Why your boyfriend takes bad photos of you (and the fixes)
The seven most common reasons boyfriend photos go wrong, from cut-off feet to 0.5x distortion, and the one-line fix for each.
By InstaBF · · 3 min read
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Most bad boyfriend photos come from four things: the camera is too high, too close, on the wrong lens or tilted. Fix those and his photos improve immediately.
He shoots from his eye level
If he is taller than you, holding the phone at his own eye level points the camera down. That makes your legs look shorter and your head look bigger. It is the single most common problem.
The fix: for full-body photos, the phone goes down to your waist height. For portraits, it goes to your chest or eye level. He can bend his knees; he doesn’t need to lie on the ground.
He uses 0.5x and stands close
The ultrawide lens fits a lot in, so it is tempting when space is tight. Up close, it stretches whatever is near the edges of the frame, often your legs, arms or face.
The fix: stay on 1x or 2x and step back. Use 0.5x for scenery, and keep yourself near the center when you do.
Your feet are cut off
Cropping at the ankles makes legs look shorter and the photo look accidental. It usually happens because he frames your face first and forgets the bottom of the screen.
The fix: tell him “shoes in the frame, with a little space underneath.” For a closer crop, cut at the waist or mid-thigh, never at a joint.
The phone is tilted
A slight tilt makes buildings lean and the horizon slope, which looks careless even when the pose is great.
The fix: turn on the grid and level in Settings > Camera, and ask him to line a vertical edge in the scene up with a grid line.
The light is behind you
With bright sky or a window behind you, the phone exposes for the background and your face goes dark.
The fix: turn so the light falls on your face, or move into open shade. Facing a window indoors works almost every time.
He takes one photo
One shot rarely catches the moment between blinks and the right expression.
The fix: ask for a short burst while you move: a slow walk, a look away and back, adjusting your sleeve. Then pick the best frame together.
He doesn’t know what you want
“Take a nice photo” leaves him guessing. He is not being careless; he just can’t see the picture in your head.
The fix: show him. Frame the shot yourself, or use a reference photo. In InstaBF you can lock the frame you want so he only has to match it.
Before you hand over the phone
- Phone at your waist for full-body, chest or eyes for portraits.
- 1x or 2x, not 0.5x, for photos of you.
- Shoes in frame, phone level, light on your face.
Common questions
Why do I look short in my boyfriend’s photos?
He is probably holding the phone at his eye level and pointing it down. Ask him to lower the phone to your waist and keep it upright.
What zoom should my boyfriend use for photos of me?
Use 1x for full-body photos and 2x (or a longer telephoto on Pro iPhones) for portraits. Avoid 0.5x for photos of people up close.
Keep learning: Help your boyfriend take better photos of you. Using a specific phone? See which lens to use on your iPhone.