Social media is full of Eiffel Tower photos. Do you want to make sure yours are Instagram-worthy by using just your phone?
In this article, I share 11 tricks that will elevate your pictures of this iconic landmark to stand out in the crowded world of social media.
Get your smartphone and follow these simple tricks to wow your followers with stunning, scroll-stopping Eiffel Tower pics.
11 Tricks for Instagram-Worthy Pics of the Eiffel Tower With a Smartphone
Find unique perspectives
Credit: Masood Aslami
The Eiffel Tower is one of the most photographed places in the world. That doesn’t mean that you can’t find original ways of showing it that are Instagram-worthy.
The great thing about photographing Paris – or any city – with a smartphone is that it’s light and portable.
Also, there aren’t usually any restrictions about taking photos with your phone, which is something that often happens with more professional gear.
So, take advantage of this freedom and explore the city, finding unusual views of the Eiffel Tower.
Use AE/AF lock
Credit: Clement Proust
You need to nail the exposure to get Instagram-worthy pictures of the Eiffel Tower. If you’re not very practical with the manual exposure settings, don’t worry.
Phone cameras have a feature called AE/AF lock. This allows you to brighten or darken your photo to set the best exposure easily.
Simply tap and hold on to the main subject – in this case, the Eiffel Tower. When you see the yellow frame with a sun icon appear, you can let go. This indicates that the camera has locked the focus and exposure.
After this, you just need to swipe up or down the screen to over or under expose the picture.
Turn on the HDR feature
Credit: Frank Zienert
When there’s too much contrast between the foreground and the background – for example, when the sky is too bright – you can use the HDR mode.
HDR stands for high dynamic range, capturing multiple frames with different exposure values and merging them into a single photo. This way, you gain detail in the highlights and shadows.
Most camera apps allow HDR photography. However, if yours doesn’t or you want to use an app that gives you manual controls over the HDR process, you can try HDR, Foto HDR, or Aura HDR.
If you have an iPhone, here‘s a guide to using its HDR mode.
Choose the right time
Credit: Nicolas Segretain
Most professional photographers in Paris capture their iconic Eiffel Tower shots from Trocadero at sunrise. This is when the light is warm and soft and there are fewer tourists to crowd the scene. You can follow their lead and shoot around this time.
Trocadero is one of the most popular vantage points to photograph the Eiffel Tower. However, if you’re planning a different location, you may prefer a different time of day.
Change focal length
Credit: Denitsa Kireva
The focal length isn’t just about fitting more or less inside the frame – it may be used as a creative tool.
As you probably know, different focal lengths create distortions that can be used creatively to capture a unique and Instagram-worthy photo of the Eiffel Tower.
If your phone doesn’t have multiple cameras, you can always buy external lenses to clip onto your phone.
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Panorama mode
Not all phones come with a wide-angle lens. This is why sometimes you need to get further away to capture tall buildings or if you want to include more of the context into the frame.
However, sometimes you can’t or don’t want to step further away. A quick solution to this problem is to take a panorama.
Most phone cameras include this feature. If yours doesn’t you can download a third-party app to do it – there are plenty of them available for free and paid.
Simply hold your phone horizontally and start the shot at the bottom of the Eiffel Tower or wherever you want to start the panorama. Then, keep going up until you reach the top of the tower.
Posing is key
Credit: Alexey Komissarov
Whether you’re doing a self-portrait or you’re photographing someone else, you need to learn how to pose like an influencer.
If you want your picture to be Instagram-worthy, you can’t have your subject just standing there like in a touristy snapshot. Instead, you need to find the right pose that’s flattering and adds visual interest.
You can go for a cute casual pose or something sexy or elegant, depending on the vibe you want in your picture. Use our Instagram posing guide, Pinterest, and Instagram to find inspiration.
Use burst mode
Credit: Getty Images
If you want your photograph to feel more vibrant, you can add motion by introducing a moving subject. If you’re doing a portrait session, ask your model to run or jump.
Otherwise, use pigeons or someone on a bicycle passing by. To capture the best moment, remember to turn on the burst mode.
Use composition overlays
Credit: Jacob Peters
Most camera apps include a composition overlay featuring a grid with the rule of thirds. Make sure you turn it on to achieve a more interesting composition.
You can use this to keep the horizon straight, too – some phones even have a separate feature, which you should also enable.
If you want to up your game, you’ll need to move past the rule of thirds and use other composition guidelines. If you want the overlays for these, you’ll probably need a third-party app such as Open Camera.
Try a silhouette shot
Credit: Gokiberk
Even if most people can recognize the Eiffel Tower’s silhouette, not so many actually make silhouette photos of it.
If you want to create a scroll-stopping picture, make sure you capture the beautiful, vibrant colors in the sky by underexposing the Eiffel Tower. You can do this with the AE/AF lock feature or by using the Pro mode, which allows you to adjust the settings manually.
Don’t forget to edit your picture to fine-tune the effect.
Remove the tourists from the picture
Credit: Getty Images
Finding a moment when there’s no one else around the Eiffel Tower is practically impossible. However, having the scene full of tourists can be distracting, and your photo won’t be Instagram-worthy.
So, try to avoid the busiest times so that you’ll have less people to worry about.
If you have an iPhone, turn on the Live feature. Then, use the Long Exposure effect after you take the photo – this will eliminate some of the people and blur others so that they aren’t as distracting.
You can also take a long exposure shot with any phone, but then you have to do it when there’s low light or using an ND filter. You’ll also need a tripod.
If you can’t avoid the people while taking the photo, use the Healing tool of any editing app to delete them in post-processing.
Edit your photos
Credit: Next Voyage
Last but not least, you need to edit your photos to make them Instagram-worthy. If you’re shooting raw files, you’ll get better results while editing.
Even if your photo doesn’t need extreme retouching, it’s the attention to detail that matters. Feel free to use a trendy filter if you like – name it in the hashtags so that people following it can find your photo.
