt-Shift Effect: How to Make Miniature Photos

Start with

More → Night (on the S26, the moon icon in Photo mode set to Max); hold still through the countdown

Looks right when

Ten frames where streetlights keep a defined shape and dark areas show texture without heavy smearing.

Common mistake

Lowering the phone as soon as you hear the shutter sound. Night mode keeps capturing until the on-screen countdown ends.

Tutorial: Samsung Night Mode: Sharper Low-Light Photos

Start with

Pro mode, ISO 800 at 1/30s, then ISO 1600 at 1/60s, phone braced

Looks right when

You can point to the differences in noise and highlight detail across the three files and know when you'd pick each.

Common mistake

Using ISO 3200 to get a fast shutter on a still scene. A braced phone can take a slower shutter with far less noise.

Tutorial: The Exposure Triangle: Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO Explained

Start with

Photo mode, max zoom, tap the moon, exposure −1.5 to −2. Pro mode: ISO 50, 1/250–1/1000s on your longest lens

Looks right when

A moon with visible craters and a clean edge instead of a glowing white disc.

Common mistake

Leaving exposure on Auto. The phone meters for the black sky and turns the moon into a featureless blob.

If your phone can't

On A-series phones (10x maximum), shoot the moon small, rising over rooftops or trees at dusk while the sky still has some light.

Tutorial: Samsung Moon Photography: Real Moon Shots, No Faking

Start with

Pro mode, ISO 800–1600, 15–30s, manual focus at infinity, 2s timer; Expert RAW's Astrophoto mode on supported flagships

Looks right when

Pinpoint stars over a dark blue or grey sky, with a horizon that stays sharp because the phone never moved.

Common mistake

Going out under a bright moon or in the middle of town. Check the moon phase and find darker sky before you set off.

If your phone can't

If your Pro mode stops short of 30 seconds, use its longest shutter at ISO 1600. Without Pro mode, Night mode on a firm surface still records the brighter stars.

Tutorial: Samsung Astrophotography: Shoot the Milky Way on Galaxy

Start with

Photo mode, tap the brightest light, exposure −0.7; wipe the lens before every shot

Looks right when

Ten frames with a clear mood, at least one of which uses a reflection or backlit rain to show the weather.

Common mistake

Forgetting the lens. One drop on the glass softens the whole frame, and you won't spot it on the preview.

Tutorial: Samsung Bad Weather Photography: Rain, Snow and Fog

Start with

Photo mode → Filters → any black-and-white filter; or shoot in color and convert later

Looks right when

At least five frames that work better in mono than in color, usually the ones with strong light and shadow.

Common mistake

Picking scenes that rely on color, like a red door on a green wall. In mono the two can turn the same grey.

Tutorial: Samsung Black and White Photography: Settings and Editing

Start with

Photo mode, 3×3 grid, 1x

Looks right when

Fifteen off-center placements and one centered frame, plus a note on which subjects actually looked better in the middle.

Common mistake

Running the horizon through the middle while the subject sits on a third. Move the horizon to a grid line as well.

Tutorial: How to Use the Rule of Thirds on a Samsung Galaxy

Start with

Photo mode, 0.6x ultrawide, phone held low to the ground

Looks right when

Five frames where your eye travels along the line and stops on a subject.

Common mistake

Lines that lead nowhere. A road that fades into an empty horizon needs a car, a person or a building at the end of it.

Tutorial: Samsung Leading Lines Photography: Lenses, Angles, Fixes

Start with

Photo mode, grid on, phone centered and level; for puddles, the lens 2–3 cm above the water

Looks right when

Frames where the center line really sits in the center and verticals stay vertical, so the symmetry looks intended.

Common mistake

Standing slightly off-center. Half a step to one side is enough to break the effect.

Tutorial: Symmetry Photography on a Samsung Galaxy: Find and Shoot It

Start with

Photo mode, tap the subject, exposure slider down a little to keep the sky's color

Looks right when

Ten frames where the subject is small but obviously the point, with nothing distracting in the empty area.

