The quality of camera phones keeps improving.  I’ve been reading articles of phones (or are they really cameras with a phone attached?) that will do 12 megapixels and above.  Of course, the number of megapixels is just one small part of the equation.  The quality of the lens has a good deal to do with the final picture (the plastic lens in many cell phones may never equal the glass in even the most basic of today’s point and click cameras) and the imaging processing software is something that experts have pointed out makes a big difference.

Even with the best lens, megapixel count and software, the real determinate of a good picture is the person holding the camera phone.  I was reading an article today in the Daily Mail about a couple who are offering a mobile phone camera course.  Since there are typically not a lot of settings one can adjust, I have to imagine that they will spend a lot of time talking about how to get closer to the subject and hold the phone as steady as you can.

My advice to people who ask about taking news photography is to remember safety first.  Don’t put yourself or others in harms way to get any picture.   If you have other photo hints to give people with their camera phones, I’d welcome hearing them.