We don't get a lot of clouds where I live, so this reflection caught my eye. Since the iPhone image was grainy to begin with, I chose to exaggerate rather than try to hide it. I pumped up the saturation, vibrancy, contrast and sharpness. Not the sort of thing I would do with a D300 image.
As a lazy, disorganized, impatient photographer, I make it a point of pride to NOT carry my camera everywhere I go. And of course, I often regret this, because when I see something interesting, I still have my pride, but I don’t have the picture.
Of course, I always have my iPhone with me. Not because anyone ever calls me (if my home phone number wasn’t similar to that of a popular local restaurant, I’d forget what the ringer sounds like), but because you never know when you might get an email for something other than male enhancement products. I mean, I assume that’s how the Nobel committee will contact me.
The iPhone boasts a camera as good as my first digital camera, which is to say: awful. But here’s what’s wonderful about an awful camera – it gives me license to play in ways I would not consider with my D300. I tend to be serious with my serious camera, but my other camera encourages me to play. I’m excited about what might happen when these tendencies cross paths.
I don't feel bad about pumping up the saturation and vibrancy, because this is actually closer to the actual scene than the original file. A landscape photographer would scoff at this, but I'm not a landscape photographer, and I wanted a record of this beautiful sunset. iPhone to the rescue. Recorded at Meditation Mount, in Ojai, CA.
As I said, clouds are unusual in our town, so my wife and I finished the beer in the first photo and then chased the sunset up to Meditation Mount, where the iPhone helped me capture the red glow.
