Eye-popping. Heart-pounding. Hand-holding. Foot-stomping.
Some things in life, just, fortuitously, find you, even when you are not even looking for them.
Such was my introduction, and good fortune, to the iPhone camera, February 18, 2011, 7:02am, at the lovely Crane Resort on the island of Barbados in the Caribbean.
I wasn’t, I swear, in the least, looking to change my camera system or overhaul my photographic life and career, but that is exactly what happened on that pristine-sky morning in February.
Click.
Me and my small crew, videographer, Andrew Smith and, photographer, Jesse Knish, were on our way to photograph and film the spectacular Royal Clipper, of The Star Clippers fleet, the largest fully-rigged, tall ship in the world, that I had photographed many times before, and had logged, literally, thousands of nautical miles, around the world with, over the past 10 years, under the direction of Marketing guru and friend, Mark Carlson.
Before embarking and setting sail, the three of us were hosted by The Crane Resort, to photograph, as I so often do, commercially, with resorts and hotels around the world, new menu items, new rooms and suites, a few new staff portraits and some general decor subjects and themes.
I know…dreamy. Pinch me.
This was my life.
But some big dreams, as spectacular as they may seem, through no fault of our own, turn into tiny nightmares.
Of the 9 cases of luggage and equipment we brought with us, on the trip, only 8 of them successfully arrived at Grantley Adam International Airport in Barbados. Uggh
Wouldn’t you know it, the single missing case was my camera gear-3 Canon EOS 1Ds Mark IIs and a complement of 10 professional lenses, the best money could buy.
Damn it.
Thankfully, like most experienced travel photographers, I had with me, as part of my carry-on, a back-up Canon EOS 5D.
The problem was that I had never used this Canon EOS 5D before and I was, at best, awkward with her controls.
The show must go on, so I reluctantly figured that I’d give my replacement camera a try…kicking and screaming along the way.
Long story short-that first day, didn’t begin well but ended well.
The picturesque and ever-so-romantic, Crane Beach, where I began day one, at sunrise, with crew and client, is known for its rugged cliffs, rolling dunes, and powder-soft, pink sands. It’s stunning.
It’s near impossible not to come away with great photographs from this idyllic beachfront property. Seriously.
It is like something out of a fairytale.
Given my slow start that day, and feeling a bit frustrated, I briefly excused myself from the crew, client, and scene we were shooting, to momentarily nestle in the cliffs and watch the sun come up, over the horizon, in the mighty Atlantic. I needed some perspective and to catch my breath.
Not feeling any particular attachment to my Canon EOS 5D, at the moment, I pulled my iPhone out of my pocket and I photographed my first straight, pure, unfiltered iPhone Photograph with the 5MP iPhone 4. Click.
It was, unquestionably, love at first site. I couldn’t believe my eyes. What was happening? I was confused? Was this a dream? How did this lowly phone camera photograph look like it did?
At first glance anyway, in the ambient light, I was viewing the screen in, my iPhone captures, looked better than what I was getting with my Canon EOS 5D?
Could this be? Or were my eyes playing tricks on me given the assignment angst I was wrestling with?
My only experience, at the time, with iPhone Photography, was some amateur attempts with the IOS Hipstamatic app, in Austin, at the encouragement, ironically, of Andrew and Jesses, while working, jointly, on another project together.
Little did I know, at the time, how this innocent, serendipitous sunrise photograph, with my iPhone 4, at the Crane Resort, on the island of Barbados, would forever change the trajectory of my life and photographic career.
But it did just that. Since February 18, 2011, I have shot over 1 million iPhone photos, on 10 different devices, in 50 countries of the world.
After a successful 4-decade career in photography, I have come full circle and returned to the very reason I got into photography in the first place-to create art.
My dreams about photography, since holding my first camera, a gift from my Dad, a shiny Minolta SRT 101, were never really to own and operate a photographic business but to live and celebrate a photographic life. I’ve arrived.
The iPhone camera(s), with all their magic, enchantment, and ease of use, have put me, squarely, back, front, and center, shooting, again, for the wall and not the wallet.
I am a traditional photographer, using non-camera cameras, for personal and commercial work.
My approach to iPhone photography is blatantly, intentionally, and unashamedly photographic in nature.
At the end of the day, after all these years, and all these shutter actuations, I want my photographs to look like…photographs, not illustrations.
I choose to take a pure, straight, simple approach to iPhone photography, relying on the long-term, time-tested, foundations and fundamentals of photography, rather than on short-term apps, micro-trends, and accessories.
Thank you, Apple. Thank you, Crane. Thank you, Barbados. Thank you, Star Clippers. Thank you, Andrew and Jesse.
Thank you, universe.
I owe you. I love you.
Click
Jack
