Smart-phones, camera-phones or what ever that we call it, is becoming a normal trend nowadays, one of the function that is getting better and better is their ability to take pictures, so writing something about the device seems relevant as to the origin of this blog relates to photography, picture-taking, imaging, and thus this entry is just about that, photo taking. Nothing to do with technical specs, software or whatever 1001 things it can do.
What I like about camera phone;… Small, easy to carry… but not to be miss understood as being inconspicuous. As a matter of fact, It is sometime even more obvious than a bigger camera. I can forget trying to be unnoticeable with the phone doing street photography, and better off with my DSLR instead. They see you with a DSLR and they’d perceive you as a photographer, journalist or enthusiast, on a job or assignment and subconsciously, ignores you, even at some instance, become more open to the occurring photographic activity. Try taking a picture of strangers in front of their face with your phone? I did and didn’t like the outcome.
As a comparison, imagine when you want to take a picture via the phone, you would have to;
- swipe the screen to unlock,
- select the camera icon,
- Raise the phone eye level, arms extended, making you even more noticeable, ( ever see someone putting the phone at his nose.?)
- look at the “wide-screen” for composition.
- touch the focus point to focus or leave it center.
- select the zoom shortcut to zoom
- and poke your finger at the shutter release button.
but with a DSLR,
- lift camera
- viewfinder, camera in front of your nose,
- zoom, but if it’s a prime lens – skip Zoom,
- shoot.
The process of taking out the phone, swiping and selecting the camera icon is already timely, and when doing Street photography, I found it quite challenging, to capture the moment, in time… Not impossible, just challenging. Then again maybe I am not the fastest draw in the east.. ha ha. Leaving the screen on all times? also not a good option for the battery.
Capturing landscape, still photography, closeups, portraits, on the other hand is within reasonable grasp of the phone. Maybe not the best quality landscape, portraits or macro photography, but still for showcase purposes and uploading to Facebook twitter or Instagram, they are a wonder. Instant upload and sharing, superb resolution at some models.
Maybe that’s why we just love taking pictures of our food, as updating status and sharing friends about this great place to hang out or that new restaurant opening menu, have become so descriptive, detailed and interesting.
Another advantage, we have a camera with us all the time. It may not be on standby like your DSLR hanging on the strap but still, there is something in your pocket for taking pictures.
In the Long term, I doubt that the revolution of smartphones as a medium for photography will bring much impact to camera manufactures albeit the practical mobility it has to offer. Some even said that, why need to buy a camera as we already have our phones? Although they may be some logic to that, however, digital optics, could never replace the physics of optics, for many years to come.
The major outcome apparent are much more pictures available, online, accessible to a lot of people, compared to before, which might be a good thing as well. Sharing ideas, views, creativity and concept. Finding our photographers’ niche, in the same time motivating us to emerge, unleash the talent that we might never have known existed if we had not take pictures in the first place.
Through My Lens 