Skip to main content

iPhone Photography - trial and error

I think the iPhone handled this well, though I will admit the shadows were
 quite dark and I lightened them a bit in post-processing.
I am in the process of putting together some materials for a workshop I will be giving next month.  One of the things I am going to cover is the difference between photographs taken on the iPhone, a smaller digital camera  (point-and-shoot), and the DSLR.

These flowers were in the shadows, which I find the iPhone favors.  The
 more even the light, the richer the photos are.  The color in this photo is very strong.
As most of you have found, the iPhone does take good photos, and it's biggest plus is the phone's size and portability.  Very convenient and it works well in a lot of instances.   I want to see how well it works under a variety of circumstances, so I take it on walks with the dog, shopping with friends, and to work.

The photos in this post are the results of my first "formal" comparison study - shooting with the iPhone exclusively.

This photo was actually taken with someone else's phone, but  the results
 are consistent with what I have seen in my own photos.  The back lighting is
distracting,  and the phone doesn't do well with this contrast.  One thing that
would have helped is if we had stood on the other side of the showcase,
with the light facing us.  By the way, this photo was taken when I 

presented Christie Freestone, Literacy Coach, with a copy of my
new book, W is for Wonderkids!
I love taking close-ups, so this fall photo was perfect.  For the most part
it is a good image.  It is too soft in the front, and the perspective is a bit off.
One piece of advice is to get your camera as close to the subject as you
can. When you zoom in you lose detail - the photo becomes more "grainy." 
So what about action?  Here our Kaycee is about to "catch" some geese.
I think it handled the stop-action pretty well.
Another close-up, where it is soft in the front and a bit elongated.
I did not use the phone's zoom feature on this or the acorn shot.
Yes, elongated....but very cute.  For this photo it works.
 In none of the photos am I using a flash.
This fellow was hanging upside down on a cable alongside the house.
I just got as close as I could, without zooming in.
Inside a classroom, with the light from the windows adding
 enough light that I didn't need the flash.  I really avoid the
artificial light as much as I can.
I got as close as I could, then did crop the photo post-processing.
The look on this face, with her new toy, was priceless.
Amazingly, Kaycee stood still long enough for this shot.  I filled
 in the shadow a little following the taking of the photo.



This, and the next shot, are two of my favorite shots, though the log in 
the front may be a bit soft, above.   But the iPhone handled the wide angle 
very well.  This may be the biggest strength I have found thus far
Yes, I think wide angle is a definite strength of this technology.

Please leave a comment on how you use your phone photography and what you think of the results.  I would love to have some quotes to add to my materials, which I will make available following the workshop.

Happy Shooting!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

100 Blessings

It's funny how a project takes on a life of its own. I started out making a list of things I'd like to take pictures of - piles of M&M's, rocks on the beach, license plates hanging on an old garage door. Then I decided it would be interesting to find 100 items about "me," celebrating my 100th post with items about me/my life/etc. This way I could tie my compulsion to blog in to my theme. So, I started THAT list. And when I was done I decided all the things I was collecting, ideas as well as items, were actually blessings. Things about my life that make me who I am and allow me to keep striving to be the best I can be at what I do. Each activity isn't necessarily a blessing, it's my ability to do the things I love to do, and be with the people I love to be with. This became an introspective activity, and that's probably where I am in my life right now. If the shoe fits..., so to speak. So, welcome to my 100th Post ! Without everyone I've met thr

Macro Monday + One

With a little help from my friend (+1=not macro, though taken with my macro lens) Things I Love About Summer (in no particular order, though I see food appears higher on the list than does exercise.) Picnics Fresh fruit Fresh vegetables Celebrations Fireworks Family reunions Quiet, country mornings Showy meadows Gentle rains Thunder storms Family gatherings Children's laughter at dusk The sound of dogs barking Windows open Gently blowing curtains Big puffy clouds Being warm Sandals The smell of fresh cut grass The sound of lawn mowers Sitting on the porch reading Time The colors Flowers GREEN Leaves on the trees Adventures Photo ops Waves on the beach Ice cream Long walks Riding bikes Having church outside at the pavilion Camping Boating Fairs Sunrise and Sunsets The Great Lakes I'm sure this isn't the entire list, but it's a good start. It could also become a "things I'm grateful for" list, as well. We need to take time periodically to reflect on all t

Restoration in the Works!

  The Ammi Wright House.  Built 1888.         Our town has some pretty remarkable older homes and businesses.  Many have already been restored and are residences and/or businesses.   We went to a meeting the other night which focused on how to go about restoring a beautiful old lumber Barron's home - the Ammi Wright house, just off the main street. It has been empty for a great many years and needs a lot of work to bring it back to life.  But this group of people can do it.   The building itself is already purchased as part of an agreement with the Gratiot Area Historical Society.  Located in a nearby town, they have purchased it and Alma will be part of this system.  We are now forming committees for all the areas which need to be addressed, including historical research, fundraising, publicity, etc.  Lots of work, and lots of interest.  There is a steering committee in place, and we all signed up for an area we feel comfortable helping with.  Mine is research, which is no surpris