What is phoneography?
Last updated: January 15, 2021
Let’s be honest: taking photos or filming with a smartphone is nothing new in 2021. However, there are photographers who have taken this skill to the next level and are now professional phoneographers. Do you need some photography inspiration? Today we’ll cover the basics and answer the question: what is phoneography?
We here at TechACake.com are fascinated by the latest tech trends in photography and we find phoneography just inspiring. Smartphone photos are literally everywhere we go these days so why not take things to the next level? There is a reason why you shouldn’t ignore the camera in your pocket.
For all the photography enthusiasts out there - this article is for you. Let’s get started:
What is phoneography?
The art of taking quality images with a smartphone instead of a camera is called phoneography. It’s a portmanteau word which combines the words phone and photography. Phone photography is more popular nowadays than ever. The thing is that cameras are getting SO good that it would be a shame not to use them.
Smartphone photographers are getting more and more innovative every day. There are more mobile phone photography guides and mobile photography tips than ever. And of course, the fact that (almost) everybody has a smartphone these days makes things even more fun.
Phoneography has made our lives easier in so many ways. Here are just a few examples of the numerous implementations of taking images with our phones.
What is phoneography used for?
People don’t need to have a top-notch camera to get an awesome image anymore.
Small businesses all around the world take product images using mobile photography every day. And why shouldn’t they? Combine the high quality of the images with the affordability of a smartphone and you get a match made in heaven.
But it doesn’t stop there. How about foodography? It’s HUGE these days! Taking photos of food has never been more popular - take your smartphone and get an image of the dish you cooked or you ordered at your favorite restaurant. Many cooking enthusiasts post their masterpieces online and create amazing portfolios that way.
Also, you can DIY professional headshots with your iPhone. The newest models have that amazing Portrait mode which influencers love so much. The blurred background works miracles and we might safely say that portrait images taken with one of the latest iPhones lineups are all over social media.
And it’s not only the back cameras we’re focusing on. Even the front cameras have gotten pretty awesome. Do you remember the times when all we could get from a front camera was a blurry selfie with red eyes which took some pretty unflattering photos? Well, times have changed and the latest smartphone releases give us some awesome front camera quality. Selfies have never looked so good, am I right?
And speaking of selfies, we come to one of the most popular uses of phoneography. Many Instagram influencers use phoneography as their primary source of income. Their images are literally all over the internet and let’s be honest - some of them are just stunning.
Now, what do you need to become a professional phoneographer? Is there some special gear you need and what exactly should you be looking for? Let’s see:
Phoneography equipment
A smartphone photography kit includes many gadgets. Some are pretty standard, others you might not have even heard of. Here's a list for must-have digital photography equipment:
- Mobile lenses (micro lens, wide angle lenses, clip lenses, etc.)
- Selfie ring light
- Phone holder (a.k.a. octopus pod)
- Stabilizer for smartphone
- Selfie stick
- Photo light box
- Mobile photography tripod
A smartphone pro lens kit is a must for every serious phoneographer. You can find affordable mobile photography accessories basically in every online store. Trying as many of those as you can put your hands on might take your smartphone photography to the next level.
Making a difference in photography is not an easy thing to achieve and we need all the help we can get. Take drone photography for example - new, better, and bigger drones come out every year so that photography enthusiasts can bring their art to the next level.
Mobile lenses are all over Amazon and there is a reason why. Phoneography gadgets are trendy and affordable - you can have one for as little as $20. Have you seen how smart those iPhone lenses look? Smartphone owners all over the world purchase those to take even better images. Speaking of iPhone, we come to the next point in our article:
What is iPhoneography?
Using your iPhone for semi-professional or amateur photography is what iPhoneography is all about.
What makes a picture stunning depends on the iPhotographer as well as the device. However, iPhones are famous for their cameras - no wonder iPhoneography is a thing nowadays!
Let’s have a quick look at the numbers first. According to smartphone statistics, there were around 1 billion iPhone users in the world in 2020. Here’s another one: 45.3% of all smartphone users in the US are iPhone users. With that many iPhone users globally, it’s no wonder many people turn to iPhoneography as a hobby or to help them in their business.
Many iPhone owners claim the cameras on their smartphones take awesome images and with a reason. Apple has made sure the software of their smartphones is optimised so well as to let us, iPhone users, have the best available smartphone camera in our pockets.
iPhone for photographers
iPhone cameras are getting better with every new model and the new iPhone 12 is no exception. There used to be some debate about which is the best iPhone for photography, but after the release of the iPhone 12 Pro Max the matter seems to be settled. The ultra-wide cameras of the 12 Pro Max makes it a perfect addition to the camera collection of every phoneography enthusiast.
They say that the iPhone 12 Pro Max achieves the image quality of professional cameras. Now, just imagine if a smartphone can replace professional cameras. Is this the future of photography?
Is phoneography the future of photography?
No one can deny that phoneography is trendy and that it’s here to stay. Portability is everything and a photographer must carry a camera at all times. Which is super convenient for everyday usage - the farther we go into the 21st century, the better the smartphone cameras get.
The modernization of smartphones brought up some pretty big changes in the field of photography. When the first smartphones came around, we were in awe with the blurry images we could store in our pockets. Today, those of us who experiment a lot and watch tutorials on YouTube and have a semi decent smartphone can take images we couldn’t have dreamed of at the turn to the century.
Some photographers claim that phoneography is the future since it has such a potential and unlike professional equipment, smartphones are quite easy to work with. Affordability also works in favor for phoneography - even the latest smartphone model may be cheaper than professional cameras.
Are smartphones going to render cameras obsolete in the years to come? The most likely scenario is that a certain amount of professional and amateur photographers are going to turn their backs to cameras in favor of smartphones, but professionalists will always stick to their equipment. (Just imagine a world-class football game being photographed only with iPhones.)
Conclusion
The increase in use of smartphones changed quite a lot in our lives. Nobody carries a paper map anymore, or sends letters in the post, or keeps one of those small notebooks with phone numbers at home. Smartphones revolutionised our lives in many ways and one of them is the way we take photos.
Today we answered the question: what is phoneography. It’s a trend which has a huge potential and we can’t wait to see its progress in the years to come. Instead of taking that heavy photography equipment with you, why not give a shot to your smartphone? Learn a few tips and tricks, purchase some phoneography equipment, and you will be able to take quality images with your iPhone instead. Bam!
Enjoy taking awesome images, everyone! Visit TechACake.com for more every week!
