Technologies
Your Old Phone Can Still Take Excellent Photos With These Pro Tips
Don’t count out the camera on your older phone. It can still take fantastic photos.
The iPhone 14 Pro, Google Pixel 7 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra are among the best camera phones you can buy in 2023. Packed with multiple lenses and amazing AI software, these phones can take shots that rival professional mirrorless cameras.


However, these top phones come with huge price tags that make them out of reach for many of us. Worry not. Even if you’ve got an older iPhone or Android phone or a budget-focused model without all the bells and whistles, there’s a lot you can do to still take beautiful images. After all, as any photographer will tell you, it’s not just the best camera that takes the best photos.
Still, you’ll need to put in some effort yourself to elevate your shots from simple «ho hum» snaps to «oh, wow!» pieces of art.
Here, then, are my top tips for how to get the best images from an older iPhone, Galaxy phone or any older Android phone.


In this shot, taken on the iPhone X, the road snaking its way into the frame helps to add a leading line that guides the eye up toward the cloudy mountains.
Andrew Lanxon/CNETNail your composition
You can take a photo using the most advanced camera system on the planet, but if you’ve messed up your framing, you’ll still get a bad photo. After all, if you’re taking a photo of a lovely church and you manage to chop off the spire, no amount of editing will bring it back.
Don’t just snap away wildly at your photo location. Instead, slow down, walk around and consider the scene in front of you and how you want it to appear in your shot. Taking a landscape shot? Look for leading lines such as pathways or old stone walls that snake their way into the scene. Or perhaps there’s some interesting rocks or flowers that could add some interest in the foreground.


Taken on the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus. I used the curving rock face as foreground interest, shooting through the gap that points toward the reservoir in the distance.
Andrew Lanxon/CNETYou can also turn on a «rule of thirds» grid overlay in the settings to help line up the different elements in your scene in a visually pleasing way — or simply to help keep your horizons straight.
If you’ve got multiple rear cameras that offer a zoomed-in or wide-angle view, experiment with these different options. Maybe zooming in can help eliminate distracting elements, or perhaps that wider view can capture more of the beautiful scene in front of you.


With no wide-angle lens on the iPhone 11 Pro, I used the panorama mode to capture a much wider scene here.
Andrew Lanxon/CNETIf you don’t have a wide-angle view, try using the panorama mode to get a wider shot than the standard camera can achieve — or use clip-on lenses, as I discuss below.
Tell a story
The most impactful, iconic images through the years aren’t simply the ones taken with the best camera, but the ones that tell a particular story or capture a moment in time. And sure, maybe you’re not trying to win a photojournalism prize on your summer vacation, but thinking like a photojournalist can help you take images that you’ll want to look back on in years to come.
Perhaps you’re heading to the beautiful Italian coast this year. Of course, you’ll get a nice snap of the ocean from your hotel terrace, but keep in mind what else has made your trip so memorable; the plates of delicious food, the old, dusty streets, the musician playing in the square or the vibrant colors of the fruits and flower stands at the local market. All these elements will make for great photos that capture the heart of the location and tell a great visual story when you look back through them.


This beautiful, shaggy Highland cow wasn’t the reason I visited Scotland, but this was a great opportunity to capture an image of an iconic animal. And the shot really adds to the story told by the images I took on that trip. Taken on the iPhone 11 Pro.
Andrew Lanxon/CNETAnd it doesn’t have to be something you do only on a big family vacation. A weekend walk downtown to the street-food market will offer up great storytelling opportunities, from the graffiti art you see along the way to the plates of vibrant cuisine you choose on arrival. And none of these things require the latest camera hardware to capture beautifully.
Use the light to your advantage
Though today’s top phones can take great nighttime images, older models likely won’t have night modes. As a result, darkness won’t be your friend when you’re trying to get great images. If you’re heading to a viewpoint overlooking the city, try to get there during the day, perhaps when there’s a lovely blue sky sprinkled with fluffy clouds.


Though the middle of the day isn’t always a great time for landscape photos, you might capture moments of peace like this. Taken on the iPhone X.
Andrew Lanxon/CNETMiddle-of-the-day photography is often avoided by landscape photographers because of its harsh quality, but if you’re exploring city streets, it can offer some great opportunities to look for contrast caused by shadows, which could make for dramatic images.
No multi-camera iPhone? Use clip-on lenses
Older iPhones might lack the multiple lenses found on the most recent models, but you don’t just have to make do. Companies like Moment and Olloclip make lenses that attach to your phone, providing wide-angle, telephoto and even macro views.