Common mistake

Space that isn't empty. A stray wire or a bright patch in the background competes with the subject.

Tutorial: Negative Space Photography on a Samsung Galaxy

Start with

Photo mode, tap to focus on the subject beyond the frame, exposure set for the subject

Looks right when

Frames where the border is darker than the subject and pulls the eye inward.

Common mistake

Letting the phone focus on the doorway. Tap the subject behind it, or the thing you wanted ends up blurred.

Tutorial: Framing Composition on Galaxy: Using Frames Within Frames

Start with

Portrait or Photo mode, 3x if you have it, tap the face, exposure +0.3 to +0.7

Looks right when

A backlit frame with glowing hair edges and a properly exposed face, plus a side-lit version with more shape.

Common mistake

Letting the face go dark against the bright sky. Tap the face so the phone exposes for skin.

If your phone can't

No telephoto? Use 1x from a little closer and keep the background simple, because the wider lens takes in more of it.

Tutorial: 17 Golden Hour Portrait Ideas for Samsung Galaxy

Start with

Pro mode, ISO 50–100, 1/4–1s, phone braced, 2s timer; or Night mode handheld

Looks right when

A frame where the sky is deep blue with no black areas and lit windows keep their detail.

Common mistake

Waiting too long. The blue fades to black within about half an hour, and the balance between sky and lights goes with it.

Tutorial: Samsung Landscape Photography: Which Lens, Which Settings

Start with

Photo mode, tap a bright area, exposure −0.7 to −1.0 so the shadows go properly dark

Looks right when

Graphic frames where the shadow shape carries the picture and the highlights aren't clipped.

Common mistake

Photographing faces in it. Midday sun puts dark holes under the eyes, so keep today for shapes and patterns.

Tutorial: Samsung Galaxy Photography Tips: 12 Quick Wins

Start with

Photo mode, tap the sky beside the sun, drag exposure down until the subject goes black

Looks right when

A solid black shape with an outline you'd recognize, like a profile with a gap between arms and body.

Common mistake

Overlapping shapes. Two people standing together merge into one blob, so leave space between them.

Tutorial: Samsung Silhouette Photography: Settings and Steps

Start with

Photo or Portrait mode, 2x–3x, tap the eye nearest the window

Looks right when

A portrait with soft shadow on the far side of the face and a small window reflection in the eyes.

Common mistake

Leaving the ceiling lights on. Warm bulb light mixed with cool daylight gives the skin two different colors.

Tutorial: Samsung Portrait Mode: Sharp Subjects, Creamy Bokeh

Start with

Photo mode, exposure −0.3 to keep colors dense; compare Scene optimizer on and off once

Looks right when

Ten frames where the two colors are clearly the main contrast and nothing else competes with them.

Common mistake

Settling for a tiny patch of the second color. Both colors need a decent share of the frame.

Tutorial: Color Theory in Photography on Samsung Galaxy

Start with

Photo mode, exposure −0.3 to −0.7 so the color doesn't wash out

Looks right when

Ten frames that look like a set when you see them together in the Gallery grid.

Common mistake

Boosting saturation too far. Strong reds clip first, so check the red still shows texture.

Tutorial: Red Photography: 21 Ideas With Galaxy Camera Settings

Start with

Ultra models: Photo mode close up, the phone switches to macro by itself (flower icon). A-series: More → Macro. Light from the side

Looks right when

Frames where the texture looks three-dimensional because side light picks out every ridge.

Common mistake

Shooting with flat front light. Texture disappears when the light comes from behind the camera.

If your phone can't

Base S models have no macro lens. Back off until the phone focuses, then crop, or use the 3x lens from further away.

