8 Brillant Smartphone Photography Tips From a NatGeo Expert

"Images are poems. They hit you emotionally first and that's why we love and cherish them," says Alvarez. "But those poems are entirely constructed out of light, so you have to pay attention to what the light falls on."

And if you're a fan of sunsets and that lighting, start taking your photos during the new golden hour. "The new golden hour is the time after the sun goes down but before it gets dark. There's still light in the sky, still blue, and a mix of colors. It's the new time to shoot with smartphones because it performs well after the sun goes down."