Symptoms
- Photos look darker than the actual scene looked to your eye
- Worse in backlit or mixed-lighting scenes
- Faces or subjects appear silhouetted against a bright background
- Indoor shots especially affected
Likely causes
- CommonBacklighting confusing the camera's automatic exposureA bright background, like a window, can cause the camera to expose for the background and darken the subject.
- CommonLow light without enough exposure compensationDim environments push the camera's limits and can result in underexposed shots.
- PossibleHDR or exposure setting not adjusted for the sceneManual exposure locked from a previous bright scene can carry over incorrectly.
- PossibleDirty lens reducing light reaching the sensorA smudge can reduce the amount of light captured, especially in already-dim scenes.
What to do
- Tap on the subject's face or the darker area of the scene to force the camera to expose for it.
- Use the exposure slider (usually a sun icon) to manually brighten the shot before taking it.
- Turn on HDR mode for high-contrast scenes with both bright and dark areas.
- Add more light to the scene or reposition so the light source is behind the camera, not the subject.
- Clean the lens if it hasn't been recently.
- Try night mode if your phone has one for low-light scenes.
Tools and parts
- Microfiber cloth
When to call a pro
A repair shop isn't usually needed for exposure issues; this is a settings and technique adjustment.
Safety
Generally low risk
Generally low risk for a careful person. Stop if anything looks different from what this guide describes.