This Ain't Your Grandfather's Photography, Part 1 - Hardware

Photography is a technology nerd's happy dance playground - there are WAVES of complicated elements, settings, hardware, hardware accessories, and software that allow somebody to go as deep as they want to perfect their craft, all while being elitist at mere mortals who simply, "...just don't get it." Interestingly, there's a correlation - I am also a fan of progressive rock, which shares a similar elitist trait in that some of its hardcore fans are known to haughtily dismiss those who fail to worship the shear genius of their favorite band.

I have different perspectives for my above observations, but will keep to my opinions about photography here, since this IS a blog about picture taking. I am beginning to think my phone is a better platform for the typ of photography I am chasing.

Take a look at the above picture - it is of my son's cat Alex, who was intently looking out the window of our screened porch to try and force her mental will on whatever she was wishing she could jump on and kill. How did I capture it? On my iPhone 15 Pro...not on my fancy pants DSLR. Some photography enthusiasts would scream and call me a heretic, but deep down inside, they know cameras in mobile devices have advanced to a point where they aren't just a replacement for older point and shoot camera, but can also get pretty darn close to pro-grade results that most consumers would appreciate. Really? Yep.

First - consider the convenience of a phone. Chances are good you have one within arm's reach of you as you read this blog. That ease of access can't be overlooked in comparison to what an amateur photographer would need with a DSLR to catch the same shot - a macro lens aligning with the camera body settings you HOPE are right when you set up to shoot. I am not advocating convenience trumps DSLRs for a professional who is getting paid, but I would debate a modern phone is fine for the other 95% of photo shooting needs. Oh, also - I didn't have to lay on the ground and contort my geriatric body to get my camera in position...I simply extended my arm holding the phone and caught it with minimal effort.

Second - surveying the scene before you push the capture button is TREMENDOUSLY easier, thanks to the phone having a much bigger and brighter screen than the claustrophobic viewer window on the camera, or the tiny LED screen that displays the shot on the DSLR after it was taken. Case in point - my last post where I ranted about misjudging the shadows - one of the sample photos I posted from the pier I was on has some focal length fuzziness in parts of the picture I never saw until I was working on it in Lightroom. If I had a larger screen to use pre- and post-shot, I would have caught it when I shot it.

I have a feeling I may be using my phone a lot more than my DSLR on some of my future shoots. Or maybe I'll use both and see which one wins over time. I still have a lot to learn and fiddle with as I keep refining what I do. Onward and upward with an open mind...