Want to capture a square image from the get-go, rather than cropping in Instagram later? How about Taking a panoramic photo or a video? If you have an iPhone 5s, you can take a slow motion video, as well.
It’s pretty easy to get these options, though it may not be as intuitive to find. Here’s how.
Launch the Camera app on your iPhone (or iPad, iPod touch). Notice the little words under the viewfinder? From left to right, they say Slo Mo (iPhone 5s only), Video, Photo, Square, and Pano.
To switch between the different modes, simply swipe across your iPhone screen to the left or right. Slo Mo and Video will let you capture moving pictures, and you can now zoom in with a reverse pinch gesture here as well as in the still photos.
Photo gives you the nice rectangular ratio that we all know and love, letting you take upright portrait pictures or sideways landscape oriented ones. Swipe again to the Square format and you’ll be able to set up your shot for social photo sharing services like Instagram.
Finally, swipe one last time and you’ll be set up to take a panoramic photo, either from left to right or right to left. Just be sure to keep that arrow on the line.
Rob LeFebvre is an Anchorage, Alaska-based writer and editor who has contributed to various tech, gaming and iOS sites, including 148Apps, Creative Screenwriting, Shelf-Awareness, VentureBeat, and Paste Magazine. Feel free to find Rob on Twitter @roblef, and send him a cookie once in a while; he’ll really appreciate it.
