📷 How to Take Good Photos for Tasks

1. Clean Your Lens

Phone cameras get greasy from pockets and fingers. A dirty lens makes every photo blurry.

• Wipe the camera lens with a soft cloth, your shirt, or the corner of a towel
• One quick wipe before every photo session
• If the photo still looks foggy, wipe again — your finger probably touched it

2. Get Good Lighting

Bad lighting ruins more photos than anything else. You don't need fancy lights, just follow the sun.

• Sun behind you — Stand with the sun at your back so it lights up what you're photographing
• Avoid shooting into the sun — your subject will be a dark silhouette
• Early morning and late afternoon give the best light (golden hours)
• Midday sun is harsh — find some shade if you can, or wait for softer light
• Use flash only as a last resort — it often washes out details

3. Hold Steady

Shaky hands = blurry photos. Most phone cameras are slow in low light.

• Hold your phone with both hands, elbows tucked into your body
• Lean against a wall, pole, or tree if you can
• Press the shutter button gently — don't jab it
• Breathe out and hold before pressing the button
• Take 3-4 shots of the same thing. One will be sharp

4. Tap to Focus

Phone cameras don't always know what you want to focus on. You have to tell them.

• Tap your screen on the most important thing in the frame before taking the photo
• Wait a second for the camera to lock focus (the image will sharpen)
• If the photo is too bright or too dark, slide your finger up or down on the screen near the focus square to adjust brightness
• For close-up shots (text, small objects), tap exactly on the thing you want sharp

5. Take Multiple Shots

Professional photographers take dozens of shots to get one good one. You should too.

• Take at least 3 photos of every subject
• Change your position slightly between shots — step left, crouch down, get closer
• Delete the bad ones later — keep only the best 1-2

6. Turn On Location (GPS) for Tasks That Need It

Some tasks require proof you were at a specific place. The photo itself must show where it was taken.

• Pull down your phone's top menu and make sure Location is turned ON
• Open your Camera app, go to Settings, and turn on "Save location" or "Geotagging"
• Take the photo with your regular camera app (not WhatsApp, not Messenger — those strip GPS data)
• Upload the original photo file, not a screenshot of the photo

📱 7. Android Tips: Use Your Phone's Real Camera

Android phones vary wildly in camera quality. The default camera app that came with your phone is usually the best option — no third-party app needed.

• Use your phone's built-in camera app — Samsung Camera, Pixel Camera, Motorola Camera, etc. They're optimized for your hardware.
• Google Pixel Camera is widely considered the best Android camera software. If you have a Pixel, you're set. If not, you can sideload the Google Camera (GCam) APK for many phone models — it dramatically improves photo quality with better HDR, sharper detail, and cleaner low-light shots.
• Avoid paid, demo, or "freemium" camera apps — Camera360, BeautyPlus, Candy Camera, and similar apps often compress photos, add watermarks, strip GPS data, or degrade quality. They will get your submission rejected.
• No third-party camera filters — Apps like Snapchat, Instagram, or TikTok add heavy compression and remove metadata. Always use your native camera app.
• Check your camera settings and make sure photo resolution is set to maximum (not "efficient" or "compact").

8. Get Close and Fill the Frame

The most common mistake is standing too far away. If you're photographing a sign, your photo should show the sign, not the whole street.

• Walk closer to your subject than feels natural
• The subject should fill most of the frame
• For text (signs, documents, screens), get close enough that the text is readable when you zoom in
• If you can't get close, use the zoom on your phone — but hold extra steady because zoom also magnifies shake

9. What NOT to Do

• ❌ Don't upload screenshots of photos — they lose quality and GPS data
• ❌ Don't include your fingers, feet, or shadow in the frame
• ❌ Don't use flash unless it's completely dark — flash washes out details
• ❌ Don't edit or filter photos for task submissions — send the original
• ❌ Don't take photos through a window or car windshield — reflections ruin them
• ❌ Don't upload photos sent through WhatsApp, Telegram, or Messenger — they compress and strip metadata

Quick Checklist Before You Submit

• ☐ Lens is clean
• ☐ Subject is clear and in focus
• ☐ Lighting is good (not too dark, not washed out)
• ☐ Text is readable when you zoom in
• ☐ Location/GPS is ON if the task requires it
• ☐ You took the photo with your camera app (not a chat app)
• ☐ You uploaded the original file (not a screenshot)