Tutorial: Samsung Macro Photography: Close-Up Options on Galaxy Phones

Start with

Photo mode, 2x–3x to flatten perspective, phone square-on to the pattern

Looks right when

One frame of pure pattern and one where a single odd element breaks it and becomes the subject.

Common mistake

Showing where the pattern ends. Once the edge is in the frame, it reads as a picture of a wall.

Tutorial: Patterns and Textures Photography on a Samsung Galaxy

Start with

Gallery, challenge album, heart the ten

Looks right when

Ten favorites with a reason each, and a pattern in those reasons you can repeat on purpose.

Common mistake

Writing 'nice colors' ten times. Name the specific choice you made, such as the angle, the time of day or the lens.

Start with

Pro mode, ISO 50, shutter Auto, exposure −0.7, 0.6x lens, phone braced

Looks right when

A landscape where the bright sky keeps its color and the foreground is dark but still detailed.

Common mistake

Packing up as soon as the sun clears the horizon. The ten minutes before sunrise often have the best color.

Tutorial: Samsung Sunrise Photography: Blue Hour to First Light

Start with

Photo mode, 1x, volume key as shutter, phone at chest height

Looks right when

Five frames with a clear moment in them, where a gesture or an expression carries the picture.

Common mistake

Shooting from across the road at 10x. Street pictures need you close enough to be part of the scene, and polite enough to lower the phone when asked.

Tutorial: Samsung Street Photography: Settings and Tips for Galaxy Phones

Start with

Food or Photo mode, 1x, flash off, window light from the side

Looks right when

A top-down frame with square edges and a 45° frame where the food has height, both lit only by daylight.

Common mistake

Tilting the phone slightly in the top-down shot. The plate turns oval and the table edges converge.

Tutorial: Samsung Food Photography: Light, Angles and Food Mode

Start with

Photo mode, 0.6x for the room and 2x–3x for details, no flash

Looks right when

Five frames that make sense in order to someone who wasn't there.

Common mistake

Five versions of the cup. Vary the distance so the set mixes wide views with close details.

Tutorial: Samsung Travel Photography Tips: Seven Myths Checked

Start with

Pro mode, 1/1000s, ISO 200–800 outdoors; or Photo mode with the shutter swiped down for a burst

Looks right when

A sharp frame with the subject off the ground and the eyes in focus.

Common mistake

Shooting from standing height. Get down to their eye level, or every frame looks down on the top of a head.

Tutorial: Samsung Pet Photography: Settings for Dogs and Cats

Start with

Photo mode, switching between 0.6x for places and 2x–3x for details

Looks right when

Twelve frames that would tell a stranger what's particular about where you live.

Common mistake

Only shooting landmarks. Everyday details like a bus stop or a corner shop are what make a place recognizable.

Tutorial: Samsung Travel Photography Tips: Seven Myths Checked

Start with

Photo mode, grid on; 0.6x looking up, then 3x from far back for straight verticals

Looks right when

One frame where vertical lines stay vertical, shot from further away with a longer lens.

Common mistake

Tilting the ultrawide up and fixing it later. The correction crops away a lot of the frame, so shoot straighter instead.

Tutorial: Samsung Architecture Photography: Straight Lines and Light

Start with

Rear camera, 1x or 2x, 10s timer from the top bar; or the front camera with Show palm

Looks right when

A self-portrait with sharp eyes and window light on your face, taken with the better rear camera.

Common mistake

Doing everything at arm's length on the front camera. The rear camera is sharper, and the timer frees both hands.

If your phone can't

No tripod? A stack of books with a folded card to adjust the angle holds the phone just as well.

Tutorial: Samsung Portrait Mode: Sharp Subjects, Creamy Bokeh

Start with

Pro mode, ISO 50, shutter Auto, 2x–3x, focus on the product's label

Looks right when

A clean shot with soft shadows and readable detail, on a plain background.

Common mistake

Shooting at 0.6x from close up. The wide lens bends the object's shape, so step back and use 2x or 3x.

