5 Hidden iOS 11 Camera Tips For Parents Who Take Hundreds Of Baby Photos

Apple rolled out iOS 11 about a month ago now, but chances are, you still haven't figured out all of its little quirks. That's because you're probably too busy chasing around a toddler, changing diapers, or shuttling kids to and from school — and figuring out what's different on your phone's camera isn't exactly at the top of your priority list. Never fear: Here are 5 hidden iOS 11 camera tips to help with all your parenting photo needs.

On Sept. 18, Apple announced the release of iOS 11, but if you're like me, you probably didn't actually get the update until recently. (I literally just downloaded and installed it last night.)

1. You Can Edit A Screenshot Right After Taking It

I figured out this helpful gem, courtesy of TIME. With iOS 11, you don't have to exit camera mode after taking a screenshot and then open up your iPhone's camera roll in order to edit it. (That extra step might not seem like that big of a deal, but I found it pretty darn annoying.) Instead, right after the screen is captured, it will appear as a thumbnail in the lower left corner of your display. Simply tap it to open up the photo, edit, and share away!

2. Now You Can Make Live Photos Look Like GIFs

If you own an iPhone 6s or later, good news — now you'll be able to make photos that like GIFs directly from your camera, according to TIME. Too cool, right? That's because iOS 11 brings with it three new effects for your Live Photos, including Bounce, Long Exposure, and Loop. And if you couldn't guess, it's the Loop feature that tells your Live Photo to repeat itself all GIF-like. Here's how to pull it off: 1. Snap a Live Photo. 2. Open it in your gallery and swipe up from the bottom to access the new effects options. 3) Select "loop" and you're set.

And now for your entertainment, here is a GIF I just created of my daughter dancing while wearing a troll headband and watching the movie, Trolls.

3. More Filters!

You're probably already aware that your iPhone's camera app has filters in it, but iOS 11 brings with it even more options. You can see the filters in action while taking the photo by tapping the three-circle icon at the top right corner of the camera app, according to Wired. Then, simply choose the one you like best — like Vivid, Noir, or Silvertone. Here are my two daughters in Vivid. (Yes, we might have a tiny obsession with the Trolls movie at our house. The first step is admitting we have a problem.)

4. Save Space With New Storage Options

As parents know all too well, it's scary how many photos of your kids you take. From the moment they're born, you're like their personal paparazzi. And unfortunately, the thousands of images of your child's first smile have a way of sucking up space. Luckily with iOS 11, there are ways to free up some room. Go into settings and under the Camera tab, tap on "Formats." There, you can switch your photo format between "Most Compatible," which keeps photos as JPEGS (and takes up a little more room,) OR "High Efficiency," which compresses them into HEIF. According to Wired, this format effectively compresses your kid photos (or any photos, really, but let's face it — it's mostly kid photos) to half the size of JPEGs without losing out on image quality.

5. You Can Scan QR Codes Directly From Your Camera App

This handy tip comes from Wired. And it means you'll need one less app to suck up space on your iPhone. Yep. All you need to do in order to scan a QR code is open up your camera app and point it at the code. You'll get a notification to act on it. Bam! Done.

Now that you're armed with a few quick tidbits of knowledge, go out and create, parents! If you need to find me, I'll probably be making hilarious GIFs of my kids doing weird things. I expect to see some of your masterpieces, as well. Workin' it!

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