Take good photos with your phone

You don't need a camera. You need daylight, a clean lens and a minute of care. These habits work for any kind of business.

Seven habits

1. Use daylight. Stand near a window or step outside. Avoid the flash, which flattens everything and makes shiny things glare.
2. Wipe the lens. A smudge makes every photo look soft. Your shirt works.
3. Hold the phone sideways for most shots. Take a few upright ones too, for phone screens.
4. Walk closer. Zooming with your fingers makes photos grainy. Taking a few steps doesn't.
5. Clear the clutter. Move the trash can, coil the cords, put away papers. Look at the edges of the frame before you tap.
6. Keep it level. Tilted lines make a place look crooked. The grid option in your camera settings helps.
7. Take extras. Ten photos of the same thing in different spots is normal. Send us the best three.

What to avoid

• Filters. They age quickly.
• Anything with a customer's name, a receipt or a screen showing private details.
• People who haven't said yes. Ask anyone who can be recognized, and for anyone under 18 ask a parent.
• Photos you copied from Instagram, Google or another business. Use your own, or a free-to-use photo from a library such as Pexels.

Time of day

Mid-morning and late afternoon give soft, even light. High noon sun makes harsh shadows. For a storefront, shoot when the sun isn't directly behind it.

What to shoot

The shot lists for each kind of business are in your welcome guide. In short:

• Restaurants and cafes: your best dish, the counter and the room.
• Salons and barbers: finished work, your station and your team.
• Trades: your truck, your crew and finished jobs.
• Shops: the storefront, the window and your best sellers.
• Professional services: a portrait of you, your workspace and your team.

Sending them

See Send us photos and files. The original file matters more than the size of the message.

If you'd like a second opinion, send us what you've got and we'll tell you which ones we'd use.

Need a hand?

Email hello@zossoz.com with your business name, the page, and what you'd like done, and we'll take care of it. We reply within one business day. See Request a change.