1) Take full advantage of the imaging possibilities of your camera phone.

A decade ago, photography and videography were expensive hobbies reserved for true enthusiasts.  Equipment, film, processing and editing were too costly.  Camera phones have made photography a more accessible and less expensive hobby. 

Now you don't even need a dedicated camera to practice photography.  All you need is your camera phone. 

2) For printable photos, go for a camera phone with at least 1.3 megapixels.

If you want larger prints, a 2-megapixel camera phone is preferred, Ledesma says.  The 2-megapixel camera phones make good 5x7 prints.  The auto-focus feature in a camera phone is also a plus for sharper images.

3) Check for your camera phone’s battery life.

The viewfinder of camera phones can be a drain to the power supply, so you'd best get a unit with power that can last for a few days, even with constant camera usage.

A phone’s battery life is usually measured in talk time and stand-by time.  But it can also depend on your usage of functions like the camera, music player or even web browser.  For some heavy duty shooting in far off areas, it might be advisable to bring a second battery.

4) Camera phones are perfect for candid photography.

Camera phones' smaller size makes them less intimidating to camera-shy subjects.  A subject also feeds on the photographer’s energy so he advises keeping the smiles and energy level up if it suits the shoot.

5) Compensate for shutter lag.

Shutter lag is the time it takes for the camera to actually take the picture after you press the shutter button.  Compensate for this by anticipating your subject's movement and pressing the shutter button just in time to catch the subject when it moves right in front of the camera.

Shutter lag will soon be a thing of the past with the introduction of Sony Ericsson’s BestPicÔ technology in the Cyber-shotÔ K790i and K800i phones.  The feature takes 9 shots of one image---4 shots before and 4 shots after the actual image is taken.  This lets the user choose which shot they like best.

6) Unless you’re going for an effect, hold a camera phone firmly to avoid shake.

The camera phone is small and light, and may be more susceptible to camera shake.  Hold it firmly with your hands when you take a picture.

Camera phones like the upcoming Sony Ericsson K790i and K800i feature image stabilizer functions for both still and video imaging.  This reduces the possibility of camera shake.  Sony Ericsson’s innovative dual mode design for candy bar phones like the K750i also helps one keep a steady grip on the camera.  One side of the handset is for imaging purposes while the other side is for communication.  A tiny mirror on the camera side helps you take portrait shots with the shutter button within easy reach of your finger.

7) Read the manual.

Reading the manual lets you know the capabilities of your camera phone.  When you know what your camera phone can do, you are better able to maximize its features.