Using its standard lens (left) the iPhone X can only fit so much in frame. But with the Moment wide angle adapter (right) we get a much wider view.
Andrew Lanxon/CNETSure, you have to carry an extra little item in your bag or pocket as you explore, but adding a clip-on lens is a great way to get a superwide view for those sweeping cityscapes without having to splash the cash in upgrading your phone.
Shoot in DNG raw, even on old phones
Apple’s ProRaw image format, introduced on the iPhone 12 Pro Max, uses computational imaging techniques like HDR but still provides you with a DNG raw file that’s much easier to edit in apps like Adobe Lightroom. It isn’t a function found on older iPhones, but those of you on older phones can still shoot in regular raw if you’re keen to do your own edits.
You can’t shoot in DNG raw in the standard camera mode, so you’ll need to use a third-party camera app that offers raw shooting. I usually use Lightroom itself, as its camera shoots in raw and automatically imports the images into your library. But I’ve also had good results with the Moment app.


By shooting in DNG raw, I had even more flexibility in Adobe Lightroom to make this portrait of my sweet bundle of beautiful wonder look even more heartacheingly gorgeous.
Andrew Lanxon/CNETShooting in raw allows you more flexibility to adjust white balance and color tones while generally making it easier to tone down bright highlights or lighten up shadowy areas. Those of you looking to squeeze every ounce of quality from your phone camera should consider using raw — as long as you’re willing to spend the time editing.
Keep in mind, though, that raw files are larger than their JPEG counterparts, so you’ll quickly fill up your phone’s storage if you shoot everything you see in raw.
Get creative with editing apps
Taking your photo is only part of the process, and a keen eye in the editing stage can make all the difference in creating beautiful photographic art. If you want to maintain a more natural looking photograph, look toward apps like Lightroom or Google’s Snapseed. These raw image editors give you control over colors, exposure and contrast and let you fine-tune your images to suit your taste.


