Freedom of Expression (or Confession of an iPhoneographer)

Shot with the Hipstamatic app for iPhone, BlacKeys SuperGrain B+W Film and John S Lens

These days, my primary method of creative expression is my iPhoneography – images shot, processed and shared exclusively with my iPhone. Composing (and tweeting) images on instinct has become a daily practice for me. Admittedly, a bit of an addiction. It keeps me limber and stretches my creative capacity because I'm giving my myself permission to move freely beyond the boundaries that define my professional documentary style of work. I make no rules. I try lots of different apps and processing experiments. I alter my view of reality, if necessary. I shoot whatever attracts my eye (the way lines connect, a bit of irony, or a wall of brassieres) and I don't question it. I just follow it.

What I'm also finding is that my not-so-serious iPhoneography is actually strengthening my more-serious documentary work – the instincts I need to predict and capture spontaneous moments. The ones you can't recreate. The ones that won't wait for you to adjust a myriad of settings. The ones that would go flat if your subject felt self-conscious on the other end of a professional-looking lens. Nobody seems to take me seriously with my iPhone in my hand. And the less influence I have on my subject, the more I like the result.

* * *

Are you practicing iPhoneography or another form of mobile photography? If so, how is it freeing you up to express yourself more creatively and where can we see your images? Intrigued? Start by following a few of my favorite fellow iPhoneographers in Twitter and stay tuned... I'm compiling a bunch of secrets to share with you.

Comments

[Jen at Cabin Fever]

Can't wait to see what your 'secrets' are! I am considering doing a 365 project this coming year and mobile photography is one of my ideas!

http://www.nekphotography.blogspot.com

http://www.cabinfeververmont.com

[blue elephant photography]

i wish i had an iphone! i wonder if my nokia has this app or something similar...the photo is pretty cool =)

[Kat]

Another reason I'm wishing for an iPhone someday... :) I keep reading the quote, "The best camera is the one you have with you." The advances in phone cameras has certainly made that even more true.

[Savvy in San Francisco]

I love taking photos with my iPhone. If I don't bring my DSLR with me, I use my iPhone and I have stopped caring my compact digital camera. My favorite apps are Shakeit and Hipstamatic. I love how easy it is to post my iPhone photos to posterous.com.

www.melissasanchez.posterous.com

www.savvyinsanfrancisco.blogspot.com

[Jennifée]

So very cool to see that mobile phone photography is getting more and more recognition .I got Samsung's iPhone equivalent recently, and I love it to bits for many of the same reasons you describe, like the freedom of it. And I have so much left to explore when it comes to apps and processing possibilities - such a great feeling :)

A few of my favourite images so far:
Street art in the Oslo Central Station: http://www.flickr.com/photos/85057042@N00/5001041035/
Lines in a subway station: http://www.flickr.com/photos/85057042@N00/4996454240/

[Marcie]

I love how iphones are changing the world of photography:
http://marciescudderphotography.com/index.php?showimage=1338

[Lucy]

Iphone photography is the theme for a new series we are working on. See the portfolio at www.distilennui.com

With the entire series on our Stock library http://alexanderjamesstockphotography.com - for rights managed image licensing, canvas and fine art prints

With behind all the scenes footage at the blog http://blog.distilennui.com

[AndMilesToGo]

I don't own an iphone, but I do have a point and shoot camera that I use in the same way. I take it with me everywhere and it is very liberating.

[Debra]

Hey girls!

Love all your comments! I use my iphone all the time, especially my hipstamatic (even when I carry my Canon 5D). Most pro male photographers think I'm nuts! One day I fell and dropped my Canon on the way to a fashion shoot and used my iphone instead - the results were very good (with a bit of tweaking by photoshop)! I use my Hipstamatic app as well and hope to shoot a wedding with it one day - wouldn't that be a hoot!

[Sue]

iPhoneography Rocks!!!

[Liz]

Love shooting with my iPhone so much I decided to shoot my 365 exclusively with it.

Here is one of my favorite images: http://www.flickr.com/photos/elizabethmeier/4876163124/

[spread your wings]

many times my iphone photos are my favorites. there is a certain quality about them that i love, plus i like that i can snap a photo anywhere, anytime without the bother of a big camera. i take photos with it daily.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/autumnsun/4842688342/in/set-72157624601833310/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/autumnsun/4843055053/in/set-72157624799500835/

[Stephanie]

I don't have an iPhone but I just recently bought an Evo (mainly for work). I've had some fun with the 8 megapixel camera but I'm still searching/experimenting with camera apps. If anyone has any suggestions for hipstamtic-like apps for droids, please let me know!!

http://bigmariolife.blogspot.com/2010/10/my-new-phone.html

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephaniecourt/5112705764/

[Jessica]

Awesome photos. I am an Androidographer. Sort of. :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/goaliej54/sets/72157603940641537/

[Lennie]

I adore my iPhone and have also found it very, very liberating. Sometimes I'd rather use it than any other!

