A common axiom I’ve heard is that as a tourist, you never want to be That Guy shooting photos or videos on their iPad. It looks bizarre, and it’s all too easy to block someone else’s view at a museum or concert. Moreover, an iPad just isn’t the best tool. Apple doesn’t prioritize camera tech on its tablets the same way it does on iPhones. Even the top-of-the-line M5 iPad Pro has a single 12-megapixel rear shooter.
That said, the best camera is always the one you have with you, and that may be an iPad. As both a long-time iPad owner and someone with pro photography experience, I can offer a few tips on improving your portfolio.
Tips for leveling up your iPad photos and videos
Knowledge matters more than tech
Your first stop should be Settings -> Camera. If you need help with composition, toggle on Grid and Level, which will overlay those aids in your viewfinder. You can fix some composition issues when you edit a photo later, particularly with the Apple Intelligence features coming in iPadOS 27, but it’s always best to have as much original, authentic data to work with as possible. 12 megapixels does not offer a lot of wiggle room.
Make it a point to tour video, sound, and format options in the Camera menu while you’re at it. If you want cinematic video, you should be shooting at 4K 24fps (frames per second). 30fps or higher may be preferable if you’re recording for YouTube. iPad Pros support shooting in Apple’s ProRes format, but be warned that this will fill up internal storage in a hurry, making an external SSD almost unavoidable. Most regular iPad owners shouldn’t even be shooting in 4K, as 1080p will save tremendous space while still looking fine upscaled on your TV.
To achieve truly professional results, you’ll not only want to shoot in 4K HDR, but with add-on lenses, a gimbal, and an app with advanced controls such as Filmic Pro. Dipping into the details is unfortunately beyond the scope of this guide, but suffice it to say that with the right apps and gear, the only thing holding you back will be your iPad’s camera resolution and sensitivity.
Speaking of which, a tip that’s universal for all skill levels is to exploit ambient lighting. Flash output is always inadequate or harsh — nowhere in between — and an iPad’s camera sensor can’t handle low lighting as well as an iPhone, let alone a DSLR or mirrorless camera. Try to shoot in daylight or well-lit interiors. When you can’t, search for any strong light source, and try to position your subject(s) next to it. You should also strive for unusual lighting setups when possible. Flat lighting is functional, but boring — aim for Blade Runner instead of your passport photo.
When it comes to composition, it’s usually wise to stick to the Rule of Thirds, meaning that your subject(s) should fall into one of nine grid squares. It’s also best to fill the frame with them. Dead space is a legitimate artistic tool, yet it should be intentional, say if you want to emphasize the size of surrounding buildings and terrain. On an iPad, you may end up looking for a lot of excuses for these shots. A fixed wide-angle lens means the only way to zoom in on a subject is to walk closer, buy an add-on lens, or create a blurry mess with digital zoom (which is actually a form of cropping).
Editing and storage
The final (re)touch
You can do quite a lot with the Photos app’s built-in Adjust, Crop, and Clean Up tools. That includes fixing color tints, adjusting highlights and shadows, and even erasing unwanted objects like dust or zits. It’s only professionals (or serious hobbyists) that should consider stepping up to an app like Pixelmator, Lightroom, or Photoshop, especially since the last two are chained to an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription. If you genuinely need their features — such as layered editing, or precise canvas sizes — you’ll already know.
As for storage, you’ll probably want some form of cloud backup, whether it’s iCloud+ or a third-party service. External storage is only truly necessary for 4K ProRes work, or as a way of detouring upgrades to your cloud subscription or iPad. You can achieve that by selecting items in the Photos app, tapping the Share icon, then choosing Export Unmodified Original. Once you’ve copied your content to an external SSD, you can delete the original files. Remember that if something happens to that SSD, though, your files may be lost forever.
