Imagery

5 steps to creating your own artist image with iPhone

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Your artist image that displays on Apple Music is more than just a photo of you — it represents your artistic brand. Think of it as an opportunity to express your sound, style, or even the vibe of a new release.

It’s important to consider factors such as the ideal environment, lighting, and editing effects that best depict your brand when looking for the right image. Finding the right camera doesn’t have to be a tough choice, though. Your iPhone is a great tool to use to capture the perfect shot. Check out our tips below for taking a quality artist image with your iPhone in just five steps.

1. Scout the perfect backdrop

You’re the star the photo, but where you snap your artist images can be just as important to represent the tone of your music. Don’t be afraid to introduce a pop of color with a bright backdrop, or set the scene with the right location.

Make sure to avoid a background that appears too busy, though. A backdrop with a loud pattern, or environment with a lot of activity could potentially overwhelm your shot and distract from you as the subject.

2. Find your light

Lighting can have a huge impact on the quality and mood of your photos. The good news is that you can use daylight to your advantage — no expensive lighting tools needed. The ideal lighting can be found outside at different times of day, particularly at early morning or right before sunset. If you're shooting indoors, you can still take advantage of natural sunlight by positioning yourself near a window. Pay attention to how light changes throughout the day to help you get your lighting right.

Highlight glowing portraits during golden hour. Golden hour is about an hour before sunset when the light is soft and low, making it easy to position yourself. Enhancing the shadows and brightness of the photo can also add drama to your portraits. See more tips on shooting portraits during golden hour.

Capture vivid imagery at night. If you want to capture your artist image in a darker setting or at night amid the city lights, there are many ways to take a stunning photo in night mode. When it gets dark enough, your iPhone will automatically turn on night mode. The number that appears next to the icon tells you how long it’ll take to get the shot. It’s a great way to reveal more details in low-light situations. Once you’ve snapped your shot, play around with the editing settings to enhance the colors, hues, and warmth. Learn how to enhance your photos at night.

3. Strike a pose and take your photos

Once you’ve centered yourself in the shot so that you’re the focal point of the photo, you’re just about ready to start snapping pictures. Using portrait mode on your iPhone to capture your artist image allows you to adjust the depth of field, choose a lighting effect, and more. Check out these quick tips on how to make the most of portrait mode:

  1. Select Portrait mode. Open your camera and swipe to select portrait mode.
  2. Choose a zoom level. Tap the number in the bottom-left corner of your screen to zoom in or out.
  3. Choose a lighting effect. Choose a lighting effect by swiping through the options at the bottom of the screen. You can also change this effect when editing.
  4. Adjust depth of field. To adjust the background blur, tap the depth control button in the top-right corner. Use the slider at the bottom of the screen to adjust the depth of field. You can also change this effect when editing.
  5. Take your photo. Tap the shutter to take the picture.

4. Edit and perfect your portraits

When it comes to editing, less is more. You worked hard to get the perfect shot, and a few light edits can help make it shine. Your edits should focus on emphasizing you, the subject. Photos that are over edited can be distracting for your audience.

Edit in the Photos app

The Photos app makes editing easy on iPhone. You can adjust anything from the lighting and color, to the crop and the filter. Follow these tips below to edit in the Photos app:

  • Tap Edit, then swipe left under the photo to view the effects you can edit such as exposure, brilliance, highlights, and shadows.
  • Tap the effect you want to edit, then drag the slider to make precise adjustments.
  • The level of adjustment you make for each effect is indicated by the outline around the button, so you can see which effects have been increased or decreased. Tap the effect button to toggle between the edited effect and the original.
  • If you’re not sure where to begin, the auto effect is a great foundation.
  • If you’ve made a mistake along the way, easily revert back to the original by tapping cancel in the top-left corner. 

Adjust portrait lighting

You can also change the lighting effects when editing to align with the way the natural light falls. On iPhone models that support portrait lighting, you can apply, change, or remove these effects in portraits. You can explore a variety of lighting effects, such as natural, studio, stage, or mono lighting. Learn more about editing portraits on iPhone.

5. Upload to Apple Music for Artists

Ready to upload your new pixel-perfect artist image? First, check out these guidelines for artist images to make sure it’s all set. Next, find out how to upload your picture to Apple Music for Artists.