The iPhone as a capable photographic tool?

I am a strong advocate that the key to great images is not the quality of the camera you have in your hands, but the skills and craft of the photographer using it...

But when it comes to the iPhone, I have never really taken it seriously as a photographic tool. That's not to say others haven't. And it is not a criticism either. I know that there are some specialist iphone-ographers out there taking seriously impressive photos with their phone. But for me, I have never really taken to the iPhone camera function beyond the odd point and shoot to put on instagram or Facebook.

The reason is, that Apple never "sold" the camera function to me from day 1. I have always been a fan of the iPod. The original generation of iPods just played music. But once Apple launched the iPhone, they expanded the product life cycle of their iPods by cascading down iPhone technology into iPod product launches under the iPod Touch name.

I bought the first generation of iPod with a camera. I absolutely loved the idea of having an internet connectable device with a phone in my pocket. Wow, was I disappointed. I cannot recall the mega pixels of the camera sensor, but the quality was horrific. My wife had an iPhone 4 at that time, and I had a 3rd generation iPod touch. I borrowed her iPhone one day to take a photo, and then I took the same photo with my iPod touch. It was at this point I realised that they did not have the same camera technology in them and the iPod touch was inferior. I wasn't happy about this. 

Today I have an iPhone 6 for professional reasons. And the camera in it has advanced, and the user interface and functionality has increased. I kind of have a "love/hate" relationship with it. But it goes everywhere with me and at times by default it is the only "camera" I have with me. 

This year I know I absolutely MUST do more Landscape photography. Last year I played around a bit, but I didn't really make a concerted effort to get to the places which would help me build a portfolio. I do travel a lot and sometimes by complete surprise you drive past an incredible view or spot and have no opportunity to take a photo. Either access or stopping is forbidden or, which is often the case, my DSLR is not with me.

This happened to me the other weekend on my way to play golf. Every weekend I drive past the same spot...an open area of farmers fields lined with the odd tree, a main road that cuts through the landscape and a whole wind farm on the farm land. It changes like the seasons. For several weeks I'd being telling myself to get down to this spot and do some stock photography. 

Anyway this one particular weekend we had freezing fog. Why I chose to go to the golf range in such freezing whether, I do not know, but that's another story. On my way back home, I saw the view in the image I have posted here. I stopped the car. I used my iPhone as it was the only camera I had. I parked up and wound the car window down. I was on an isolated farm track so I was all alone and had plenty of time and space. I didn't even need to get out of the car, a blessing give the minus temperatures outside!

I took about 3 images before I was more or less happy. I then decided to play around in Lightroom with a black and white conversion.

I have to say I am impressed with the result. Yes there is some grain/noise in there which is to be expected, but with the black and white conversion you get away nicely with this. Its almost like you expect some grain in black and white. But given the light, the fog and the cold, the image has come out really well and sums up the wintery scene I was confronted with. 

Now this hasn't sent me all giddy and I am suddenly in love with the iPhone and will start 12 months of "adventures in iPhone photography"???. No. But it has made me look at the iPhone camera differently. And like with all cameras if you know what its capable of, you have a better chance of using it to its full potential and creating great images.

What do you think?

cheers

Jon