Skip to main content
New: step-by-step guides for self-photoshoots, tripod photos and model digitals.Read the guides

How it works

How an AI camera takes photos by itself

Set your phone down, step back and pose. Here is what ViaCamera does, what it needs, and what to do if it keeps waiting.

By ViaCamera Team Updated

Download on the App Store

ViaCamera is an iPhone app. Scan this code with your iPhone camera to open it in the App Store.

Open in the App Store
Man in a grey t-shirt stands on a quiet road beside a tripod

Short answer

An AI camera app takes the photo for you when it sees what it is waiting for. With ViaCamera, you set your iPhone down, step back and pose. In AI-FACE mode it fires when your face is in frame and your eyes are open; in AI-BODY mode it fires when it sees you in frame. It takes real photos; it is not an AI image generator.

Set up ViaCamera in 3 steps

  1. Phone on a flexible tripod stands on a sandy beach at sunset

    Place your iPhone

    Put it on a tripod, a shelf or anything steady, facing where you will stand. Open ViaCamera and choose the front or the back camera.

  2. Woman in light clothes walks past a large white sofa in a bright living room

    Choose a mode and step back

    Pick AI-FACE for a portrait or AI-BODY for a full-body shot, then walk to your spot. There is no timer to race.

  3. Woman in a denim jacket, white top and jeans poses outside a glass building

    Pose

    ViaCamera takes the photo when your face is in frame and your eyes are open (AI-FACE), or when it sees you in frame (AI-BODY).

What does the AI look for?

AI-FACE
Your face in frame, with your eyes open.
AI-BODY
You, in frame.
PHOTO
Nothing: it is a regular camera and you tap the shutter yourself.

Compare the three modes

What do you need?

  • An iPhone running iOS 15.6 or later. ViaCamera is an iPhone app; there is no Android version.
  • Something steady to stand it on: a tripod is optional, and a shelf or a stack of books works.
  • ViaCamera from the App Store: free to download, with a 1-month free trial for new subscribers. See pricing or get the download link.

Why isn't ViaCamera taking the photo?

Your face is not in frame
Move the phone or yourself until your face is in the shot, then pose.
It is too dark
Turn toward a window or a lamp. In a very dark room the camera may not be able to see your face clearly.
Your eyes are closed or hidden
Look toward the camera with your eyes open. AI-FACE waits for open eyes.
You want a full-body shot
Switch to AI-BODY, which fires when it sees you in frame.
You are in PHOTO mode
PHOTO is a regular camera with a manual shutter. Switch to AI-FACE or AI-BODY to let ViaCamera take the photo.

Still stuck? Contact ViaCamera support.

Frequently asked questions

How does an AI camera take photos by itself?
It presses the shutter for you when it sees what it is waiting for. ViaCamera waits for your face in frame and your eyes open (AI-FACE), or for you in frame (AI-BODY).
Do I need a tripod?
No. A tripod is optional. Anything steady that holds your iPhone facing you works, such as a shelf or a stack of books.
Which iPhones does ViaCamera work on?
iPhones running iOS 15.6 or later. ViaCamera is an iPhone app; there is no Android version.
Why is ViaCamera not taking the photo?
Usually because the mode is still waiting for what it looks for. In AI-FACE mode, make sure your face is in frame and your eyes are open. For full-body shots, switch to AI-BODY.

Related

Try it on your iPhone

Free to download, with a 1-month free trial for new subscribers.

Download on the App Store

ViaCamera is an iPhone app. Scan this code with your iPhone camera to open it in the App Store.

Open in the App Store