How to Use the Grid and Macro Tools While Shooting

The problem

A documentation photo that looks careless undermines the information in it. A crooked horizon makes a site look like it’s leaning. A building that tilts looks like a structural issue. And the close-ups that matter most, a serial number, a label, a hairline crack, are exactly the ones phones tend to get soft because the lens can’t focus that close. If you only notice when you’re back at the desk, the site visit is already over.

What helps

• The grid divides the preview into thirds. It helps you keep horizons and edges level and place the subject deliberately. It’s only a viewing guide, never part of the file.
• Macro mode helps the camera hold focus on small, close subjects.

The location and time stamp is applied in both cases.

How to do it

Level, composed shots

1. Turn the grid on.
2. Line the horizon or a wall edge up with a grid line.
3. Put the subject on a line or intersection instead of dead centre.

Close-up detail

1. Switch to macro.
2. Move close, tap to focus, and wait for it to sharpen.
3. Take a wide shot first, then the close-up, so the detail can be placed in context.

Tips

• Wide, then close. A close-up of a crack with no context is hard to place. A wide shot plus a close-up tells the whole story, and the stamp links them to the same place and time.
• Straight on for documents and labels, to avoid angles that make text unreadable.
• Check sharpness on the spot. Zoom in on the preview before you move on.
• The grid never ends up in the file, so there’s no need to hide it for finished shots.

FAQ

Does the grid show up in the saved photo? No. It’s an on-screen guide only.

Does macro mode keep the stamp? Yes. Close-up shots get the same location, time and weather overlay.

When should I use the grid? Whenever the picture has a horizon or straight edges, such as buildings, rooms, documents and landscapes.