Tutorial: Samsung Still Life Photography: Window Light and Settings

Start with

Photo mode, flash off, 0.6x for the room, 2x for faces; Night mode if it's very dim

Looks right when

Eight to twelve frames that mix context with detail, including at least one real laugh.

Common mistake

Using the flash. It flattens faces and turns the background black, so turn the room lights up instead.

Tutorial: Samsung Event Photography: Party and Conference Settings

Start with

Macro (automatic on Ultras, More → Macro on A-series), tap a single drop, exposure −0.3

Looks right when

Drops that look like round beads with a highlight in each, against a soft background.

Common mistake

Spraying so much that the drops merge into a wet sheen. Use a fine mist and wait for separate beads.

If your phone can't

No macro mode? Shoot from the closest distance that still focuses and crop the 12MP file.

Tutorial: Samsung Flower Photography: Settings, Lenses and Light

Start with

Pro mode, ISO 50, shutter Auto, exposure −0.7; Scene optimizer off for a more natural blue

Looks right when

Ten frames where the clouds have texture and the brightest parts aren't clipped to white.

Common mistake

Putting the horizon in the middle. When the sky is the subject, give it the top two-thirds or more.

Tutorial: Samsung Cloud Photography: Which Mode Suits Each Sky

Start with

Video mode, 4K at 30 fps, Video stabilization on, 1x; hold each shot for 5 seconds

Looks right when

Ten steady clips you could cut together, each one starting and ending still.

Common mistake

Panning quickly and zooming mid-shot. Clips with one slow move cut together far better.

Tutorial: Samsung Video Settings for Better Galaxy Footage

Start with

Photo mode, 3:4 aspect, similar time of day and color for all nine

Looks right when

Nine frames that read as one set when viewed together, with no single picture clashing.

Common mistake

Choosing your nine favorites. A grid works when the frames share light and color, even if some are quieter pictures.

Tutorial: Samsung Instagram Photography: Sizes, Settings and Edits

Start with

Gallery, one favorite per genre

Looks right when

A favorite from each genre and a written choice of the one you'll lean on in the portfolio phase.

Common mistake

Choosing the genre that got the most likes. Pick the one you'd shoot even if nobody saw the results.

Start with

Gallery → Edit → Transform to crop, then Tone for Exposure, Contrast and Highlights

Looks right when

An edit that looks better than the original at a glance but doesn't look edited.

Common mistake

Starting with a filter. Get the crop and exposure right first, or the filter magnifies the problems.

Tutorial: Samsung Photo Editor: How to Edit Photos in Gallery

Start with

Snapseed → Tools → Selective; brightness +20 on the face, −20 on the background

Looks right when

A portrait where the face is the brightest area and the change looks like natural light.

Common mistake

Making the selection too large. It spills onto the background, so pinch it smaller and check the red overlay.

Tutorial: How to Use Snapseed on a Samsung Galaxy Phone

Start with

Snapseed → Tools → Healing; zoom in and paint short strokes

Looks right when

Five distractions gone, with no smudges or repeated patterns visible at full size.

Common mistake

Painting one long stroke across a big object. Short strokes give the tool cleaner material to sample from.

Tutorial: How to Use Snapseed on a Samsung Galaxy Phone

Start with

Lightroom → Light for Exposure, Whites and Blacks; Color for Temp and Tint

Looks right when

Five edits with clean whites and true blacks, where grey objects look grey.

Common mistake

Pressing Auto and stopping there. It's a reasonable start, but set the whites and blacks yourself.

Tutorial: Lightroom vs Snapseed for Samsung Photos (2026)

Start with

Lightroom → ⋯ menu → Create Preset; untick Exposure and White Balance before saving

Looks right when

A preset that gets five photos most of the way there, with only exposure tweaks left to do.

Common mistake

Including exposure and white balance in the preset. Both change from shot to shot, so leave them out.

