PORTLAND, Maine — People who plan to see the solar eclipse for themselves on Monday will likely take pictures of the event, but you don't need a fancy camera to get great shots.
Experts from Verizon and NASA offered these tips:
1. Use the newest smartphone model
The newer it is, the better the resolution will be on the camera.
"It's not just because I work for Verizon," spokesperson Chris Serico said. "You're going to get better quality photos when you have a great phone."
2. Do not use flash
Open your phone's camera and look for the flash icon. For many if not all phones, it looks like a lightning bolt. Tap until you know it is off. (This will typically be displayed with a line through the icon.)
"The sun is plenty of light. It's nature's flash. You don't need any more flash to help this celestial event look great on your phone," Serico said.
3. Do not zoom in
It decreases the quality of the image, and you can always edit the photo later to crop or zoom to your liking.
NASA recommends people take wide shots that capture the landscape to put the eclipse in perspective.
4. Use 'burst' mode
Holding down your camera's shutter button (to take the photo) will capture pictures in rapid succession.
"Everyone's inclined to get that perfect shot with your thumb, and that's a lot of pressure. If you activate burst mode and just hold your thumb down, you'll get a bunch of really good photos from which to choose later," Serico said.
5. Use a smartphone lens filter
Not only will it protect your camera's lens, but it will also increase the quality of the photos. NASA says you can briefly remove the filter during totality.
"The lens cover will be really good because in addition to making sure only the most important light filters through, they actually have a good shot of spotting some sun spots along the way if you use it properly," Serico said.
6. Stay safe: Wear proper eclipse glasses
Make sure they are ISO and CE certified. Look for the number 12312-2 to know the glasses are legitimate.
"[Eyes] are the O-G cameras. We want to keep these well protected," Serico said.