How Pro Photographers Use Their Cameraphones

Professional photographers are quickly turning the iPhone into standard camera equipment, using it not only as a visual notebook and a method to free their minds from creative stumbling blocks, but also for their commercial work. Below are three pros who have integrated their cameraphones into their daily routine.

Robert Clark

New York photographer Robert Clark enjoys the distinction of being the first photographer to shoot a commercial assignment with a cameraphone, his commissioned book Image America. “It’s loose and free, stream of consciousness photography,” he says. “I just treat it as a visual diary, taking notes on my own life.” Other photographers, who at first discouraged him from using a phone camera, changed their minds when they saw the results. “National Geographic photographer David Alan Harvey thought it was the best work I had ever done,” Clark says with a laugh. (above: ShakeIt Photo app)

Melissa Lyttle

When St. Petersburg Times (Florida) sta“ photographer Lyttle shot an actual assignment with the iPhone camera, she found an unexpected surprise. “It’s like it freed something up in my brain,” she says. “Some sort of blockage ... it took all the rules that I subconsciously impose on myself in my regular photographic life and it threw them all out the window. I felt really free to just go and play and have fun and not take myself or my photography too seriously. In a lot of ways it was like some sort of visual yoga.” (above: CameraBag/Helga app)

James Duncan Davidson

Anyone who has felt the heft of a Leica rangefinder knows how a well-made camera can inspire your shooting. Similarly, Davidson finds the iPhone’s interface to o“er a unique way of imaging. The mix of the large screen and touch focusing now also found on compact cameras provides an intimate interaction that encourages creativity. He considers it a kind of digital Polaroid camera. “I’m finding it to be a really wonderful tool for sketching ideas,” he says. “It’s useful as a piece of serious thinking gear even though it’s not a serious production tool.” (above: CameraBag/Lolo app)

To read more about how professionals use their iPhones to capture stunning images read our feature: "Photographers And Their iPhones"

Comments

[Michal Daniel]

iPhone is like a Ferrari compared to my Yugo, the Eyemodule2...
http://www.pdngearguide.com/gearguide/content_display/features/e3i5bc95dcbd33158677d6644801b7f0da6

[Michal Daniel]

Sorry about the dead link, this one should be better: http://www.pdngearguide.com/gearguide/content_display/features/e3i5bc95dcbd33158677d6644801b7f0da6

[Anders Stentebjerg]

Hi,

I know I'm not a professional photographer, but please have a look at my 100% iPhone photo blog and leave a comment or 2 ...

http://andersstentebjerg.com

[Chris]

The iPhone is a nice phone and the camera is good.
Why is it most phones with cameras have zooms and the iPhone dosent ? With all the great features the iPhone has with it touch focus and good video what happen to the zoom? My Sony Ericsson has a 2meg with a zoom....

[natalyn]

I love taking pictures with my iphone. I love that they're not perfect, at times blurry or fuzzy, and sometimes I am amazed at what comes out. It really is like a visual diary. The abundance of good quality apps is a bonus.

[Jacob]

Chris that is a very good point, however if you purchase camera genius for 1.99 it has a built in zoom feature that works fairly well!

[Chris]

Jacob
thanks for the info on the app. I was thinking of buying a iPhone or a Droid with its 5meg camera, I think it has a double tap zoom.

[Rob]

What?! No mention of Chase Jarvis?! It's almost criminal these days not to include Chase's name when talking about iPhone photographers.

[James Duncan Davidson]

Rob, Chase was interviewed for the main article that these smaller snippets appeared next to. The link to the online version is (as per above) http://www.popphoto.com/Features/Photographers-And-Their-iPhones

[Wade Heninger]

Glad to see Michal Daniel chiming in first here - very fitting given his eyemodule2 work (including two prints I have on my wall from back then).

[Franco Campese]

It's so bizarre to see the iPhone becoming to popular even for the professionals. But it's so true about feeling worry free about settings and such.

Chris if you want some good apps, check these out:

Camera Bag
Photoshop Mobile
Camera Kit
Photo FX

[sadie]

I love ShakeItPhoto! I don't think I use anything else to take my pictures. It's one of the reasons I purchased the iPhone. I've even tried printing the photos on canvas and making art for my walls! So great. The link is http://www.shakeitphoto.com

[Steven]

I suspect the iPhone doesn't have a zoom function because most. (if not all) camera phones are essentially pinhole cameras and any zoom funtion would be digital, not optical. Digital zoom just blows up pixels so images are less clear.

[Dorothy]

To cater for just this iPhone audience - professional photographers and everyone who cares that their images really look good on the go - we've recently launched imphoto Pro. It's designed to reveal detail automatically but keeping color balance - and letting you share your pics to social networks from within the app. The technology's been well-endorsed already so we'd love some feedback on its use to improve iPhone photos.

[Microstock Sites]

very interesting blogs and good to post the comments

[Harry Fayt]

I am a lover of Iphone photography I began maybe 3 weeks ago with the Hipstamatic app, when every subject become art. you can check the gallery on the blog:

http://www.bebornadayny.com/blog/?page_id=160

[Kaan]

I was thinking about a similar stuff. I want to do my low resolution photography exhibition. I started though... hopefully I'll be doing it online at my pop art - culture blog

http://sadeceka.blogspot.com/

please comment on, you will be welcomed.

[inaki]

The camera phone I use is a LG Viewty-Schneider Kreuznach, and it is incidentally a good sort of portable camera. Although it is three years old, it works fairly well for photography, as the Nokia N96 does with its CarlZeiss approved lens.