We live in an exciting time where phones can turn the average consumer into a photographer. For years photography was about fancy cameras and light equipment, but with the advancement of smartphone cameras it has become more about having a good eye. The once exclusive discipline is now more open to the public than ever. According to The Atlantic, “every two minutes, humans take more photos than ever existed in total 150 years ago.”
With phones such as the Google Pixel 2 and the Samsung Galaxy S9, it’s easy to get a good quality photo. The Google Pixel 2 houses an HDR+ mode that adds contrast, brightness and saturation in order to enhance the image and make it more picturesque. It essentially does what a lot of editors do in post-production, but in seconds. The Samsung website claims the Samsung Galaxy S9 includes a 12 megapixel camera. Professional cameras range from 12 to 21 megapixels. The Galaxy S9 even has two f-stop options designed specifically for low and bright light. This feature allows for more user control to achieve the best photo for any time of the day.
iPhones have always been included into the smartphone photography debate with innovations such as portrait and panoramic mode. The latest iPhones have a fun feature that turns a live photo into a gif or video and has its own built-in filters. The iPhone X camera is 12 megapixels, competing with the same quality as digital single-lens reflex cameras (DSLRs) on the market. The iPhone camera has become so good that ads were actually shot using the phone. The ads were made with the help of additional equipment, writes Will Nicholas in his petapixel article. For consumer products, these phones do a good job of introducing anyone to the possibilities of photography — and many have gone on to make a career out of it. Director Steven Soderbergh shot his latest film “Unsane,” starring Claire Foy, on the iPhone 7 plus, utilizing the 4K feature to create the psychological thriller.
With the growing development of smartphone cameras, there is a possibility that more people will gravitate toward phones as their main photographic tool. The level of ease may also lead to more people feeling comfortable with sharing photographs and telling stories.
