GoKawiilSo you've seen those filmic-looking photos on social media and you want to capture the same vibe. I don't blame you, I absolutely love the look and it's why I -- and many other photographers -- have turned to real analog cameras loaded with endless rolls of Kodak Gold to get that dreamy aesthetic. But worry not, it's easy to achieve those retro film vibes using just the camera built into your phone. The best thing is it doesn't require you to have the absolute latest iPhone or Android phone, or even specialized camera apps with expensive monthly subscriptions.
Most filmic imagery eschews the clinical accuracy and oversharpened look of modern digital cameras in favor of a softer, more natural aesthetic. So more megapixels and the sharpest pro lenses won't help you here, and it means that even older phones can take some beautiful shots. You can transform your photos with little more than your phone's default camera app and a few minutes in a free editing app.
Let's dive in and get shooting.
Enlarge Image My phone captured a dark image of these giraffes but just a few minutes in an editing app allowed me to create something beautifully filmic. Andrew Lanxon/CNET
Taking your photos
While most of today's phone cameras can take vibrant, well-exposed images, they all rely on image processing software to squeeze the most out of their relatively tiny image sensors. Unfortunately, it's not always done effectively, with many phones going overboard on the processing, resulting in fake-looking images with unnatural-looking highlights and shadows and crunchy details.
This process aims to strip back some of that digital oversharpening and HDR toning to produce an image that's closer in feel to what you might expect to get from a real film camera. There's a lot you can do to help that.
Enlarge Image PolarPro's CineGold mist filter can help create an authentically filmic-looking bloom to your phone photos. Andrew Lanxon/CNET
The first approach harkens back to traditional photography: use a physical filter in front of the camera lens. Specifically, a mist filter can soften harsh details while also adding a natural 'bloom' to highlights, which can add to the filmic vibe we're trying to achieve.
I use mist filters in most of my photography, especially PolarPro's CineGold filter, which adds a warm glow to images, and the CineBlack which subtly deepens shadows while adding highlight bloom. I use these with my Leica Q3 43 but they work just the same on your phone -- you just need an adapter like Moment's QuickLock filter mount that lets you slap any 63mm threaded photo filter onto your phone. PolarPro does make filters specifically for the iPhone (seen above) but my advice would be to buy regular circular threaded filters that you can use on any phone or camera.
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