<\/p>\n
How to use Apple Watch’s Camera Remote app for better selfies<\/h2>\n![\"All](\"https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/selfie-montage-780x578.jpg\" "\\"All")
<\/a>All these shots are selfies I took with the Apple Watch Camera Remote app.
Photo: Graham Bower\/Cult of Mac<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe trouble with taking selfies<\/h3>\n
Taking selfies isn\u2019t easy. It\u2019s almost impossible to hold the iPhone far enough away to take a good shot. Your arms are just too short. Holding the camera so close to your face creates a weird perspective that makes your nose look big<\/a>. It\u2019s also hard to get your whole body in the picture.<\/p>\nAnd then there\u2019s the front-facing camera. Apple made big improvements to it over the years — and it supposedly will get a major hardware upgrade in iPhone 14<\/a> — but it\u2019s still not as good as the rear camera. It\u2019s frustrating to know you could have taken a much better picture if only you could have turned the phone around.<\/p>\nSelfie sticks<\/a> give you extra distance, but you still end up using the front-facing camera. (Plus, selfie sticks are a pain to carry around.) A better alternative is to use something you already take everywhere with you: your Apple Watch.<\/p>\nTurn your Apple Watch into the camera remote you didn\u2019t know you needed<\/h3>\n
As its name suggests, the Camera Remote app enables you to control your iPhone camera remotely. You can adjust settings, check the viewfinder and press the shutter button, all from your wrist.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s easy to use, but it does have some quirks that take a bit of getting used to.<\/p>\n![\"Point](\"https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/selfie-780x585.jpg\" "\\"Point")
<\/a>Point your iPhone at your Apple Watch running the Camera Remote for a trippy feedback effect.
Photo: Graham Bower\/Cult of Mac<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe Camera Remote app is kinda quirky<\/h3>\n
When you launch the Camera Remote watch app, there\u2019s a slight delay while it connects to the Camera app on your iPhone. Sometimes this works, but often it doesn’t, stalling on a blank screen.<\/p>\n
The most reliable way to avoid this is to do two things before<\/em> you open the Camera Remote app on your Apple Watch:<\/p>\n\n- Unlock your iPhone.<\/li>\n
- Make sure the Camera app is not<\/em> already running.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
The Camera Remote watch app should launch the Camera iPhone app automatically. It\u2019s best to let it do this, rather than opening both apps yourself.<\/p>\n
Once the connection is established, you should see the view from your iPhone\u2019s camera, right there on your wrist. Which is pretty neat. If you just see a blank screen, press the Digital Crown to return to the watch face. Check to make sure that your iPhone is unlocked and the Camera app isn\u2019t open, then try again.<\/p>\n
How to use the Camera Remote app<\/h3>\n
The layout of the Camera Remote app is similar to the Camera app on iPhone. Most of the screen is taken up by the viewfinder. There\u2019s a big, white, circular shutter button at the bottom. To the right of the shutter button, there\u2019s a smaller ellipsis (\u2026) button. Tap on this for more options. Here, you can switch between front and rear cameras, and enable Live Photos, Flash and HDR mode. There\u2019s also an option for a Three-Second Timer \u2014 more on that later.<\/p>\n
Just like the iPhone Camera app, you can tap on areas of the screen to optimize the lighting and focus for that part of the image. You also can use the watch’s Digital Crown to zoom in and out.<\/p>\n
There are more controls on your iPhone<\/h3>\n
The Camera Remote app doesn\u2019t give you access to all the controls. There are more options that are only accessible in the Camera app on your iPhone.<\/p>\n
One that\u2019s especially relevant to selfies is the wide angle option on the front-facing camera<\/a>. Just tap the double-arrows icon at the bottom of the screen to reveal more of the image (on iPhone 11 or later).<\/p>\nPortrait Mode (on iPhone X or later) and video mode also must be enabled on your iPhone if you want to use them. But once you switch to video mode, you can use the Camera Remote app to pause and record video.<\/p>\n
Finding the right angle for the perfect selfie<\/h3>\n![\"Lean](\"https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/ahead2-780x575.jpg\" "\\"Lean")
<\/a>Lean your iPhone against a wall at ground level for dramatic perspective.
Photo: Graham Bower\/Cult of Mac<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nOnce you\u2019ve picked all the right settings, you\u2019ll need to get your iPhone into position to take the shot. I\u2019ve tried leaning it against a wall on the sidewalk, propping it up on a bench and even balancing it in the branches of a tree. Whatever you do, make sure you have a good iPhone case to protect it from scratches. And check to make sure there\u2019s no one around who could steal it.<\/p>\n
Resting your iPhone on the sidewalk can produce some pretty eye-catching perspectives. But for a more natural-looking shot, you need to raise your iPhone to eye level. For this, I use a Joby GorillaPod<\/a> stand. This handy accessory features flexible tripod legs that can wrap around almost anything. It also has strong magnets for attaching to metal surfaces. It\u2019s so light and compact, I can easily take it with me on a workout.<\/p>\n(Alternatively, you could try the Pixy<\/a>, SnapChat\u2019s new drone designed specifically for taking selfies. It literally floats in the air to find the perfect angle. But since it has an integrated camera, you can\u2019t use it with the Apple Watch Camera Remote.)<\/p>\n![\"Here,](\"https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/find-heart-rate-780x585.jpg\" "\\"Here,")
<\/a>Here, I’m pretending to use the Workout app when I’m actually using the Camera Remote to take a selfie.