I don't do the Twitter thing :-) but I do have a set of of iPhone images (just a small selection of the oodles I have shot and loved) on Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alphabetsoupstudio/sets/72157623659776100/

AND lots of iPhone posts on my blog:
http://alphabetsoupstudio.blogspot.com/search/label/iphone
(hope that link works!)

I REALLY look forward to learning some 'SECRETS" :-) !!!!

[Laura O'Hanesian]

I always forget my iPhone is a phone! Why is my camera ringing? I sometimes think my Canon gets jealous and I use each one every day!
Here's my iPhoneography set on flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lauraophoto/sets/72157622030823482/

[schmutzie]

I am surprised by how serious I have become about iPhoneography. There is a spontaneousness, a freedom I find in taking photos with my iPhone. I think it has something to do with it looking less conspicuous than my DSLR, and it's also easier to carry into any situation.

Sadly, I'm without it for a while due to theft and it will be a while before I can replace it :(

I would love to see what you have to tell us about iPhoneography!

[Jen]

I'm loving looking through everyone's iPhone Flickr sets, and can't wait for any tips!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/madsenspace/5043462512/

[Gail]

At the end of August I thought ...hmmm this iphone has an alarm and a camera...now an alarm goes off at 5PM each day and I have been taking a picture of where I am at the moment...have missed a few days but it still remains fun. I love using the Hipstamatic, and ShakeIt, and CameraBag apps. I try to be creative with the shots...when I have time. Here is the set so far...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22733432@N08/sets/72157624858882180/

[Wendy]

I can't wait to hear your secrets!!!! I'm not on Twitter, but Photojojo sent me a link to a new iPhone app/community just a few days ago - Instagram -- instant upload, instant connections, and the idea is, to feel that you have an immediate and intimate relationship with friends everywhere through their iphonography. Anyway, if anyone downloads it, find me and "friend" me - I'm WendyR!

Also, I found a few other apps that I LOVE - the first is SwankoLab - it's made by the same people who make Hipstamatic, and you can see a few examples here: http://www.365.lemontines.com/iphone/118365-take-it-easy-sunday

I also recently downloaded VintageScene and Pic Grunger - you can see examples of these here:http://www.365.lemontines.com/iphone/119365-macro-monday

Wendy
www.365.lemontines.com

[Trude]

Investing in an iPhone this year has definitely changed P365 for me - in a great way! I completely agree with your words, it truly allows you to capture the immediacy of the moment. And I love that it doesn't intimidate people that are super camera-shy. And it allows for sneaky shots I wouldn't have gotten otherwise, like this one: http://www.flickr.com/photos/trudem/4745060472/in/set-72157623932164037/

You'd be surprised the quality you can get out of a phone these days! :)

[cynthia]

I envy all the apps available to iPhone users. I have a Blackberry Bold and am not aware of any photo enhancement apps. Having said this, I've seen some pretty awesome SOOC camera phone images. I agree that people tend to be more relaxed when I point my Blackberry at them and they forget that it's even there much more quickly than if I were shooting with my dslr.

Coincidentally, my latest self-portrait project images were taken with my Blackberry:
http://picturemotherhood.blogspot.com/2010/10/852-nourish.html

[urban muser]

I love iPhoneography and use my iPhone to capture those little moments that would otherwise go undocumented and maybe even unnoticed by me. The practice has caused me to be constantly aware and on the lookout for an interesting photo, even when I am not conscious of it. I use posterous and eye'em to share my photos, and like you, find the act of sending my images to these places sort of addicting. I look forward to hearing some of your secrets!

http://urbanmuser.posterous.com/
http://www.eyeem.com/#/streams/show/user%3A2278

[Jenny Modesitt]

I just got the iPhone a few days ago and after reading your post I bought the application. Oh.My.Goodness. It is so fun. I cannot wait to hear your secrets. Here are 3 from Day 1.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8888946@N08/5116716154/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8888946@N08/5116114373/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8888946@N08/5116714092/in/photostream/

[Meg]

I absolutely adore hipstamatic. I just won a contest through them where they flew me out to LA! Oh my gosh it was amazing. John S + Supergrain is easily my favorite combination :) It really allows me to do what I love the most about photography, and that is to capture the moment. It's so easy to pull it up, shoot, and put it down. Just takes an instant. I love the gems that I walk away with.

From the weekend:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/teaandbrie/5116887341/in/photostream/

[Lauren]

My phone doesn't take the best of pictures... but you have made me wonder about experimenting with it some more. If I could figure out how to get them off my phone...