This will be a short story.
I dislike phone photography. The lack of a proper viewfinder, the soulless pixel-perfect images, and any excuse I can come up with to avoid using my phone. That’s why I try to carry a point-and-shoot with me, though it’s not always possible.
During the weekdays it is hard for me to do “proper” shooting. Working in the tech field is demanding. After 6 pm, there’s not enough light, and I’m too tired to do “creative” things.
Before moving forward, I would just like to mention that phone photography is perfectly fine. People way more talented than me make magic with it. As they say, it’s not the camera, it’s the photographer. Not using a phone camera is just a personal preference, maybe snobby or stupid; you name it.
However, that might be about to change, but I would rather not make any promises.
Today, I was reading Substack, and this note came into my feed. Good Alex Street shared his latest article in FStoppers (you might want to check it out, as it is what made me experiment with my iPhone camera) and put my mind into motion.
It turns out that there’s a beautiful app called “Dazz Cam,” which is quite good at doing film simulations. TL;DR: I’ve tried dozens of those, and they were complex or super expensive or whatever. It turns out this one is a pretty solid candidate.
The quick walk to the grocery store that changed my perspective
Around lunchtime, I said, “Fuck it.” Let’s buy a Coke Zero and document the road with this little app to see what I can achieve with it.
After hitting the street, I found this big truck parked in front of my apartment. I know how it looks in black and white, so I made my first snap.
OK, moving forward. This yellow tape in the park looked good. Snap.
I kept walking. A guy was getting into his car. Snap.
Then, closer to the grocery store, I snapped this tricycle they use for quick deliveries.
While Luis was ringing me up, I snapped the liquor bottles in the back. The tungsten light looked cool.
Then, time to return home. After crossing the street, I caught a violin player heading only God knows where.
A few meters ahead, I saw this girl painting. I didn’t get the complete shot because I know some people hate when you take pictures of them without asking, so I did what I could. Moving on.
Closer to home, I found out this tree has contrasting leaves: old and new. Snap and keep walking.
I almost walked past this one. A glance back, and it looked like a little crime scene. That’s what happens when you consume too many detective stories. Snap, and let’s hurry; I’m hungry.
Then I hit home. As usual, when the weather is cloudy, I look up and take my snap. I have plenty of those.
And mission complete: here’s my Coke Zero.
Final Thoughts
I love these pictures.
Yes, they are underexposed like hell. But, unlike “regular phone pictures,” these have a soul. They look somewhat cinematic.
The look helps to tell a story, even a crappy one like a quick run to a grocery store.
So, maybe, and just maybe, this little app has saved phone photography for me.
Hey Rick, you know you can edit your soulless pictures, right?
Yes, but one of the things I dislike is having to heavily edit pictures. This is why I shoot film. I get the look I want “out of the box.” Or almost.
Now, I’m getting similar vibes with this new technique.
Let’s see how far it goes. For now, it stays.
And thank you, Alex Street, for your article that triggered all this experiment.
What’s your version of phone photography? The thing you’ve been writing off without giving it a real chance?
Turns out it wasn’t that short after all. See you next time.
COOL STUFF
Here are some links you might find interesting.
→ Dirty Little Zine: A foldable 1-page zine maker that runs in your browser.
→ Dirty Little Library: The worldwide community started sharing foldable zines. You can upload or download; it’s up to you. Do not miss the work of these outstanding photographers.
→ **FILM RICK Portfolio:**I shoot around Mexico City. Black and white. Analog. I have several collections if you’re into this type of photography.
→ Support RICK: If anything I do is helpful and you want to support it by send some coffees (or film!), this is the way.