What my old phone with a cracked corner taught me about light

My phone is old. The corner of the screen is cracked, the back has a sticker to hide a scratch, and the camera app sometimes freezes for two seconds before it takes a photo. I got it second-hand when my father upgraded his own, so it is already a "used phone" of a used phone. I am telling you this at the start because I want you to know that I am not writing about good equipment.

Everything I learned about photography in the last year, I learned with this phone. Most of it was about light. Honestly, I think that is the main secret, and nobody tells it to you clearly: a photo is mostly light, and the camera is just the thing that catches it.

I live in a town near Patna. I fix small electronics in my spare time (radios, chargers, an old FM set that someone's grandfather loves). I also cycle early in the morning before school. So my subjects are not famous places. They are my cycle, a circuit board, a tea glass on a roadside table, the river bank at 6am. I think that is fine. Boring things look beautiful when the light is right.

Lesson 1: Look at where the light is coming from

Before taking a photo, I now do something very small. I stop and ask: where is the light coming from? From the left? Behind my subject? From above?

• Front light (light behind you, falling on the subject): even and easy, but a bit flat. Good for beginners.
• Side light (from the left or right): makes shapes and texture. The side of a face, the grain of wood, the shine on a copper wire. This is my favourite.
• Back light (light behind the subject): can make a glowing edge around hair or leaves. But it can also make the subject dark. In this case, tap on the subject on the screen, and the phone will brighten it.

One thing I understood very late: the same object can look ordinary or amazing, just because of when you photograph it. My cycle against a plain wall at noon looks like a cycle. My cycle at 6:30am with the sun hitting the metal from the side looks like it is in a film.

Lesson 2: Hard light and soft light

Light at noon is hard. It makes sharp black shadows under the nose and eyes, and the sky turns white. Light on a cloudy day is soft, like a giant white cloth over the sun. It is kind to faces. When it is cloudy, I take portraits of my friends and everyone looks nicer.

If you must shoot in the afternoon sun, find shade (under a tree or a building) and shoot there. The light in the shade is much softer. Or stand near a window and use that light. For my electronics photos, I put the circuit board on the table next to the window, not under a bulb. The difference is big.

Lesson 3: Golden hour

Golden hour means the period shortly after sunrise and shortly before sunset, when the sun is low. The light is warm (more orange), soft, and comes in at a low angle, so shadows are long and everything looks like it has a glow. It is not exactly one hour, and the length changes with where you live and the season, but the idea is the same: the low sun is your friend.

My best photos are all from my cycle rides. A dog sleeping on the road in warm light. A man pulling a cart with a long shadow behind him. Fog over the river, with the sun just coming up and everything turning pale gold.

I now set my alarm for sunrise on weekends. I know it sounds painful. But it is also the only quiet time of my day, so it feels good, not painful.

Lesson 4: Framing (small changes, big results)

Framing means how you put things inside the rectangle. Four things I do now:

1. Turn on the grid lines in the camera settings. The lines divide the picture into 9 boxes. Try putting your subject at one of the crossing points, not in the exact middle. This is called the rule of thirds. It is not a law, but it is a good start.
2. Get closer. Many beginner photos have too much empty space and the subject is tiny. I try to move my feet until the subject fills more of the frame. This is much better than zooming.
3. Change your height. Crouch down for a low angle. Stand on a step for a high one. My tea glass photo looks great from the table level, not from above.
4. Look for lines that lead the eye: a road, a railing, a wire. Place your subject where the line is pointing.

Lesson 5: Small practical things

• Wipe the lens. My phone lives in a pocket, so the lens is always greasy. A photo looks hazy and I thought my phone was broken. I wiped it with a clean cloth and it looked sharp. Free fix. Always do this first.
• Tap to focus, then adjust brightness. On the screen, tap where you want focus. A small sun icon appears. Slide it down a little if the sky is too bright, and up if the subject is too dark.
• Avoid digital zoom. It just crops and makes a blurry photo. Walk closer instead.
• Edit lightly. I use a free editing app. I only change brightness and a bit of warmth. Heavy filters make everything look the same.

A tiny practice plan

Day	Try this
1	Photograph the same object at 3 different times of day
2	Take a photo near a window, then under a bulb, compare them
3	Shoot something with the sun behind it
4	Take 5 photos of one thing from 5 different heights
5	Go out at sunrise or sunset for 20 minutes

Why I write about this

My family is not rich. I study with limited things, and I do not have coaching like some people. Photography gave me something that I could do without paying. The light is free. It is the same sun for everyone, and for 20 minutes in the morning, it is the best thing in my town.

I am still learning. If you see a mistake in what I wrote, please tell me. And if you try the practice plan, show me the photos.