How to Photograph and Film Neon Signs Using Smartphones

Capturing the vibrant glow of LED neon signs with your smartphone can transform your photography and videography, whether for personal use, social media, or business promotion. However, neon signs present unique challenges due to their bright light, vivid colours, and the reflective surfaces around them. This guide will help you photograph and film neon signs effectively, using both iPhones and Android devices, to achieve professional-looking results.

Neon signs emit intense, concentrated light, often leading to issues like overexposure, glare, and blurry edges in photos and videos. Here are some common challenges:

1. Overexposure: Bright neon colours can overwhelm a camera sensor, causing the details of the sign to be lost.
2. Flickering in Videos: LED neon signs may appear to flicker on camera due to differences in refresh rates between the lights and the device.
3. Reflections and Glare: Neon signs often reflect off nearby surfaces, which can create distractions in your shots.

Understanding these challenges is the first step in overcoming them.

1. Adjust Exposure Settings

Most smartphones allow you to manually adjust exposure:

• On iPhones, tap and hold on the screen until the exposure slider appears. Slide down to reduce brightness.
• On Android devices, tap the screen, then adjust the exposure using the sun icon or slider.

This prevents overexposure and ensures the sign's details remain clear.

2. Use Night Mode

If your smartphone has a night mode, enable it to capture more detail in low-light conditions. Night mode enhances the overall scene while preserving the vibrant glow of neon signs.

3. Stabilise Your Device

Use a tripod or stabiliser to keep your phone steady, especially in low-light settings. This reduces blur and ensures sharp images.

4. Avoid Zooming In

Digital zoom can reduce the quality of your image. Instead, move closer to the sign or crop the image later for a better result.

5. Minimise Reflections

Position yourself at an angle to the sign to reduce reflections on nearby glass or surfaces. You can also use a polarising filter attachment for smartphones to eliminate glare.

6. Shoot in RAW Format

If your smartphone supports RAW photography, use it to capture more detail. RAW files allow for better post-processing and adjustments to exposure, contrast, and colour.

7. Optimise Video Settings

To avoid flickering in videos:

• Set your camera's frame rate to 30fps, as this often aligns better with LED neon refresh rates.
• Use apps like Filmic Pro to manually control frame rates and focus.

Shop Signs and Business Branding

For business signs, focus on framing the sign clearly and ensuring the business logo or message is legible. Showcase how the sign complements the overall shop aesthetic. Check out our shop signs collection for inspiration.

Personalised and Custom Neon Signs

When photographing custom or personalised neon signs, highlight their unique elements. Include surrounding decor or context to emphasise their personal or functional value. Explore more options on our custom signs page.

Event and Party Signs

For event signs, include the neon sign as part of the scene. Capture people interacting with the sign or use it as a backdrop for portraits. Neon signs create a vibrant and celebratory atmosphere in photos.

1. Showcasing Creativity: High-quality photos and videos highlight the artistic value of neon signs and their impact on interior design.
2. Boosting Social Media Engagement: Bright, vibrant neon images are perfect for Instagram, Pinterest, and other platforms.
3. Promoting Your Business: For shops, bars, and cafes, professional-looking neon sign images attract customers and enhance brand perception.

Discover more ways neon signs can transform spaces in our business signs collection.

Adobe Lightroom Mobile: For detailed editing, including exposure adjustments and colour corrections.

Snapseed: A free app that simplifies photo editing with tools to enhance brightness, contrast, and sharpness.

FiLMiC Pro: For advanced video recording with manual settings.

When integrating neon signs into interior design, consider these tips:

1. Placement: Position signs to maximise visibility, such as above seating areas, on feature walls, or in shopfronts.
2. Lighting Balance: Combine neon signs with ambient lighting for a cohesive look.
3. Design Theme: Choose colours and fonts that complement the overall design aesthetic.

Trust Neon Now to find inspiration and start designing your custom LED neon sign.

Photographing and filming LED neon signs with smartphones can be a rewarding experience, especially with the right techniques. By understanding the unique challenges and following these tips, you can capture stunning images and videos that showcase the vibrant beauty of neon signs.

Ready to add a neon masterpiece to your space? Explore our range of custom LED neon signs or shop from our collections at Neon Now today!

Transform your photography and videography with the brilliance of neon lights!

By choosing custom LED neon signs, you’re not just adding light—you’re adding personality, functionality, and timeless style to your designs. Let Neon Now help you transform spaces with brilliance and creativity.