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Apple has shared a new video showing ideas on how to get "other world" photos using the iPhone's camera's night mode setting.
Night mode was launched with the iPhone 11 in 2019 to help you get better shots in low-light conditions, many Android devices have offered a similar feature for several years now.
According to digitartlends, the Apple video focuses on Maria Lax, a Finnish photographer based in London whose gorgeous, mysterious photos helped build a loyal following on Instagram.
And speaking of her work, Lacks told Apple's Landon Smith that she likes to "re-imagine real locations so that they don't look real", with night shots offering the best opportunity for this kind of approach.
In a sequence that shows her wandering the streets of the British capital in search of a shot, Lax tells how she likes to spend time searching for a stunning light source, often finding herself drawn towards windows of different colors and the small details behind them.
Lax also highlights the value of experimentation when it comes to using the night mode. For a different type of photo, they sometimes place a piece of colored plastic in front of the lens, and may fire the flash or smear some Vaseline on the plastic (not the lens!) for an unusual effect. "Surely some alien abductions are happening in this shot," she says of one of her most outlandish attempts.
The Finnish photographer offers words of encouragement as well, saying that you shouldn't expect to go out and take great shots "one by one", but that over time you'll "reach the good stuff".
Smith, who is more of a novice when it comes to night shots, is also shown in the video as he explores New York City while considering some of Lax's tips.
Back home, Lax talks us through some of the editing techniques she's using to take her nighttime photos to the next level, with all the edits made in the Photos app on iPhone.
For those unfamiliar with night mode, the iPhone automatically selects it if the camera deems the light conditions are too low for the normal setting, and when you press the shutter in Night mode, the camera works for several seconds to create the best possible photo. Most people start by going to the automatic function and checking the result.