A National Geographic photographer said getting closer is key to taking better pictures on your phone. I tried this on a cruise and it completely transformed my photos.

Cameras are my favorite tools. 

I've spent the last decade improving my photography skills. It all started in photo school, when I learned the ins and outs of all kinds of cameras, from digital to large format film (the one where you cover yourself with a cloak). 

Now I work as a travel reporter. It's my job to see the world and document places while experiencing them. Unlike in college, I've found that my work requires two cameras: my big pro digital one and the smallest camera I own — my phone.

To me, shooting with a phone isn't as easy as it sounds. Sure, the settings are mostly automatic, but to make shots that really stand out from others is challenging. So I turned to an expert for help. 

I wanted to learn from a pro. So back in March, I turned to National Geographic photographer Kiliii Yüyan, who has documented life around the world from the Amazon to the Arctic. He gave me four tips, including taking your time, shooting a lot, and getting closer to make a more intimate image.

According to Yüyan, making your photos more intimate will often also make them more powerful because the viewer can feel how close you are to your subject.

That's why he suggested that when you're shooting with a phone, you should make it feel like you are standing right next to something for "a more human and intimate feeling."

Rather than using the camera's zoom function, Yüyan suggests walking closer to your subject and "really get in close on what's happening," he said. 

This tip reminded me of photographing a 250-year-old Lebanon cedar tree on the grounds of Castello de Roncade outside of Venice, Italy. As soon as I saw the tree, I snapped a photo because I found it alluring.

But as I walked closer, I realized that the tree was even more breathtaking up close. In my second photograph, I stood right in front of the tree, where I captured the details of its spewing branches and surrounding greenery.

My goal was to make the photo all about the tree, and I think I accomplished this in my second image because every inch of the frame showed its details, giving the shot more intimacy.

Earlier this month, I took a Mediterranean cruise that was full of inspiring scenes to photograph. 

One of the port stops was in Ibiza. From the top deck of the ship, I thought the Spanish city's landscape was stunning with rocky cliffs, historic architecture, and mountains in the background. 

After snapping a quick photo on my phone, Yüyan's tip popped into my head — get closer. While I planned to leave the ship to explore Ibiza, I wanted to challenge myself to capture a more captivating image from the ship. 

That's when I had the idea to squeeze my phone lens into a telescope on the deck that was taking up half of my original picture. 

Shooting through the telescope wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. First, I had to make sure it was pointed in the right direction. Even a slight turn of the scope gave me a completely different scene. 

Once I found the grouping of buildings I was looking for, I had to tinker with the placement of my phone's lens to get the image in focus. 

Once I got the telescope and phone lens in place, I finally got the shots I was hoping for.

From up close, I could see the textures of the rocky cliffs and the details of the historic architecture that didn't come through in my original shot.

I also thought the closer images gave me a better idea of the scale of the buildings and the surrounding geography. 

Like the tree in Italy, I wanted this shot to be all about the landscape in Ibiza. I think getting closer was the key to accomplishing that. And while I wasn't able to simply walk closer from the deck of a cruise ship, I thought the telescope was a clever workaround.

Ibiza was the last stop of my cruise. And after realizing I could get closer images on my phone from the telescope, I couldn't help but feel like I'd missed the opportunity to do the same at the other ports in Italy and France. I won't make this mistake again. 

So next time you're on a cruise ship, scout the top deck for telescopes and stick your phone right up to one. I think you'll like what you come up with.