Photo: Graham Bower\/Cult of Mac<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nNow you\u2019re ready to take the shot<\/h3>\n
When your iPhone is in position, the final step is to actually take the shot.<\/p>\n
Use the viewfinder in the Camera Remote app to make sure you\u2019re looking your best. Then fine-tune the framing. If your iPhone\u2019s orientation is portrait, the top and bottom of the viewfinder image will be cropped off on your watch display. In landscape mode, you will see the whole image with black bars at the top and bottom.<\/p>\n
![\"All](\"https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/selfie-montage.jpg\" "\\"All")
<\/a>Photo: Graham Bower\/Cult of Mac<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
The trouble with taking selfies<\/h3>\n
Taking selfies isn\u2019t easy. It\u2019s almost impossible to hold the iPhone far enough away to take a good shot. Your arms are just too short. Holding the camera so close to your face creates a weird perspective that makes your nose look big<\/a>. It\u2019s also hard to get your whole body in the picture.<\/p>\n And then there\u2019s the front-facing camera. Apple made big improvements to it over the years — and it supposedly will get a major hardware upgrade in iPhone 14<\/a> — but it\u2019s still not as good as the rear camera. It\u2019s frustrating to know you could have taken a much better picture if only you could have turned the phone around.<\/p>\n Selfie sticks<\/a> give you extra distance, but you still end up using the front-facing camera. (Plus, selfie sticks are a pain to carry around.) A better alternative is to use something you already take everywhere with you: your Apple Watch.<\/p>\n As its name suggests, the Camera Remote app enables you to control your iPhone camera remotely. You can adjust settings, check the viewfinder and press the shutter button, all from your wrist.<\/p>\n It\u2019s easy to use, but it does have some quirks that take a bit of getting used to.<\/p>\n When you launch the Camera Remote watch app, there\u2019s a slight delay while it connects to the Camera app on your iPhone. Sometimes this works, but often it doesn’t, stalling on a blank screen.<\/p>\n The most reliable way to avoid this is to do two things before<\/em> you open the Camera Remote app on your Apple Watch:<\/p>\n The Camera Remote watch app should launch the Camera iPhone app automatically. It\u2019s best to let it do this, rather than opening both apps yourself.<\/p>\n Once the connection is established, you should see the view from your iPhone\u2019s camera, right there on your wrist. Which is pretty neat. If you just see a blank screen, press the Digital Crown to return to the watch face. Check to make sure that your iPhone is unlocked and the Camera app isn\u2019t open, then try again.<\/p>\n The layout of the Camera Remote app is similar to the Camera app on iPhone. Most of the screen is taken up by the viewfinder. There\u2019s a big, white, circular shutter button at the bottom. To the right of the shutter button, there\u2019s a smaller ellipsis (\u2026) button. Tap on this for more options. Here, you can switch between front and rear cameras, and enable Live Photos, Flash and HDR mode. There\u2019s also an option for a Three-Second Timer \u2014 more on that later.<\/p>\n Just like the iPhone Camera app, you can tap on areas of the screen to optimize the lighting and focus for that part of the image. You also can use the watch’s Digital Crown to zoom in and out.<\/p>\n The Camera Remote app doesn\u2019t give you access to all the controls. There are more options that are only accessible in the Camera app on your iPhone.<\/p>\n One that\u2019s especially relevant to selfies is the wide angle option on the front-facing camera<\/a>. Just tap the double-arrows icon at the bottom of the screen to reveal more of the image (on iPhone 11 or later).<\/p>\n Portrait Mode (on iPhone X or later) and video mode also must be enabled on your iPhone if you want to use them. But once you switch to video mode, you can use the Camera Remote app to pause and record video.<\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve picked all the right settings, you\u2019ll need to get your iPhone into position to take the shot. I\u2019ve tried leaning it against a wall on the sidewalk, propping it up on a bench and even balancing it in the branches of a tree. Whatever you do, make sure you have a good iPhone case to protect it from scratches. And check to make sure there\u2019s no one around who could steal it.<\/p>\n Resting your iPhone on the sidewalk can produce some pretty eye-catching perspectives. But for a more natural-looking shot, you need to raise your iPhone to eye level. For this, I use a Joby GorillaPod<\/a> stand. This handy accessory features flexible tripod legs that can wrap around almost anything. It also has strong magnets for attaching to metal surfaces. It\u2019s so light and compact, I can easily take it with me on a workout.<\/p>\n (Alternatively, you could try the Pixy<\/a>, SnapChat\u2019s new drone designed specifically for taking selfies. It literally floats in the air to find the perfect angle. But since it has an integrated camera, you can\u2019t use it with the Apple Watch Camera Remote.)<\/p>\n When your iPhone is in position, the final step is to actually take the shot.<\/p>\n Use the viewfinder in the Camera Remote app to make sure you\u2019re looking your best. Then fine-tune the framing. If your iPhone\u2019s orientation is portrait, the top and bottom of the viewfinder image will be cropped off on your watch display. In landscape mode, you will see the whole image with black bars at the top and bottom.<\/p>\nTurn your Apple Watch into the camera remote you didn\u2019t know you needed<\/h3>\n
<\/a>
Photo: Graham Bower\/Cult of Mac<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe Camera Remote app is kinda quirky<\/h3>\n
\n
How to use the Camera Remote app<\/h3>\n
There are more controls on your iPhone<\/h3>\n
Finding the right angle for the perfect selfie<\/h3>\n
<\/a>
Photo: Graham Bower\/Cult of Mac<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/a>
Photo: Graham Bower\/Cult of Mac<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nNow you\u2019re ready to take the shot<\/h3>\n