Android Camera Settings for Posed Photos

Samsung Pro mode, Pixel Pro Controls and how to use a pose's settings on other Android phones.

The short version

Android camera apps differ by maker and model, so check what yours offers first. Some phones let you set ISO and shutter speed directly. Aperture is different: if your camera app has no aperture control, you can't change it. Pose Ready lists settings the way a traditional camera uses them, so treat them as exact targets where your phone has the control, and as a description of the look where it doesn't.

Checked against Google and Samsung help pages on 2 November 2026. Samsung says its screens and menus vary by device and software version, and Google notes that some Pixel steps work only on Android 10 and up.

Samsung Galaxy: Pro mode

Open the Camera app.
Find the modes: tap Mode or More, or swipe along the mode names. The wording varies by model.
Choose Pro.

Samsung lists these Pro mode controls:

ISO: lower for bright scenes or still subjects, higher for low light or fast motion. Higher values can add noise.
Shutter speed: slower brightens the photo, faster freezes motion.
Exposure: raises or lowers brightness.
White balance: a colour temperature, or presets such as Daylight, Cloudy and Tungsten.
Manual focus: adjust with a bar.

Samsung notes that if you set the shutter speed manually, ISO can't stay on Auto, and that Pro mode may not be on every device, especially older models. If your Pro mode has no aperture control, you can't change the aperture, so use Portrait mode for background blur. Samsung's Galaxy S10 page shows the exception of a phone that could switch between f/1.5 and f/2.4.

Samsung Galaxy: background blur

Choose Portrait from the shooting modes.
Pick a background effect and drag the adjustment bar to change its strength.
When Ready appears, take the photo.

Samsung advises using it in good light. Blur may not apply well if you or the subject is moving, or if the subject and background have similar colours or patterns. Samsung's steps are written for the Galaxy S21 series, so yours may differ slightly.

Google Pixel: Pro Controls

Google says Pro Controls are available on Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL. On those phones, use the slider at the bottom of your photos in the Camera app to adjust focus, shutter speed and ISO. Google's Pro Zoom section also mentions Pro Controls for Pixel 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL, so check your own Camera app if you have one of those.

On other Pixels:

Focus and exposure: tap your subject. A white circle follows it. Tap Lock to lock focus and exposure on a subject that moves.
Background blur: tap Portrait in the photo mode carousel and take the photo. You can then open it in Google Photos and use Edit photo > Tools > Blur to move the Blur slider.
Slow shutter looks: Motion mode offers Action Pan and Long Exposure on supported models, without setting a shutter speed.
Low light: use Night Sight for high-ISO, dark-scene poses.

Choosing a lens on a Pixel

Your Pixel normally picks the lens as you zoom. To choose it yourself on Pixel 6 Pro, 7 Pro, 8 Pro, Pixel Fold, and Pixel 9 and later:

Open the Camera app and tap Settings at the bottom left.
Go to the Pro tab.
Next to Lens Selection, tap Manual.

You then get buttons for Ultrawide (UW), Wide (W) and Tele (T). Touch and hold a button to zoom with that lens.

What each setting becomes on Android

Listed in Pose Ready	With manual controls	Without manual controls
ISO	Set the value, or the nearest your phone offers.	Let the camera choose. Add light if the photo looks grainy.
Shutter speed	Set the value. Check brightness, because your phone's lens lets in a different amount of light.	Let the camera choose. Use brightness or exposure to adjust.
Aperture	Only if your camera app has the control.	Low f-number: use Portrait mode. High f-number: use the normal photo mode.
Focal length	Zoom. Divide the listed focal length by your 1x lens's 35 mm equivalent, from your phone's spec sheet.
Lighting notes	Follow them with real light, or the closest you have.

A listed ISO and shutter speed were chosen together with a listed aperture. If your lens is a different aperture, the same ISO and shutter won't give the same brightness, so judge the preview and adjust the exposure. For example, if your 1x lens is a 24 mm equivalent, a listed 50 mm is about 2x and 85 mm is about 3.5x. This is arithmetic, not a maker's specification.

Other Android phones

Look in your Camera app's modes for a Pro or Manual option, and check your maker's manual for your exact model. We've only verified the Samsung and Pixel steps on this page. Whatever you have, the listed camera angle, the pose's steps and the expression tip all work on any phone.

When you need a third-party camera app

Only if your Camera app has no manual ISO or shutter speed and you want exact values. An app can only offer these if your phone's camera allows it: Android calls this the manual sensor capability, and not every phone has it. So check that an app's listing says it offers manual controls, and test it on your phone before relying on it. We don't recommend a particular app.

How to change camera settings on Android