With the iPhone 16 release, Apple revamped the Photographic Styles feature that was first introduced with the iPhone 13. While this function has been quickly forgotten by users, Cupertino thinks it deserves another try. Photographic Styles can now be previewed before shooting and even edited after capturing a photo, even if you want to remove the Photographic Styles completely.
According to Apple, the next-generation Photographic Styles help users express their creativity and customize their photos by locally adjusting color, highlights, and shadows in real time. In practise, I think the feature definitely elevates the photos of anyone who uses it.
The company says that styles also have a deeper understanding of skin undertones, so users can personalize how they appear in photos. “Unlike filters, which often use a one-size-fits-all approach by adding a color to an entire scene, adjustments are applied to specific colors of a selected style,” the company states.
What I like the most about Photographic Styles with the iPhone 16 is the new control pad and intensity slider, which easily help me adjust tone and color. These tweaks are previewed live and can be reversed at any time.
While I still find the Camera Control feature confusing, having the possibility to adjust a photo’s color and tone later makes me a better photographer. As I don’t have to overthink about a shot, I can make everything look better with a few taps later.
Usually, I take a photo, tap to adjust, and then select the Amber Photographic Style. After tweaking a bit with the pad, I think the photo usually looks better. I’ve also seen some people shooting in Star B&W, which is one of the best black-and-white effects I have ever seen in a built-in application.
That said, if you have the new iPhone 16, you should definitely explore Photographic Styles with your photos, as it’s a night and day difference between them when you start tweaking your images.
Below, you can learn more about hidden camera tweaks available for iPhone users.
