I might be showing my age here, but I remember the days when cameras that had physical film in them, and a phone was something with a wire that stayed in your home! These days we all walk around with a pretty decent camera in our pocket – built into our phones. From the early camera phones around 20 years ago, the quality of photograph you can take with a phone has come a long way from those pixelated grainy images we started with. But how good is a camera phone? Can you really take a pro photo yourself or will you always need a professional? In this blog I’ll answer that question from my perspective as a professional photographer AND and iPhone user.
For me, deciding between iPhone and professional photography with a DSLR camera comes down to 4 main things. I invite you to consider the answers to these questions and make up your own mind.
1.Why are you taking the photo?
It’s important to understand what the motivation is behind the photo. Are you trying to capture a memory, tell a story or purely convey information? Having a professional take photos for you will add a layer of expertise – framing, lighting, facial expressions etc – that you might not have yourself. If you’re taking a quick snap to share on social media, then your phone will probably do the job. However, if you’re trying to represent your business to other professionals, you’ll want a certain level of quality only a professional photographer and proper camera can give you.
2. What is the subject matter?
Are you photographing a single person vs a group, are they moving or still? This is particularly important to consider if you’re taking photos of a pet! Alternatively, are you looking to capture a selection of objects, a building or a landscape? iPhones are great in certain instances – and additional modes like ‘portrait’ for faces or ‘burst’ for movement can help you get closer to the image you want to create. However, for true depth of field and control over the end result, it’s tough to beat a pro!
3. Where will you use the photographs?
Photos for a scrap book, for example, might not need to be perfectly edited or framed, or even particularly high quality. Your phone snaps will probably be just the ticket. However photos for use in a brochure will need to be high resolution and of a certain professional standard, especially if you want to physically print them.
4. How long will you keep them for?
An iPhone might give you more than enough to share quick snaps to share on social media, where most content has a fairly short shelf-life. However if you’re featuring your photos on a website, for example, they need planning and executing well to stand the test of time.
When all is said and done, although you can create incredible photography with an iPhone, if you need something that you treasure forever, or something to represent your business at a professional level, you need a proper camera with a proper photographer behind the lens. But of course I would say that – it’s what I do and I love my job! I love telling stories of families, married couples and business owners through my photography. Just to prove I’m not totally biased, I put together a free download with some top tips on how to create great photography with your phone. Enter your email address below to download and happy snapping!
