Why I believe Apple is leading the way in photography, arts creation, culture, and society:
Why Leica isn’t cool anymore
Just stepped into a Leica boutique store, and was distressed to see their (once great) brand being watered down with too much fragmentation and products. For me, the mystique of Leica has vanished.
Enter the new iPhone Pro: the newest cool kids on the block, really pushing innovation in photography forward (big fan of the new iPhone Pro and the beta OS, with additional innovative approaches to photography, composition, and computational photography).
If I had the choice, I’d prefer owning an iPhone Pro over a Leica M10.
Anti romanticism
The biggest draw for Leica cameras — the heritage and the romanticism of using a rangefinder. The legend of Henri Cartier-Bresson. The compact film Leica M was initially the most compact and unobtrusive 35mm camera. Now the new iPhone Pro is the new Leica M rangefinder for photographers.
Why are people anti iPhone for photography?
I will state it: the iPhone is as legitimate as a camera for photography or any artistic pursuits as much as any film camera, digital camera, form factor, etc.
Why are so many photographers anti iPhone? Simple: they want to distance themselves from other photographers, and legitimize themselves as “aboveâ€photographers who use iPhones. Why? To justify the thousands of dollars they’ve already invested in their camera systems.
The democratization and vulgarization of photography
Vulgar is often used as a pejorative (insult), but it literally means “crowdâ€or refers to the masses. The interesting thing about the iPhone and photography:
Now everyone has access to the same photographic tools. Now, your greatness as a photographer is quantified by your merit, not your equipment.
The iPhone is the democratization of photography — it turns photography into a meritocracy (your success as a photographer is based on your merit, skill and effort, not by how rich you are or what camera equipment you can afford).
A brave new world of photography
Let us become less romantic about our equipment. Truly truly truly — your merit as a photographer is based on:
- The authenticity of your photos
- The dynamism, energy, force, and soul of your photos
- Your love, enthusiasm, and playfulness in photography
- Your longevity, your passion, and your artistic vision.
What photos will you make next?
ERIC
