When I think about photography I have two overriding philosophies. Take photographs whenever you can. Use whatever camera you have to take the photos.

In photography circles a lot of debate and conversation can be had about when is the best time to create photography. While there are some merits to this conversation, to me the answer is always take photographs anytime you have the opportunity to take photographs. In this age of photography technology can become increasingly relevant to how we create photographs. The deeper you dive into these conversations the more overwhelming it can become. When it comes to what form of camera to use when creating photographs the answer is simple. Use the camera you have with you.

Technology has really had a huge impact on how I put these two personal philosophies into practice. We were late adopters of cell phones in general and smart phones in particular in our house. But, once smart phones became advanced enough to take good photos it is really a game changer. I did not have a smart phone with the ability to take quality photographs until several versions along in the iPhone line.

Once the habit of carrying ones cell phone wherever you go sets in, ones relationship with photography changes in the same way. You can now take a photograph anywhere anytime. Anytime you see something that interests you or you need to remember or is beautiful, pull out that amazing device and create images. And then you can review those photos any time you want as well. It is kind of revolutionary for someone whose first cameras were film based.

The best thing about photography is the ability to capture and cherish moment of our lives. Smart phones took this to a whole different level.

One of my favorite things about using my iPhone for photography is how easy it is to take photos indoors. Indoor photography is something, especially in the time of my first iPhone, I did not do much of. Creating indoor photography with a DSLR can become much more complicated than taking out ones cell phone and composing the shot you want. We spend so much of our time indoors, especially at home, and to think that previously I rarely took photographs during those times it feels like such a loss.

Not only did adding an iPhone to my photography tool bag change the way I took photos, it also revolutionized the ability to DO things with our photos. The iPhone and the increasing number of photography related apps created a rapidly shifting landscape of creativity with photographs. On a smart phone there are so many things that one can do with their images. A wide variety of different ways to create art emerges. Being able to create a collage of photos all form one adventure and combine them into one piece of artwork to share is fantastic. And it became so easy.

As the iPhone developed along came accessories to use in conjunction with the phone camera to create an even wider array of art. In photography there are certain types of photographs you simply can’t really create without a specific set of equipment. These tools began to be developed for iPhones. My favorite set of tools came from a company called Olloclip. And to this day no one company has provided a set of components that all work together in a way that theirs did for the type of photography I want to create with my smart phones.

Having an iPhone as your photograph creating tool has advantages we may not even think about. The small form factor of a phone creates added mobility. It is so easy to take that camera imbedded into the phone anywhere you need to go. Sometimes the best way to create an interesting photograph is to get right down on the ground. Getting down low is even easier when using a small, thin, and lightweight iPhone.

Next time you see something that triggers that instinct to photograph don’t hesitate. Don’t overthink it. Utilize that tool you have in your pocket. Take out that camera and create the image. You will never regret taking a photograph. You will only regret NOT taking a photograph.

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