You don’t need expensive gear to take jaw-dropping photos. Often, all it takes is your cell phone—and the right kind of light. And what better light source than the sun?

The sun is more than just illumination—it’s a powerful, artistic tool. With a little creativity and awareness of timing and angles, you can use the sun as a decorative feature in your photos to make them stand out. In this article, we’ll walk you through how to capture sunlight beautifully in your mobile photography, whether you’re shooting a friend, a landscape, or a quiet moment in nature.

Why Use the Sun in Your Cell Phone Photos?

Sunlight can transform your photos. It adds warmth, energy, mood, and contrast—and if you know how to work with it, it becomes your best visual storyteller. Here’s what the sun can do in your shots:

• Highlight textures like skin, leaves, or fabric
• Add glowing warmth during sunrise or sunset
• Create magical lens flares or starbursts
• Help you create silhouettes that stir emotion
• Cast strong shadows that bring drama

Using the sun smartly in photography doesn’t require special skills—just the right timing and a bit of practice.

When to Shoot: Timing Is Everything

To use the sun effectively in your phone photography, you need to pay attention to the time of day. Different times create different moods.

Golden Hour: Pure Magic

The golden hour happens shortly after sunrise and just before sunset. The light is soft, warm, and low in the sky—perfect for portraits and dreamy landscapes.

Try this: Shoot a person with the sun behind them and watch their hair glow like a halo.

Blue Hour: Quiet Beauty

The blue hour is just before the sun rises and just after it sets. The light is cooler and softer. It’s a great time for emotional shots with a subtle glow.

Pro tip: Use reflections—like in water or windows—to add drama during blue hour.

Creative Ways to Use the Sun in Your Photos

Now, let’s talk about how to use the sun as part of your image—not just as a light source.

1. Backlighting Your Subject

Place the sun behind your subject to make them glow. This works wonderfully for portraits, especially during golden hour.

On your phone: Tap on your subject to lock focus and exposure. Then slightly slide down to lower the brightness for a balanced shot.

2. Capturing Lens Flares

Flares happen when the sunlight hits your camera lens directly. You can use trees, leaves, or buildings to block part of the sun and let the rest peek through for artistic flares.

Make sure your lens is clean! Flares look best when the image is crisp.

3. Creating Silhouettes

Position your subject in front of the sun and tap the brightest part of the screen. Your phone will darken the subject and highlight the light behind them. This works great with people, pets, or bold shapes.

Perfect for sunsets and sunrises on open horizons.

4. Framing the Sun for Impact

Use natural elements to frame the sun in your shot—like the curve of a tree, a window frame, or the corner of a building. This technique creates depth and makes the sunlight feel more intentional.

5. Sunbursts and Star Effects

To get a crisp sunburst effect, try photographing the sun as it filters through small spaces—like between leaves or fence posts. Some phones even create star shapes when the sun is small and intense.

Manual camera apps can help you control aperture and exposure for this effect.

Using Shadows for Drama

Strong sunlight creates bold, defined shadows—great for adding texture and visual interest. Try capturing:

• Long shadows from people walking
• Leaf shadows on a table or wall
• Geometric shadows from fences or architecture

Use symmetry and contrast to highlight these shapes and add energy to a simple scene.

Mobile Photography Tips for Shooting the Sun

• Use Gridlines: Turn on the rule-of-thirds grid in your camera settings for better composition.
• Lock Focus and Exposure: Tap and hold on the screen to lock the focus and adjust brightness manually.
• Use HDR Mode: This helps balance light and dark areas in your image.
• Shoot in Burst Mode: The sun changes quickly—especially during sunset—so take a few shots in rapid succession.

Best Apps to Edit Sunlight Shots

Even the best shots can be enhanced with a little editing. Here are a few mobile apps that work great for sunlit photos:

• Snapseed: Great for adjusting shadows, highlights, and adding lens blur.
• Lightroom Mobile: Offers pro-level tools, including selective editing to bring out sun flares or reduce overexposure.
• VSCO: Excellent for warm filters and natural-looking adjustments.

Try adding warmth, boosting contrast, or slightly desaturating parts of the photo to make the sun stand out without overwhelming the scene.

Avoid These Common Mistakes

• Overexposing the Shot: If you don’t lower the brightness manually, the sky may turn white.
• Shooting at High Noon: Midday sun is harsh and creates unflattering shadows. Aim for early morning or late afternoon.
• Forgetting to Clean Your Lens: Smudges create blurry spots and ruin flares.
• Centering the Sun: Off-center sun placement often makes for more dynamic compositions.

Final Thoughts: Let the Sun Be Your Muse

When used with care, sunlight becomes more than just a lighting source—it becomes a visual character in your image. Whether you’re capturing the warm glow of golden hour, a dramatic silhouette at sunset, or playful shadows at noon, the sun brings something magical to the frame.

You don’t need a fancy camera to create eye-catching photography. Just your cell phone, a bit of planning, and an appreciation for light.

So next time you go outside, take a moment to look at where the sun is—and ask yourself: “How can I make this part of my story?”