smartphone
Two images I made on a day spent with family. Even in those walks, I can sneak in some photography if I have a camera with me. I only had one lens, though, so I used my phone to take the first one (the one on the left) using the ultra-wide lens.
Even though I don't believe smartphones are the future of photography, I do think they can be very useful and a great complement to any photographer with a standalone camera. This is a good example of that.
As new cameras are announced, I can’t help but to feel like digital cameras have peaked, when it comes to photography at least. Most of the innovations of the last few years have been about video. We do get more megapixels and better AF with each iteration, but they are minor iterations.
That’s not bad, though. Today, pretty much any camera in the market is capable of producing amazing photographs. It’s a good time to be a photographer.
But I wonder, where is photography headed from here? Surely, computational photography will play a big role in the short-term. In my opinion, smartphones are not the future of photography, but they are hinting at where standalone, interchangeable lens cameras have to go in the next few years. I can’t wait to see what’s coming next.
After that? Who knows. And who cares, really. Instead of longing for a future better camera, let’s enjoy the features we do have today that we were longing for just a few years ago.
I went to Venice yesterday. Even though I visited as a tourist and spent little time making images, I still brought my cameras and tripod with me. Just in case.
I also used my phone, of course.
Every time I use both systems for "image making" (not just snaps), I see how camera companies are losing to the increasingly more powerful smartphones. And I can't believe they aren't reacting.
The megapixel race has ended a while ago. Sensors are getting better and better, but it doesn't matter that much anymore. They are good enough, they have been for a while. Today, and in the foreseeable future, is the software that makes the difference.
Read MoreMy new wallpaper.
Like it or not, smartphones have changed photography forever. But photography isn't the only thing they've changed: look around when riding the bus, waiting in line at the grocery store, or dining out. Most people are physically there, but their minds are far, far away.
Even though mine is a mostly distraction free phone, this happens to me way too often: I pull out my phone to check the time, end up opening a few apps and still have no idea what time it is when I put it back in my pocket.
This is why I wear a watch.
The same thing happens when I want to just take a quick snap. It's never just a snap, there's always something to do on your little device.
This is why I always bring a standalone camera with me (RX100VA).
The photos look better and I never find myself wasting 15 minutes browsing through the menus of the camera.
The simple act of pulling your phone out to take a snapshot can trigger a chain reaction. We didn't mean to reply to that message, we weren't thinking about checking the weather, we surely didn't plan on opening Facebook. It was just a quick photo.
Sometimes avoiding exposure to what triggers a bad behavior is our best option. Bringing the RX100VA with me has kept me away from my phone and saved me many wasted hours.
A month ago, I saw a shadow on top of a wall. The sun was setting and all I could see was the silhouette of the little cat. I knew I had to capture this scene but I didn't have any camera on me at the moment, luckily I was able to take a few snapshots with my phone.
I only visualized the cat and the building on the right when composing this image, it wasn't until I copied the files to my computer that I saw the second cat resting in the background.
