Chapter 1: A Quick Solution for Portrait Photography

During a family gathering last weekend, I found myself without my camera. The only option I had was my iPhone 12 Pro Max, and I felt a bit embarrassed revealing that this was my only tool as a professional photographer.

When my brother-in-law asked me to take a portrait of him and his girlfriend, I had to be upfront. "I only have my iPhone with me," I admitted.

"That's perfectly fine," he responded.

"Okay, let’s make it happen! I’ll find a good spot."

Luckily, the latest iPhones come equipped with features that can really help in these situations. One such feature is Portrait mode, easily accessible just next to the Photo setting in the Camera app. I utilized this mode to capture a lovely image of the couple, but there’s more to enhancing the photo than just taking it.

To elevate the final image, I recommend opening it in Photos on macOS. While you can edit on iOS, I prefer using my MacBook Pro for its larger screen and enhanced controls. Once I have the laptop up and running, here’s my process:

First, I open the image in Edit mode and ensure that the Portrait option is lit up in the lower left corner, confirming that I used Portrait mode. Next, I focus on the row of five icons at the bottom and select the second one labeled Studio. This brings up the Light and Depth adjustment sliders.

At the top of the right column, you'll find two sliders: Light and Depth. These tools allow for precise adjustments to your portrait.

The Light slider adjusts the brightness of just the subjects without affecting the background, akin to manipulating a softbox light in a studio. Once the subjects are illuminated to my satisfaction, I then move on to adjusting the depth of field.

By adjusting the Depth slider from f/1.4 (for a very blurred background) to f/16 (for a detailed backdrop), I usually settle around f/2.8. You’ll notice a distinct change in the background detail as you tweak the Depth slider.

After making these adjustments, I fine-tune the White Balance to ensure natural skin tones. Often, shots taken in shaded areas can appear slightly bluish, so warming them up using the Temperature slider can really bring your subjects to life.

I also like to add a subtle Vignette to draw the viewer's focus more towards the subjects. The key with the Vignette tool is to increase the Strength until the darkening effect becomes evident and then dial it back slightly to achieve a natural look.

Additionally, I apply the full amount of Noise Reduction, even if the image appears noise-free. This adjustment offers a gentle skin smoothing effect. If you zoom in and adjust the Noise Reduction slider, you’ll see the difference.

The Retouch tool is invaluable for eliminating distracting elements within the frame. For instance, in the final image, that bothersome yellow flower next to her head has been removed.

After finishing the edits, pressing the M key allows me to compare the edited version with the original. The transformation from a few simple tweaks is truly remarkable.

If I have several photos taken under similar conditions, I can easily copy my adjustments from one image and paste them onto the others by selecting Image > Copy Adjustments and then Image > Paste Adjustments. This process saves a significant amount of time.

Reflecting back to Saturday, I initially felt regretful for not bringing my mirrorless camera to such an important family event. However, I realized that the iPhone serves as an excellent backup for photographers. With a little knowledge, you can capture stunning portraits using just your device.

Discover how to create beautiful portrait photos with iPhone's Portrait Mode in this helpful video!

Chapter 2: Elevating Your Portraits with Editing Techniques

Learn essential editing tricks for creating stunning portrait photos on your iPhone in this informative video!