aNewDomain.net — Ever since we started our smartphone snapshot contest last year, I’m in awe of the amazing shots you folks send me. I get truly amazing photos taken from smartphones — photos that easily match any from a DSLR camera.
If you follow me on Google+, you will know that, in addition to running the Where Are You Now smartphone picture contest here at aNewDomain.net, I started a Smartphone Photographers Community. And that’s how I met Mike Sweeney.
Mike Sweeney is a visual artist in our community. He is a photographer by stock and trade, with pro gear and all, but he calls himself a visual storyteller and an iPhone photographer. Here’s one of the first shots he shared with us. He called it: Double Shot.
Image credit: Mike Sweeney
Double Shot not only came via an iPhone 4s lens. He edited it with his smartphone, too. Coffee beans have never looked so luscious.
Mike also shot this shot, below, on his Apple iPhone 4S.
If you look closely at this image, you will notice blur. In photography — that includes smartphone photography — blur results from just the slightest movement when the camera’s shutter opens and closes. Was Sweeney walking next to this vehicle to capture this shot? Not only does the blur show near the door of the vehicle, but also at the background of the photo. Go ahead, look again.
Sweeney actually captured this shot from inside the vehicle. Here’s how he did it.
Sweeney says he rigged his Apple iPhone to the window of the vehicle, as you see above, and attached an Olloclip lens and some tape for additional filtering. And notice the white cord shown in this image. That’s the iPhone ear buds connected to the device. He used the volume control on the ear buds to remotely vate the camera’s shutter! How cool is that? So as Sweeney moved the car, he snapped a few shots by clicking the volume buttons on the ear buds.
It’s truly amazing what is possible with smartphone cameras. If you have the creativity, patience and will to create the shot, beautiful photography is within your grasp. Some of our community members recently blew my mind with photos they shared on our weekly Hangout On Air via Google+ that features aNewDomain.net and smartphone photographers I’ve gathered beginning with our wildly successful smartphone photo contest and column, Where are you now, and my Google + stream.
And yes, Mike Sweeney was there. Watch below to check out the clever tools he employs. I was amazed.
I’m Ant Pruitt for aNewDomain.net. Find all of my stories here.
Catch me on a Google + to get your smartphone photos published at aNewDomain.net.
Here’s a shot I took on my old Motorola DroidX with nothing but a little HDR software.
Image credit: Ant Pruitt for aNewDomain.net