Tutorial: Lightroom vs Snapseed for Samsung Photos (2026)

Start with

Lightroom → Color → Mix; small moves on one color's Hue, Saturation and Luminance

Looks right when

Five photos where the color you targeted looks better and skin still looks like skin.

Common mistake

Pushing saturation past +30. A small luminance change often does more than a big saturation one.

Tutorial: Color Theory in Photography on Samsung Galaxy

Start with

Lightroom → Color → B&W, then Mix: orange for skin, blue for sky

Looks right when

Conversions where skin and sky have separate tones, next to flat grey desaturated versions.

Common mistake

Desaturating and calling it done. Colors that were different can end up as the same grey.

Tutorial: Samsung Black and White Photography: Settings and Editing

Start with

Photoshop Express → Text or Borders; one font, small size, generous margin

Looks right when

A layout where the text is easy to read and stays clear of the subject.

Common mistake

Large text over the middle of the picture. Keep it small and put it in an empty part of the frame.

Tutorial: Photoshop Express on Android: A Guide for Galaxy Photos

Start with

Same source file in each app; note the minutes taken and anything each app couldn't do

Looks right when

A short note on which editor you'll use for quick fixes and which for careful work.

Common mistake

Ending up with three different looks. Aim for one target so the comparison is about the tools.

Tutorial: Best Photo Editing Apps for Android in 2026 (for Samsung Galaxy)

Start with

Start from a sharp, well-lit photo with a simple background

Looks right when

A drawing-style image where the subject's outline survives the effect clearly.

Common mistake

Starting from a busy, dim photo. The effect turns noise and clutter into scribbles.

Tutorial: 11 Apps to Turn Photos into Drawings on Android (2026)

Start with

Lightroom → Detail → Sharpening 20–40, Masking 50 or more to protect smooth areas

Looks right when

Edges look crisp at 100% with no bright halos and no grain added to skies or skin.

Common mistake

Heavy sharpening on a phone JPEG. Samsung's processing already sharpens, so a little goes a long way.

Tutorial: How to Make Samsung Photos Sharper: Settings and Technique

Start with

Gallery → Edit → Transform; try a square crop as well as the original ratio

Looks right when

Ten crops that are tighter and simpler than the originals, with nothing important cut off.

Common mistake

Cropping a 12MP file down to a sliver. Below about 3MP it's fine on a phone screen but weak in print.

Tutorial: Samsung Photo Editor: How to Edit Photos in Gallery

Start with

Lightroom → Copy settings on the edited photo, select the other nine, Paste; or apply your day 65 preset

Looks right when

Ten frames that look like one set when viewed side by side.

Common mistake

Treating the paste as finished. Each frame still needs its own exposure check.

Tutorial: Lightroom vs Snapseed for Samsung Photos (2026)

Start with

Notes app, with five of your edited favorites open beside it

Looks right when

Two sentences specific enough that someone else could copy your look from them.

Common mistake

Adjectives like 'moody' with no numbers or examples. Name the actual slider moves.

Tutorial: Samsung Photo Editor: How to Edit Photos in Gallery

Start with

Your day 65 preset first, then crop and exposure photo by photo

Looks right when

Before-and-after pairs that show a clear improvement in crop and tone.

Common mistake

Expecting the edit to fix missed focus or a bad angle. Note those frames as reshoots instead.

Tutorial: Samsung Photo Editor: How to Edit Photos in Gallery

Start with

Gallery, challenge album; copy the keepers into a new album called Best 30

Looks right when

An album of 30 photos you'd be happy to show anyone.

Common mistake

Keeping near-duplicates. When two frames are nearly identical, keep the sharper one.

Tutorial: Samsung Gallery App: Organise, Search and Back Up Photos

Start with

Best 30 album, viewed as a grid of small thumbnails

Looks right when

Twelve photos with a similar level of quality and some consistency in color or subject.

Common mistake

Keeping a weak frame because of the memory behind it. Viewers only see the picture.

