iPhoneography, The Fresh Medium of Expression

When the iPhone came out in 2007, most people ignored its camera feature in favor of tinkering with the more exciting capabilities such as podcasts and internet surfing through Wi-Fi. It was difficult to get animated over a 2MP camera that hardly had any adjustment settings. Then along came the camera apps which opened up a world of potential and the new hobby dubbed as ‘iPhoneography’ was born.

The concept is very simple. iPhoneography is taking pictures using your iPhone. Some people choose to also post process the image in the iPhone using photo apps while others prefer to upload the image files in their PC or laptop and post process using photo editing programs such as Adobe Photoshop. The rest don’t bother post processing at all and just upload them directly into the internet. Purists believe that once the image has been processed outside of the iPhone, that it can no longer be considered iPhoneography. Others maintain that one should strive for image quality and intended result which may need to be achieved using PC programs instead of iPhone apps. It all boils down to personal preference and I say just do whatever works for you.

One major appeal of taking pictures with the iPhone is that as long as you have Wi-Fi connection, you can upload your images straight into the internet (right after you take them!) without having to pass through a computer. You can add them to your online photo album or share them in your social networking site with a few flicks of the finger. How much more convenient or quicker can it get? Another asset is being able to edit those pictures straight from the iPhone through the use of photo editing apps. Also, since the phone camera is very limited in its built-in adjustment settings, it forces you to become more imaginative in creating the image to make it look more than just a regular snapshot. Add all these to the attraction of cellular photography in general, which are portability of device, discreet and unobtrusive capturing of everyday life, and easy access, and you get a very powerful photographic tool.

With all these advantages, it is easy to ignore the fact that these cameras have a low megapixel count. The 2G and 3G iPhones have 2MP cameras while the 3GS has a 3MP camera. The latest version, the iPhone 4, has a camera with 5MP. The difference in quality between 2MP and 5MP is astounding but that doesn’t mean you can’t create great photos with an iPhone 2G.

Of course, a major part of the fun for iPhoneography is to take advantage of the many photo apps that are available in the App Store. A lot of them could be improved, but there are also apps which can inject a good dose of WOW! into a dull shot with just a flick of your index finger. If, like me, you are just discovering the world of iPhone camera apps and what they can do for your shots, you might find out there are so many of them! You might feel overwhelmed with the number of apps that you might get confused as to which to choose. There are free apps and usually the paid ones range from 99 cents to $4.99. A lot of the camera apps have very similar functions. My advice is to read the reviews first before buying the app.There are sites devoted to iPhoneography. Flickr, for example has huge groups at http://www.flickr.com/groups/takenwithiphone/ and http://www.flickr.com/groups/iphoneography/. They have group pools where members share their photos and also discussions where members can share their latest app finds or tips. One of the leading blog sites is http://www.iphoneography.com/ which is a treasure trove of informative reviews about the latest apps. Time to time, it also includes write ups about people who have become dedicated to this medium (called ‘iPhoneographers’).

If you have an iPhone and haven’t yet experimented with its camera capabilities, try doing so now and don’t be surprised if you get hooked faster than your finger can tap on the upload button.