Photography Basics for Galaxy Phones
The theory every photographer learns, explained with the settings on your Samsung Galaxy. Work through it in order: exposure, lenses, light, then composition. Each lesson has one thing to try on your phone, and each stage ends with the matching lessons in our course. We're an independent photography school, not Samsung.
The basics at a glance
- Aperture
- How wide the lens opens: light and depth of field
- Fixed for each lens, so there's no aperture control in Pro mode
- Shutter speed
- How long the sensor collects light: motion blur
- Pro mode › Speed, up to 30 seconds on recent flagships
- ISO
- How much the signal is amplified: brightness and noise
- Pro mode › ISO, from ISO 50 on recent flagships
- Focal length
- How wide or tight the view is, and the perspective
- The 0.6x, 1x, 3x and 5x buttons: about 13mm, 23mm, 67mm and 111mm on the Ultras
- White balance
- The colour of the whole picture
- Pro mode › WB, in Kelvin or presets
- HDR
- Detail in bright skies and dark shadows at once
- Automatic in Photo mode. Camera Assistant › Auto HDR turns it off
- Composition grid
- Lines for the rule of thirds, plus a level
- Camera settings › General › Composition guide
| Basic | What it controls | On your Galaxy |
|---|---|---|
| Aperture | How wide the lens opens: light and depth of field | Fixed for each lens, so there's no aperture control in Pro mode |
| Shutter speed | How long the sensor collects light: motion blur | Pro mode › Speed, up to 30 seconds on recent flagships |
| ISO | How much the signal is amplified: brightness and noise | Pro mode › ISO, from ISO 50 on recent flagships |
| Focal length | How wide or tight the view is, and the perspective | The 0.6x, 1x, 3x and 5x buttons: about 13mm, 23mm, 67mm and 111mm on the Ultras |
| White balance | The colour of the whole picture | Pro mode › WB, in Kelvin or presets |
| HDR | Detail in bright skies and dark shadows at once | Automatic in Photo mode. Camera Assistant › Auto HDR turns it off |
| Composition grid | Lines for the rule of thirds, plus a level | Camera settings › General › Composition guide |
Exposure: how bright a photo is
Three settings decide how much light makes the picture. On a Galaxy you control two of them, and the phone's HDR quietly handles the rest.
- 1
The Exposure Triangle: Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO Explained
The map for everything else: how aperture, shutter speed and ISO trade off, measured in stops.
Try it: In Pro mode, set ISO 100 and shoot the same scene at 1/60s and at 1/250s. The faster one is two stops darker.
8 min read - 2
Samsung Shutter Speed: Freeze Action, Shoot Light Trails
Shutter speed decides what's frozen and what blurs, from a running dog to light trails.
Try it: Shoot something moving at 1/1000s, then at 1/15s, changing ISO to keep the brightness similar, and compare the blur.
8 min read - 3
ISO in Photography: What It Does in Samsung Pro Mode
ISO brightens the picture after the light has arrived, and costs you noise. Learn when that's worth it.
Try it: Shoot a dim room at ISO 100 and ISO 1600 at the same shutter speed, then zoom in on a dark corner.
9 min read - 4
Aperture and Depth of Field Explained for Galaxy Phones
Why Galaxy lenses have a fixed f-number, and how you still control depth of field.
Try it: Photograph a flower from 15cm and from 1m with the 1x lens and watch how much of the background blurs.
9 min read - 5
What Is HDR? HDR Photos, Video and Screens on a Galaxy
Dynamic range, the always-on HDR in Photo mode, and what HDR means on your screen and in video.
Try it: Shoot a bright window in Photo mode and in Pro mode, then compare the sky and the room.
8 min read
The same topic in the course
- ▶ What PRO mode is and when to use it4:08
- ▶ The PRO mode settings you need to know12:29
- ▶ Using the focus and exposure settings together3:00
- ▶ HDR for balanced, well-exposed photos5:13
Lenses, focus and depth
Each lens button on your Galaxy is a different focal length, and it changes far more than how close things look.
- 6
Focal Length Explained With Galaxy Lenses, 13mm to 111mm
What the 0.6x, 1x, 3x and 5x buttons are in millimetres, and how each one changes perspective.
Try it: Frame the same person head to waist with 0.6x up close and with 3x from further back. Compare the faces and the background.
7 min read - 7
What is Bokeh? The Aesthetic of Out-of-Focus Light, Explained
What makes out-of-focus light look creamy or busy, and how to get it from a phone.
Try it: Put fairy lights or street lamps a few metres behind a subject and shoot with the 3x lens.
4 min read - 8
Hyperfocal Distance Explained, With Galaxy Camera Values
How to get everything from the foreground to the horizon sharp in one shot.
Try it: In Pro mode, set manual focus just short of infinity for a landscape and check both ends of the frame.
6 min read - 9
Circle of Confusion Explained, With Galaxy Phone Values
The idea behind every depth-of-field number: what counts as sharp enough.
Try it: View one photo full screen, then at 100% zoom. Decide where it stops looking sharp.
7 min read
The same topic in the course
- ▶ The 4 Samsung lenses: digital vs real zoom4:02
- ▶ When to use the telephoto lens (3x)5:24
- ▶ How to set your focus for specific shots4:38
- ▶ Macro mode7:59
Light and colour
The same street looks completely different an hour before sunset. Learn to read light and keep its colour honest.