Start with

Number the files 01–12, or arrange them in a custom-order album

Looks right when

A sequence where each photo relates to its neighbors by color, shape or subject.

Common mistake

Grouping all the similar images together. Alternate wide with close and light with dark.

Start with

USB cable in File transfer mode, or your cloud app's backup; copy the original files

Looks right when

Two copies of the challenge photos that live somewhere other than your phone, RAW files included.

Common mistake

Trusting a single copy. Phones and laptops fail, so keep the photos in two places.

Tutorial: How to Transfer Photos from a Samsung Galaxy to a PC

Start with

Export the full-resolution file and check it at 100% before printing

Looks right when

A physical copy you can hold at arm's length to judge brightness and sharpness.

Common mistake

Printing an edit you made at full screen brightness. Prints usually come out darker, so lift the exposure a little first.

If your phone can't

No printer of any kind? Set the photo as your lock screen for a week and note what starts to bother you about it.

Tutorial: Best Photo Printers for Samsung Galaxy Phones, Compared

Start with

Send the full-resolution file; 12MP is enough for 8×10 at 300 ppi

Looks right when

Your best image at a size that shows whether the detail holds up.

Common mistake

Sending a copy saved from a messaging app. Those are compressed, so always use the original file.

If your phone can't

Free option: cast it full screen to a TV or open it on a monitor and look from three meters away.

Tutorial: Best Photo Printers for Samsung Galaxy Phones, Compared

Start with

Pro mode, 1s exposure as the test, 2s or 10s timer, phone propped on a bag or books

Looks right when

A sharp 1-second exposure from a support you found or already owned.

Common mistake

Tapping the screen to fire. Use the timer or a volume key so your finger doesn't shake the phone.

Tutorial: Best Tripods and Phone Tripod Mounts for Samsung Galaxy

Start with

Keep the stock Camera plus no more than two editors

Looks right when

A home screen with one camera app and two editors you know well.

Common mistake

Keeping five editors just in case. Knowing one well gets you further than knowing five a little.

Tutorial: Best Camera App for Android in 2026 (Samsung Galaxy Picks)

Start with

Any collage app, 3×4 grid, thin white borders

Looks right when

One image showing all 12, where any odd one out is obvious.

Common mistake

Skipping this step. Problems in a set only show when you see every image at once.

Start with

A notes file, one line per photo

Looks right when

Twelve plain captions that add information the photo can't show by itself.

Common mistake

Describing what's already visible. 'A sunset' tells the viewer nothing new.

Tutorial: Samsung Instagram Photography: Sizes, Settings and Edits

Start with

Upload full-resolution 4:5 or 3:4 crops; write alt text that describes the scene

Looks right when

Three posts live, each with alt text, and a note about how people reacted.

Common mistake

Posting all 12 at once. Spread them out so each one gets some attention.

Tutorial: Samsung Instagram Photography: Sizes, Settings and Edits

Start with

Two to three seconds per clip, one music track, no transitions beyond simple cuts

Looks right when

A 30-second piece with steady clips and no shot longer than four seconds.

Common mistake

Using every clip. Cut hard and keep only the shots you'd miss if they were gone.

Tutorial: Samsung Video Settings for Better Galaxy Footage

Start with

A shared album, or the contact sheet from day 84

Looks right when

Nine votes and a clear idea of which photos work for other people.

Common mistake

Asking whether they like them. Ask them to choose, because choosing forces an honest answer.

Start with

Notes app; one sentence of goal and a few example shoots

Looks right when

A goal specific enough to put in a calendar, such as one blue-hour cityscape every week until March.

Common mistake

A vague goal like 'get better'. Name the subject and how often you'll shoot it.

Start with

Full-resolution exports with your captions from day 85

Looks right when

Six photos published together, with the day 3 baseline still in your Gallery to compare against.

Common mistake

Waiting until they're perfect. Publish now and note what you'd change next time.