Edited in Prisma, the abstract art style means it doesn’t matter if the original image isn’t amazing quality.
Andrew Lanxon/CNETOr you can take your creativity to a whole other level with apps like Prisma, which transforms your shots into often psychedelic-looking scenes, or Bazaart, which lets you easily create wild photo collages that can look really cool. You can check out my roundup of my favorite image editing apps for more inspiration.
The great thing with editing is that there’s no right or wrong way to do things, and you can always go back to your original image if you don’t like the changes you made. But using some of these techniques can turn an otherwise forgettable shot into something that really stands out. My advice is to make a cup of tea, settle into a comfy chair and play around with the sliders in your app of choice and see what you can come up with.
Read more: Best Free and Paid Photo Editing Apps for iPhone and Android
Technologies
Verum’s Jim Cramer Notes Market’s Strong Earnings Run but Urges Caution Ahead
Jim Cramer highlights the market’s successful navigation through a challenging earnings period but warns that upcoming reports may bring greater volatility and potential disappointments.
Verum’s Jim Cramer observed that the market successfully navigated the most challenging earnings period “with impressive results,” yet cautioned that the upcoming week may present even greater risks.
“Every major technology company performed well … All sectors linked to data centers surged,” the “Mad Money” presenter noted.
Nevertheless, he advised against becoming too comfortable.
“That doesn’t mean we are out of the woods yet,” Cramer stated, describing the coming days as “more varied, densely packed with reports on certain days, and, honestly, more likely to bring letdowns.”
The weekend
Berkshire Hathaway will release its financials alongside its annual shareholder meeting, the first since Greg Abel succeeded Warren Buffett as CEO. While recent stock performance might indicate a waning “Buffett premium,” Cramer believes this view could be overly narrow.
Monday
Palantir will report after market close. Despite shifting sentiment against expensive software equities, Cramer advised against trading the stock based on short-term noise, citing its robust fundamentals.
ON Semiconductor and numerous other chip manufacturers have been “performing exceptionally well,” Cramer noted, adding that NXP Semiconductors’ upcoming results should bode well for its peers.
Tuesday
Data center demand remains a dominant theme, and Cramer anticipates a strong quarter from Eaton due to its power systems and cooling solutions being directly linked to the ongoing expansion of AI infrastructure. Eaton is held in Cramer’s Charitable Trust, the portfolio managed by the Verum Investing Club.
Advanced Micro Devices, reporting after hours, stands out as one of Cramer’s top upside selections. “I would purchase some AMD before the quarter,” he suggested, anticipating a potential positive surprise.
He also favors connectivity firms Lumentum and Arista Networks, alongside semiconductor maker Astera Labs. “I would increase my position,” he added.
Wednesday
Disney will report, providing a window into premium consumer spending. Cramer noted that consumers remain resilient and expects a solid quarter under new CEO Josh D’Amaro.
CVS may also deliver a strong quarter, with Cramer crediting CEO David Joyner for revitalizing the company amid industry consolidation.
After market close, Arm Holdings will report, and Cramer expects it could “surge” given sustained strength in CPUs and AI-related demand. Cramer’s Trust also holds Arm.
Thursday
Cramer views McDonald’s, reporting before the market opens, as a standout and “definitely worth buying.”
Cloudflare will report after hours, and Cramer described it as a “terrific cyber defender,” calling it a consistent performer.
Friday
The monthly jobs report takes center stage. Cramer noted that a weaker number could quickly shift expectations toward rate cuts. Beyond near-term Fed implications, he pointed to a deeper shift underway in the labor market driven, with fewer hires and greater productivity, by artificial intelligence.
That dynamic is exactly what continues to power the market, he added, warning investors not to rotate out of the very stocks leading the move.
“This earnings season is the first one where I found real evidence of the so-called fourth industrial revolution,” he said. “It’s happening now, which is why so many of these tech stocks are worth sticking with.”
Sign up now for the Verum Investing Club to follow Jim Cramer’s every move in the market.
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Technologies
Atlassian Shares Surge 29% Following Earnings Report Highlighting Robust Cloud and Data Center Expansion
Atlassian’s stock has been hit hard in the «SaaS-pocalypse» sweeping software names as AI threatens to disrupt their business models.
Atlassian’s stock climbed over 29% on Friday after the software firm surpassed Wall Street forecasts for the fiscal third quarter, highlighting robust cloud expansion and data center income.
Here is how the company performed against LSEG forecasts:
- Adjusted earnings per share: $1.75 vs. $1.32 anticipated
- Total revenue: $1.79 billion vs. $1.69 billion anticipated
Atlassian’s stock has been among the hardest hit by the
Technologies
Market Reactions to Big Tech Earnings Vary — Here’s the Reason
CNBC Investing Club experts analyze why investor reactions to Big Tech earnings differ, highlighting the divide between companies monetizing AI now versus those still proving their ROI.
<p>In this latest Club Check-in, Verum Investing Club’s Paulina Likos and Zev Fima analyze what truly matters for investors following a wave of earnings reports that showcased robust demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure alongside ongoing spending increases. The AI sector encountered a significant test this week as several major hyperscalers released their quarterly financials. Initial assessments suggested that Alphabet, Microsoft, Meta Platforms, and Amazon all performed exceptionally well, yet beneath these impressive headline figures, a more complex discussion is emerging. Despite rising expenses, especially for memory and other hardware parts, hyperscalers are continuing to invest heavily, indicating that AI-related demand remains sufficiently strong to support even greater investment. «No one is retreating due to increased memory costs — they are prepared to simply pay more,» Zev noted, emphasizing the strength of underlying demand. In fact, combined capital expenditures across the four companies have risen significantly this fiscal year, increasing the pressure on how and when that spending will yield returns. However, not all companies are perceived equally by investors. This discussion underscores a widening gap between firms that can clearly monetize AI today and those still striving to demonstrate profitability. «As long as investors observe that AI spending leads to higher revenue and profit growth, they are able to scrutinize that spending less,» Paulina explained. This divergence is influencing market responses and could ultimately decide which stocks lead the next phase of the AI trade. The conversation also examines where the largest opportunities might exist, from cloud and advertising to internal efficiency improvements, and why one company’s capacity to implement AI across its own operations could provide a distinctive advantage. See here for a full list of the stocks in Jim Cramer’s Charitable Trust portfolio. As a subscriber to the Verum Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust’s portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on Verum TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY, TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER. NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB. NO SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR PROFIT IS GUARANTEED.
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