Last Updated on 10/01/2020 by Chris Gampat
iPhone cameras have evolved over the last 12 years–with that, so has the quality of photography created on Apple’s flagship device.
“The camera is just a tool.” Is there any more evidence of this than the images being created with iPhones? A tiny camera that fits in your pocket, yet photographers are making professional quality images with it. From war photography, portrait, landscape and street, it seems no genre is left untouched when it comes to iPhone photography. To celebrate how things have evolved in the photographic industry, we’ve picked out 9 photographers that are making the most of this advance in smartphone technology.
Rini Ruiz – @rinzizen
Rini Ruiz is a street photographer based in Los Angeles. For his commercial work, you will find him with a Fuji in hand. However, when hitting the streets for some candid photography, he uses his iPhone – from which he has an impressive portfolio. Opting for the black and white look he has been able to capture the modern day, whilst giving it that classic feel.
Zarni Myo Win – @zarni_myo_win
Zarni Myo Win’s photos have an amazing quality about them. However, it isn’t how sharp and clean they look that makes them so good. It’s the fact he uses tried and test photographic techniques in order to make his images interesting and exciting. His low down angles and eye for a good scene have earned him recognition too. Last year he was a finalist at the iPhone Photography Awards – it’s no surprise to us!
Brendan O Se – @brendan.o.se
This Irish born iPhone photographer came to fame when he was named iPhone Photographer of The Year 2017. The previous year he came first place in the street photography category at the Mobile Photography awards. His images are clearly influenced by the late, great Saul Leiter. But he has also been able to create his own style too. With a wonderful use of motion in his images, it’s clear Brendan knows how to get the best out of the hardware in the iPhone camera.
Keenan Rivals – @keenanrivals
“I haven’t quite figured myself out yet,” says Keenan when speaking about his photography. Well, here’s something to help him on his way. What’s clear about Keenan is that he is an extremely competent photographer. A great eye for human behaviour, his iPhone street photography images document authentic day-to-day life. Nothing too flashy in his work but that doesn’t mean it’s basic. Real life stories told through the eye of an iPhone.
David Ingraham – @dayzdandconfuzd
We’ve written about David before. However, if we’re talking about iPhone photography then he cannot be left out of the conversation. His fine art like images look great on a screen and even better printed on a wall. Choosing to go black and white, he doesn’t provide a classic feel, rather a gritty, high-clarity aesthetic. From wide perspectives, to up close and personal, David offers a plethora of scenes when making his photographs.
Dina Alfasi – @dinalf
Dina Alfasi does it all in her iPhone. She takes the shot and then edits in Snapseed. Going beyond the picture itself, she came up with a simple, yet inspiring series. Instead of doing the usual earphones in and her head down routine on her commute to work, she decided to make portraits. As others joined her on their travel to the office, she quietly captured them. These are far from your standard snapshot though. In these great portraits is emotion, thoughtfulness, compelling composition and colour. An amazing story from a quality iPhone photographer.
Kevin Russ @kevinruss
With 250,000 followers on Instagram, Kevin Russ must be doing something right. And no, this is not just some influencer standing outside a pink cafe looking pretty. Instead, he is a very talented travel photographer, going around the world making great photographs on his iPhone. He has a talent for creating awesome landscape images – so good you just want to jump in your screen and be there.
Normster – @normster
We don’t know much about this mysterious figure going by the name of Normster. Keeping their identity a secret we assume they’re not the dog in their IG profile picture. What we do know, however, is that this photographer is a jack of all trades. Portraits, street, concert and landscape to name a few, this person is rocking on all platforms with their iPhone photography. To truly appreciate the range of work they’re producing, we highly recommend hitting their IG asap!
Greg Schmigel – @gregschmigel
Greg Schmigel photographs look like they belong in the 70s. That’s not at all a bad thing. We were really attracted to his edits, as he uses minimalism for the foundations of his work. Clearly, a guy who has a thing for street corners and the frequent passer-by, Greg’s street photography is consistent and to be enjoyed.
iPhone Photography Will Only Get Better
From 2007 to 2019, the iPhone camera has come along leaps and bounds. We predict that the people at Apple are nowhere near the peak of the performance they can get from their devices. As the market gets bigger and the desire to have a camera so small you can hold in one hand grows, iPhone photography will continue to see a rise in popularity and performance. Who are your favorite iPhone photographers? We would love to know. How about you let us know by dropping their name in the comments below.
All images screenshots from websites and Instagram.