The Amazing Work from Photographers Using Mobile Devices
I have long been interested in using my iPhone to take street photography. It is the camera I always have with me. It is pretty much an automatic camera that shoots a 30 mm Focal Length. That is perfect for street photography. I don’t have to make a lot of decisions on settings. But durn, I have had a long learning curve. What keeps me going is the work of the amazing mobile device photographers who are out shooting every day. Let me introduce just a few of those who I admire.
This is one of a handful of iPhone pictures that I have taken and really like. I do truly believe that mobile devices are the best choice of camera when you are in a public transportation setting.
Paula Reardon
Photo by Paula Reardon. Used with permission. You can see her gallery on Instagram at @paula_r_nyc.
One of the chief advantages of a mobile device is that it is relatively easy to be a stealth street photographer. That is good, because you have to get mighty close to take a picture of a person when you are using a 30mm Focal Length. Paula and I have been having some conversations about this. Here are some of her observations.
I don’t like people aware and will often act as if I am looking up, or I will stand next to someone and wait until I feel they are not looking. If they stare- they are aware-I’m gone 😊that’s it. I would just add that on taking a singular random person- it is not only trying to be sure they are unaware but you must look at any individual nearby- as it may be a family member, friend or individuals that could take offense to the shot. What one finds artistic or poignant to them, may be perceived as an unwelcome intrusion by another.
Photo by Paula Reardon. Used with permission.
John Farnsworth
Photo by John Farnsworth. Used with permission. You can see John’s work on Facebook at John Farnsworth, on Instagram at @johnfarnsworthphotographer or on his website johnfarnsworthphotographer.com.
It is no secret that I am a huge fan of John’s work. Every one of his pictures delight me. I asked John to give some tips on how he takes the beautiful photos that he takes. Here is what he wrote.
1. Shoot more, delete less. Go back days, weeks, months, years later and find the gems you almost threw away, but with more knowledge and better tech, you can make into something good.
2. Practice hip shooting, shooting without looking. Be alert, look over your shoulder, behind you, up, down.
3. Be open to colors, to shapes, to character, to patterns to contrasts, to situations, to light and shadow, to textures. Be open. To everything around you and shoot intuitively, freely and without too much thought.
I also asked John to give some tips on post processing images from mobile devices. He is certainly a master of that.
1. Don't break the rules. Forget the rules. Play, have fun, make photos that satisfy you.
2. Pick an app. Learn it. Practice at least a little every day. Play it like a piano
3. Scroll through older photos, find flops with as little as one element of promise. Play with them, argue with them, crop them, lighten, darken, saturate, desaturate, go wild. Find the essence. Remove what doesn't work. Exaggerate or enhance what does work. Try multiple versions. Use your heart, not your head.
4. Be free. Be you!
Photo by John Farnsworth. Used with permission.
@liesesstuff
This mobile photographer is a general photographer whose pictures, across all genres, always capture my interest.
Photo by @liesesstuff. Used with permission. You can see her gallery on Instagram at @liesesstuff.
Here are some observations she made about taking street photography:
I love, love the invention of the phone/camera and its beautiful portability. Who needs to carry around all that heavy equipment?
I don’t care that much about technical quality (as is probably apparent) I just TRY to get a feeling.
I like to capture, as best as I can, a bit of human frailty, human foibles, the quirks and bravery of my fellows. I have no idea why but I am drawn to it.
Tips? Maybe one would be
- don’t think, just shoot. It’s so easy to delete what we don’t like. And I’m not shy to crop and edit - I love to play and fiddle with my photos afterwards to enhance, if needed, what I’m trying to capture - Snapseed is my fave - all done on my old iPhone 6plus.
Photo by @liesesstuff. Used with permission.
Deborah of PeopleLookingAt
Deborah is a street photography specialist in the sense that she most often posts street shots of art lovers on Instagram.
Photo by Deborah at PeopleLookingAt. Used with permission. You can see Deborah’s Instagram gallery at @peoplelookingat and her website at PeopleLookingAt.com.
About using an iPhone, Deborah observes,
When you shoot with an iPhone you tend to get close-up and personal with your subjects. You can hear their voices—sometimes, hear them breathing. It’s a different type of photographing.
Photo by Deborah at PeopleLookingAt. Used with permission.
Exercise
If you do not use your mobile phone for street photography, take it out for at least one shoot. Put the sound on silent to increase the chance of stealth.