If you’ve ever taken a photo on Instagram, especially Instagram Stories, and noticed the shots never seem to turn out the same way as with your iPhone’s built-in Camera app, it’s not just in your head.
Besides the filters, the camera settings are actually set up a bit differently. If you generally prefer the way your photos turn out in the Instagram app, there are a few steps you can take to alter the main Camera app to more closely resemble Instagram’s camera.
Set the Camera’s Aspect Ratio to 16:9
The first update you can make to the Camera app that makes a radical differencein photos and videos is to change the aspect ratio. This is particularly useful if you are trying to mimic Instagram Stories, as the camera there uses a 16:9 aspect ratio, whereas the native Camera app defaults to 4:3.
That’s why photos on Instagram Stories always seem to capture a wider angle or may look less “zoomed in” on your face for selfies.
To change the aspect ratio, tap thearrow (^)icon at the top of the Camera app to reveal your main camera settings. One of the options in this row will say either4:3or1:1(depending on if you’ve altered the aspect ratio to something else before.) Tap this, then change the aspect ratio to 16:9. The frame is now taller for better selfies, but it also enables wider shots in landscape mode.
Play Around With iPhone’s Photographic Styles
It’s also worth experimenting with iPhone’s photographic styles to get more precise styling and coloring for your photos. While in the Camera app, tap thearrow (^)icon to bring up the menu yet again. This time, tap thePhotographic Stylesicon, which looks like three squares stacked diagonally.
Here, you can swipe between theStandardCamera style and four other presets:Rich Contrast,Vibrant,Warm, andCool. Each adjusts the warmth and tone of your photos for a unique effect. For instance, Rich Contrast deepens shadows and brings out more color, while Cool will lower the yellow, orange, and red hues and shift toward a colder aesthetic.
you’re able to also personalize each preset by using the Tone and Warmth sliders until you land on something you like. Playing around with your own style can help you achieve whatever photographic look you’re going for, and it’s a great alternative to applying the same old Instagram filters.
Plus, once you set your own photographic style, the Camera app will keep it indefinitely until you change it again.
Opt for Wide-Angle Selfies
Possibly the easiest and most straightforward change you can make on this list: going with wide-angle selfies. iPhone 11 and newer models have arrows inside the frame of the front camera that allow you to widen the angle just a bit.
This isn’t the same as the 0.5x camera on the back though, but it pulls you out from the frame more when taking selfies, so your face isn’t so close in the shot. The button will only show when using the front camera, so switch to the front in the Camera app, then tap the arrows to expand the field of view.
Use the Filters in the Camera App
The iPhone’s Camera app also features built-in filters. Tap thearrow (^)icon to bring up the menu, and you may need to swipe over to the left on this menu to reveal theFiltersicon. Tap this, and you can browse through nine filters:Vivid,Vivid Warm,Vivid Cool,Dramatic,Dramatic Warm,Dramatic Cool,Mono,Silvertone, andNoir.
What’s great about these filters compared to Instagram is that you can apply them before taking a photo. This lets you see right in the frame how the photo will come out with the filter applied. They’re nondestructive, so once you take the photo, you’re free to change the filter or remove it entirely by tappingEditon the photo in the Photos app.
Make Your Entire Photo Library Instagram-Worthy
Playing around with these different options can really bring out the best in your photos. It also lets you take terrific Instagram-worthy pictures that you don’t have to shoot in a separate app or post. You can make your entire photo library Instagram-worthy with just a few easy adjustments in the Camera app.
