Despite the significant advancements in smartphone cameras in recent years, night photography remains a challenge for many users, as shots sometimes appear blurry or unsharp, even on flagship phones.

This is due to a set of factors related to how the camera works in low light, but the good news is that most of them can be avoided with a few simple steps.

1- Phone shake while shooting

Hand shake is the most common cause of blurry night photos.

When lighting is low, the phone slows down the shutter speed to capture more light, making any slight movement when pressing the shutter button enough to ruin the photo.

How to avoid the problem?

- Hold the phone with both hands.

- Use the volume up or down buttons instead of the on-screen shutter button.

- Activate the self-timer for two seconds to avoid shaking the phone when pressing the button.

- If possible, place the phone on a tripod or lean it against a stable surface.

2- The camera tries to make the scene brighter

Phone cameras rely on automatic exposure that makes the image brighter, even if the scene is naturally dark.

To achieve this, the phone extends the exposure time, increasing the likelihood of shake.

The solution

If you want to preserve the natural night atmosphere, you can manually reduce the exposure.

- On Samsung phones, long press on the subject you want to photograph and then drag the sun indicator to the left.

- On iPhones, drag the indicator downward to reduce the light.

This will result in a faster shutter speed, helping to get a sharper image.

3- Night mode might be the cause

Night mode works by capturing multiple images and merging them to produce a brighter photo, but it requires complete stillness during shooting.

Any movement during this process can result in a blurry image.

What to do?

If the lighting is relatively acceptable, try turning off night mode.

Although the image will be less bright, it will often be sharper thanks to a faster shutter speed.

But if you really need night mode, it's best to mount the phone on a tripod or stable surface and use the self-timer.

4- The built-in flash is not always the best option

Many people turn on the flash when shooting at night, but it can also cause blurry photos.

This is because phones use a relatively slow shutter speed when the flash is on, and its range is limited, so it only illuminates close objects.

Distant elements may remain dark or appear blurry.

The best alternative

It is recommended to rely on ambient light as much as possible.

If the light is very poor, you can use another phone as an additional light source, especially when photographing people.

Some phones, such as Vivo devices, allow the flash to be used as a continuous light before capturing the photo, a feature not available on Samsung and iPhones.

5- Relying entirely on auto mode

Often, auto mode is not the best choice for night photography.

If your phone supports Pro Mode, you can manually control shutter speed, ISO, and white balance for better results.

For example, on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, it is recommended to use a shutter speed of about 1/30 second when shooting with the main camera to reduce the effect of hand shake.

As for iPhone users, they will need third-party professional camera apps to get this level of control, as the default camera app does not offer full manual settings.

Additional tips for better night photos

- Clean the camera lens before shooting.

- Avoid using digital zoom in low light.

- Steady the phone as much as possible while shooting.

- Use professional mode if you want the best possible quality.

By following these tips, you can significantly improve the quality of your night photos and take advantage of your phone's camera capabilities without the need for professional photography equipment.

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