- 10
Golden Hour Photography: When It Is and How to Shoot It
When golden hour is where you live, why the light flatters everything, and the Galaxy settings for it.
Try it: Find tonight's sunset time and shoot one subject an hour before it, then again ten minutes after.
9 min read - 11
Samsung White Balance: How to Get Accurate Colors Every Time
Why photos turn orange indoors or blue in shade, and how to set white balance in Kelvin.
Try it: In Pro mode, shoot the same lamp-lit room at 3200K and at 5500K.
7 min read
The same topic in the course
- ▶ Light in photography: hard, soft, diffused and directional5:41
- ▶ Silhouette photography6:25
- ▶ Blue hour photography6:06
Composition: where things go in the frame
The cheapest upgrade in photography. None of these need Pro mode, just the grid in your camera and a few seconds of thought.
- 12
How to Use the Rule of Thirds on a Samsung Galaxy
Start here: turn on the grid and put your subject on a line or a crossing point.
Try it: Turn on Composition guide in Camera settings and shoot one subject centred, then on a third.
6 min read - 13
Focal Point in Photography: What It Is and How to Use One
Every strong photo has one place the eye lands first. Learn to choose it.
Try it: Before you press the shutter, say out loud what the photo is of.
7 min read - 14
Samsung Leading Lines Photography: Lenses, Angles, Fixes
Roads, rails and shorelines that pull the eye into the picture.
Try it: Find a path or fence and shoot it from low down so it runs from a corner towards your subject.
7 min read - 15
Foreground Interest on a Galaxy: Add Depth to Landscapes
Something close to the lens adds depth to landscapes and city shots.
Try it: Crouch and put a rock, flower or railing in the bottom third of a wide shot.
7 min read - 16
Framing Composition on Galaxy: Using Frames Within Frames
Doorways, arches and branches that frame your subject.
Try it: Shoot a subject through a window, doorway or gap in some leaves.
7 min read - 17
Symmetry Photography on a Samsung Galaxy: Find and Shoot It
When to break the rule of thirds and centre everything.
Try it: Find a reflection or a building front and line the middle up with the centre grid line.
7 min read - 18
Negative Space Photography on a Samsung Galaxy
Empty space that makes a small subject stand out.
Try it: Shoot one small subject against a big plain sky, wall or sea.
7 min read - 19
Patterns and Textures Photography on a Samsung Galaxy
Repetition, and the one thing that breaks it.
Try it: Fill the frame with a repeating pattern, then find a version with one odd element.
6 min read - 20
Rule of Odds in Photography, and How to Use It on a Galaxy
Why groups of three or five often look better than two or four.
Try it: Arrange three objects on a table, then four, and compare.
6 min read - 21
Golden Ratio Composition on Samsung Galaxy: Myths and Uses
The golden ratio and spiral: what's real, what's myth and when it helps.
Try it: Take a photo you like and check it against the rule of thirds grid and a golden spiral overlay.
8 min read
The same topic in the course
- ▶ Rule of thirds and the camera grid6:03
- ▶ Strong lines: leading lines that lead the eye4:47
- ▶ The importance of foreground3:37
- ▶ Natural framing of subjects1:23
- ▶ The power of symmetry9:25
- ▶ Negative space4:18
- ▶ Pattern photography4:14
- ▶ Rule of odds1:44
Done with the basics?
- Practise one setting a day with the free 30-day photography challenge, or the longer 90-day challenge.
- Put exposure into practice with the Pro mode guide and its starting settings for each scene.
- Find your phone's own settings in our guides by phone, or browse every tutorial in the complete guide.
Frequently asked questions
What are the basics of photography?+
Four things: exposure (how bright the photo is, set by aperture, shutter speed and ISO), lenses and focus (focal length and what's sharp), light (its direction, softness and colour) and composition (where things sit in the frame). This page covers them in that order, with the settings to use on a Galaxy phone.
Can you learn photography with just a phone?+
Yes. Light, composition and timing work exactly the same on a phone as on a big camera, and Pro mode on most Galaxy phones gives you manual shutter speed, ISO, white balance and focus. The main difference is the aperture, which is fixed on phone lenses, so depth of field comes from the lens you pick and how close you get. Aperture explained shows how.
What should a beginner learn first?+
Composition and light give you the biggest improvement for the least effort, because they don't need any settings. Then learn the exposure triangle, so Pro mode makes sense when you need it.
Do I need Pro mode to take good photos on a Galaxy?+
No. Photo mode handles exposure, focus and HDR well in most light. Pro mode is for the shots it gets wrong: fast action, long exposures, mixed lighting or a sunset it keeps brightening. Our Pro mode guide has starting settings for each.
Is there a Samsung photography course?+
Samsung Photography Academy is our video course for Galaxy phones: 60+ short lessons on composition, light, the camera app and Pro mode, recorded on the phone's screen. We're an independent photography school, not part of Samsung. If you'd like to start free, try the 30-day photography challenge.
What do all the photography terms mean?+
Our photography terms glossary explains the words you'll meet in camera menus and tutorials, from aperture and bokeh to RAW and white balance, with the Galaxy setting that matches each one.
Learn it by watching, on your own phone
Samsung Photography Academy is a guided course of 60+ short lessons on composition, light, the Galaxy camera app and Pro mode, recorded on the phone's own screen, with a 60-day money-back guarantee.
See the course