My Time With The Iphone 4 So Far (Photography)

Recently I decided to upgrade from my old Sony mobile phone which I must have had for around 4-5 years as it was done. Everyone around me either has an iphone or some kind of fancy android thing. I wasn't really into getting one as all I did was text but then I saw all these awesome photographers getting great results from their iphone it seemed like it would be fun to just shoot with a phone and process on the spot rather than get home, load the images on to the computer and process in photoshop. Don't get me wrong I love my Canon 5D MK 2 and get great images from it but sometimes its a bit over kill to carry around and I've gotten a little sick of sitting in front of the computer for hours at a time looking through and processing images. So this iphone seemed like a good idea just to have as a pocket camera that would free me up from carrying around my SLR all the time. Yeah I could have bought a compact camera but I really didn't want to as they are overpriced for what they really are. With the iphone I could text, use the internet, send emails, shoot photographs, network and oh yeah don't forget about actually calling people.

Anyway I went for the Iphone 4, downloaded instagram and have since started to use it as my compact camera and I have to say I am very impressed, of course the quality is not good but for some shots who cares. It is so liberating being this restricted when it comes to controls and processing options. It kind of reminds me of when I shot a lot of film with my Vivitar Ultra Wide and Slim camera which had no controls but I always liked the results as you had to get really creative.

I haven't really shot too much yet with the phone but I am having a blast so thought I would post my results here as a sort of Iphone photography diary thing.

So here's some of the images so far:

Sandend beach as the tide is coming in.

A dull day at Sandend beach. 

Sandend beach through the long grass when the tide is fully in.

This is to the right of the beach. I love just wandering around here.

The highway at night.

Trees at the side of the road.

A very misty sunrise on the way to Glasgow.

Couldn't resist shooting this sunset. 

Part of an abstract painting I did.

Last light.

Rainy day on the way to Glasgow on the megabus.

Rain clouds with the sun trying to battle through. 

Rainy day giving way to some better weather.

On way home from a great weekend in Glasgow.

Cat just after the Mark Lanegan concert.

Ewan in The Moorings Bar, Aberdeen a few weeks ago. 

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email: andrew@drewportfolio.com

The "Rules" of Photography

I know that in photography there are many rules, just like every other creative field. Always light the eye’s, rule of thirds, rembrandt lighting, use a low ISO to prevent grain, don’t put your subject in the centre, don’t hand hold below 1/60th and a shed load more. Some are better than others. Fair enough it’s good to know these rules but my main tip that i could give anyone and that I have to constantly remind my self is that when you have your subject infront of the camera and you bring that viewfinder to your eye……….all bets are off. This doesn’t sound like a tip but for me it is a million times more important to think this way. This moment, minutes or even hours where you are looking through the finder at your subject is an absolutely free zone where you are completely shut off from the rest of the world, only this moment exists (no problems, no bills, no nothing). For me it is an extremely important moment (that goes by in a heart beat), This is where you live or die as a photographer, a creator, an artist. Whether it be paid, unpaid or personal work it doesn’t matter, you can forget all the rules and simply react, create, observe, anticipate, your creative senses are so hightened that you are truly giving yourself to the moment. This is where you put everything you have creatively on the table and just go for it. To me this is when the best images are made and what will separate a good photographer from a great photographer, now I am by no means saying i’m a great photographer, like I said i’m just starting out but one day I do hope to be. If you can connect, create, anticipate and just go for it on every shoot I guarantee that your images will get better and that you will worry less and less about all them rules and be more surprised at how much better your images get.

I’m not saying don’t learn the rules, as the old quote goes ‘you have to know the rules to break the rules’ (or something like that) but I think that the most overlooked part of photography is being able to connect with the image you are creating at that exact moment, In a way giving yourself to the moment, to the image, to your art. Everything becomes pure raw creative instinct (which I believe everyone has) and the goal is for you to do your best and to get the best out of your subject. There are so many photographers out there with the best equipment, amazing cameras and lenses that I could only dream of owning but are taking absolutely horrible images. Yes there images have great detail, yes they follow the rule of thirds, yes its lit well but thay are so boring and lifeless that it makes you want to bang your head off the wall.

I think I got something off my chest.

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andrew@drewportfolio.com