Mobile Photography

Stop Waiting for Perfect Conditions: What Peter McKinnon's Iceland Trip Taught Me About Just Going
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Stop Waiting for Perfect Conditions: What Peter McKinnon's Iceland Trip Taught Me About Just Going

I teach photography. And I still catch myself stalling. Waiting for golden hour to actually land golden instead of just overcast-pink. Waiting until I’ve had enough coffee. Waiting until the composition feels obvious before I even raise the camera. The excuses are embarrassing when I say them out loud, which is exactly why I found Watch the full tutorial on YouTube so useful, even though on the surface it looks like a sponsored phone camera video shot in Iceland.

How to Add Photo Borders That Make Your Instagram Feed Look Like a Gallery Wall
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How to Add Photo Borders That Make Your Instagram Feed Look Like a Gallery Wall

Every Sunday morning I take a photo walk around my Seattle neighborhood, and somewhere along the way I stopped worrying about which photos would perform best and started thinking about how my feed looked as a whole. That shift in mindset changed everything about how I post. So when I came across Watch the full tutorial on YouTube from Peter McKinnon on adding borders to photos, it hit on something I’d been feeling but hadn’t quite articulated: the grid is a canvas, and borders are one of the quietest tools you have for making it feel intentional.

How Apple's Latest CarPlay Update Can Improve Your Mobile Photography Workflow
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How Apple's Latest CarPlay Update Can Improve Your Mobile Photography Workflow

How Apple’s Latest CarPlay Update Can Improve Your Mobile Photography Workflow I’ve been following the latest developments in mobile technology, and I’m excited to share how Apple’s recent CarPlay enhancements can genuinely benefit photographers who work on the go. Whether you’re a travel photographer, a content creator, or someone who simply loves capturing moments between locations, these new features deserve your attention. Why CarPlay Matters for Photographers Before diving into the specifics, let me explain why I think this update is relevant to our photography community.

Get Closer Than You Think: Using the Olloclip Macro 3-in-1 for Tiny Subject Photography
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Get Closer Than You Think: Using the Olloclip Macro 3-in-1 for Tiny Subject Photography

I have a confession: one of my most-shared Instagram photos was taken on a phone. Not a mirrorless, not a DSLR, just a phone and good light. That moment turned into an entire article series, and it’s also why I keep coming back to mobile photography tools that actually hold up in the field. So when I came across this KelbyOne tutorial on using the Olloclip Macro 3-in-1 lens system, I paid attention.

Expanding Your Photography Toolkit: The Guide to Importing International Camera Phones
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Expanding Your Photography Toolkit: The Guide to Importing International Camera Phones

Opening New Creative Possibilities with Global Technology As a photography enthusiast and educator, I’ve noticed an exciting trend among serious mobile photographers: they’re looking beyond their local market to find devices with superior camera capabilities. International smartphones often arrive with cutting-edge imaging sensors, advanced computational photography features, and software optimizations that won’t reach US consumers for months—or sometimes never. The appeal is clear. If you’re committed to smartphone photography, accessing these tools earlier can genuinely elevate your work.

Keeping Your Photography Workflow Front and Center: Mobile Notifications That Matter
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Keeping Your Photography Workflow Front and Center: Mobile Notifications That Matter

Keeping Your Photography Workflow Front and Center: Mobile Notifications That Matter As photographers, we’re constantly juggling multiple tasks—monitoring battery levels, checking weather conditions, tracking delivery schedules for new gear, and managing client communications. Our smartphones have become essential tools both behind and in front of the camera. That’s why I’m excited to explore how modern mobile devices are helping us stay organized without constant distractions. The Challenge of Real-Time Information I’ve noticed that many photographers struggle with managing notifications while working.

You Don't Need a $7,000 Camera to Shoot Great Product Photos — Here's How to Use Your iPhone 17 Pro Like a Pro
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You Don't Need a $7,000 Camera to Shoot Great Product Photos — Here's How to Use Your iPhone 17 Pro Like a Pro

My most-liked Instagram photo was taken on a $200 phone. I used to be almost embarrassed to admit that, but it ended up launching a whole series of articles about what gear actually matters versus what we just think matters. So when I saw Peter McKinnon sit down with the new iPhone 17 Pro and a $7,000 Canon R5 to shoot the same products side by side, I had to pay close attention.

Four Things Standing Between Your Phone and Better Landscape Photos
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Four Things Standing Between Your Phone and Better Landscape Photos

I still shoot on my phone more than most people expect from someone who makes a living with a camera. Sunday morning photo walks, quick grabs when the light does something unexpected, or just to remind myself that gear is rarely the real problem. What’s usually the problem is not having a clear framework for the decisions that happen before you tap the shutter. That’s exactly what makes this tutorial so useful.

What the iPhone 12 Pro's Camera Actually Teaches Us About Exposure (And Why It Should Humble Every DSLR Shooter)
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What the iPhone 12 Pro's Camera Actually Teaches Us About Exposure (And Why It Should Humble Every DSLR Shooter)

I’ll be honest with you. My most-liked Instagram photo was taken on a $200 Android phone, and it still gets more saves than most of my mirrorless shots. That fact used to annoy me. Now it drives most of what I teach. So when photographer Peter McKinnon dropped a hands-on camera test for the iPhone 12 Pro, I watched it twice. Not because I was shopping for a new phone, but because he asks the exact question I’ve been trying to articulate to students for years: why does a phone sometimes expose a scene better than a camera worth ten times as much?

How to Get Your Lightroom Presets onto Your Phone (And Actually Use Them)
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How to Get Your Lightroom Presets onto Your Phone (And Actually Use Them)

I’ll be honest with you: some of my favorite photos I’ve ever taken were shot on my phone. My most-liked Instagram post to this day came from a $200 Android, which started a whole conversation about whether gear actually matters as much as we think. The answer, for the record, is no. But here’s what does matter: consistency in your editing style. And for a long time, that was the one thing I couldn’t carry with me when I left my camera at home.

Leica Lux vs. Apple Camera: Why I Switched My Default Phone Camera App
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Leica Lux vs. Apple Camera: Why I Switched My Default Phone Camera App

My most-liked Instagram photo ever was taken on a $200 phone. I talk about that a lot, mostly to make a point: the gap between “phone photo” and “real photo” is closing faster than most people realize. What I don’t talk about as much is how that gap closes. It isn’t just the hardware improving, it’s the software sitting on top of it, quietly doing math that would have required a studio setup a decade ago.

What's Next for Tablet Photography? Understanding the Shifting Device Landscape
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What's Next for Tablet Photography? Understanding the Shifting Device Landscape

The Changing Device Ecosystem I’ve been watching the technology landscape shift considerably over the past year, and I’m noticing something significant happening in the tablet market. As manufacturers develop innovative new devices—from foldable phones to laptops with touch capabilities—many photographers are asking themselves an important question: where does the traditional tablet fit in our creative toolkit? This isn’t necessarily bad news. In fact, it’s an opportunity for us to think more critically about which tools actually serve our photography practice best.