A National Geographic photographer shared 4 tips for taking better pictures with a phone

A Business Insider reporter's phone photos from a hike in Arizona show how to use a National Geographic photographer's tips.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider In the age of camera phones, anyone can be a photographer.

You don't need fancy gear or multiple lenses to take good pictures.

I asked a National Geographic photographer how to make the most of the camera in your pocket.

Getting a degree in photography gave me the chance to work with all kinds of complex cameras, like the ones you see in old movies, where the operator puts a cloak over their head.

By the time I graduated, I was more comfortable with DSLRs and film cameras than the one in my pocket.

As a travel reporter, my work revolves around documenting the places I'm visiting.

For some of that imagery, I've come to rely on my smallest, most nimble camera — my phone.

So, in April 2022, I set out to improve my phone-photography skills .

And just like in school, I wanted to learn from a pro.

That's why I turned to Kiliii Yüyan, a National Geographic photographer who tells stories about cultures and their environments .

The magazine first published Yüyan's work in 2018, showcasing whale hunters in Alaska, he told Business Insider.

Then, in 2023, National Geographic granted Yüyan the Eliza Scidmore Award for outstanding storytelling for his portfolio work, which included his July 2022 cover shot for a story documenting the lives of Indigenous people.

Yüyan said that nowadays, people are "drowning in photographs," but that doesn't mean yours have to look like everyone else's.