Being a photographer is not just about having the most expensive gear. It’s about making the most of the tools you have and maximising your creative potential. In fact, you don’t need a big camera and fancy lenses to get creative. All you need is a good smartphone camera and you are good to go. And a great combo photo is a great place to start.
A combo photo requires the photographer to really get creative. It needs them to look for potential in the mundane and fuse two separate images together to create a single story. In the professional world, this method of taking a combo photo is called a diptych. It encompasses a whole lot, but for now, let’s just focus on the basics.
But before we start on some basics you need to keep in mind. Let’s first talk about the most crucial thing in your arsenal, your camera. While you can use almost any smartphone, having a great device ensures that your pictures are detailed and you capture the best possible photograph with each shot. We will be using the OnePlus 11 5G to take our pictures. This is the latest device from the venerable smartphone manufacturer. This magnificent smartphone boasts some amazing hardware. This includes a 50MP IMX890 primary camera, a 48MP IMX581 ultra-wide camera, and a 32MP IMX709 portrait tele camera. Aside from this, there is also the 13-channel Accu-spectrum Light-color Identifier. However, the cherry on top is the fact that OnePlus has partnered with photography giants, Hasselblad. This means that their teams lend their camera expertise to the algorithms. Letting you take expert-level photos from your smartphone.
In fact, OnePlus is super excited to see what its fans can create. Their latest brand campaign is called “Capture Beyond Boundaries” and it seeks to invite everyone to embrace the limitless possibilities in photography. The company has encouraged participants to share their own interpretation of the campaign theme, i.e. – Combo Photos. They can then share their creations via the hashtag #CaptureBeyondBoundaries on social media platforms. Users stand a chance to be featured on OnePlus’ official social media channels. The best entries also stand a chance to win the all-new OnePlus 11 5G smartphone.
Thankfully, we are here to help you get closer to the goal of getting your combo photo featured on OnePlus’ platform and winning the OnePlus 11 5G. In this piece, we will be looking at a few things to consider when clicking pictures for a combo photo.
So without further ado. Let’s get cracking.
Choose complementary subjects
As the name would suggest, a combo photo requires two pictures. The key is to find images that work together to tell a cohesive story. Look for subjects that complement each other in terms of colour, shape, theme, or emotion. For example, in the image below. The shape of the eye is juxtaposed with the carrot. It reminds me of the old adage that carrots are great for eyesight.
Getting the details right was vital to get this shot. The subtle lines around the carrot were needed to make this picture work. This was easier said than done as many smartphone cameras may not be able to make out the subtle differences in colour between the rings. Thankfully the 13-channel Accu-spectrum Light-color Identifier sensor in the phone is able to make out these subtleties.
Plan Your Composition
Before you take a photo, take a moment to visualize how they will fit together as a combo photo. Consider the placement of your subjects within the frame, the use of negative space, and the balance between the two images. You can experiment with different compositions by using the gridlines feature on your smartphone’s camera app or by applying the rule of thirds for a more balanced composition.
In the above image, the border between the two pictures helps create a visual separation between the two images. This ensures a clear visual distinction between the two images, preventing them from blending together and allowing each image to maintain its individual identity. The crisp detail of the hand and the tree bark were vital to showcase growth and ageing. The 50MP IMX890 primary camera in the OnePlus 11 5G came in very handy.
Use colours to add impact
Your combo photo does not need the subject to have the same or similar colours to each other. You can play around with colours to enhance your pictures. An easy way to do this is via the colour wheel. Harmonious Colours are colours that are adjacent to each other on the colour wheel. This gives a feeling of cohesion and balance. Meanwhile, Contrasting Colours are those that are on the opposite ends of the colour wheel. This creates more of a visual impact and a greater visual separation between the two images. The photo below is a great example of using contrasting colours.
In the above photo, the picture of the leaf is a great showcase of the Portrait mode in the OnePlus 11 5G and how users can use it to create a visual separation between the subject and the background. If the background wasn’t blurred, then the leaf would have been lost among other leaves and the resultant combo image would not have been possible.
Edit and Enhance
Once you have captured your images, don’t feel shy about using photo editing software to enhance your combo photos. Aside from adjusting the exposure, contrast, and saturation of the images. You can also try out other, more advanced techniques such as merging two images more seamlessly together as is seen in the image below.
In the above image, there is no sharp line that divides both photos. This better blends into the imagery of the connection between the human mind and the journey of life and how both are intrinsically linked. The 48MP IMX581 ultra-wide camera was quite useful in taking the picture of the park as it allowed more of the landscape to be captured without cutting out any important bits which gives greater flexibility when editing.
In the world of photography, creativity knows no bounds, and a combo photo, aka diptych, offers an exciting avenue for exploring new perspectives and storytelling. While it relies more on the creativity and ingenuity of the photography, it should be clear to see that having a great camera phone like the OnePlus 11 5G can really help with the final product. By carefully choosing complementary subjects, planning your composition, utilizing colours effectively, and enhancing your photos through editing, you can create captivating combo images that leave a lasting impact. Of course, as is usually the case with creative endeavours, rules are meant to be broken. So feel free to experiment to your heart’s content!
Hopefully, these tips can help you take great combo photos and get you a step closer to getting your image featured by OnePlus and winning a OnePlus 11 5G. However, if you want to get your hands on the OnePlus 11 5G the old-fashioned way, then there is some good news. As part of the campaign, users can also avail special offers on the OnePlus 11 5G. Those using an older OnePlus device can avail of an exchange offer of Rs 5,000 towards the purchase of the OnePlus 11 5G. Further, they can also avail EMI option of 12 months on the purchase of the OnePlus 11 5G. This is available across multiple banks.
