Mobile photography has made huge strides in a short time. More and more customers are using images shot with mobile devices in commercial applications. Image distributors are accepting mobile images into their collections and marketing them along side images that have been produced with professional equipment. Check out some of our
recent stories. Image quality is perfectly satisfactory for many commercial applications. And the quality improves with each new generation of phones.
iStockphoto has just published list of
mobile photography tips that will help photographers produce images of commercial quality with their mobile devices. The fundamentals of good photography remain the same regardless of whether you’re using a pro SLR or a mobile device. But, iStock acknowledges that these new devices “take some getting used to.”
Keep an Open Mind
iStock’s final suggestion is that photographers Keep an Open Mind. They point out that, “As with any new tech though, there are skeptics. Some of you may have prepared the following rant:
I'm a professional with professional gear that cost a lot of money and I invested a lot of time into mastering it. Now you're telling me to go play with toys. Why the h*ck would I waste my time. I mean this is real business serious stuff not Angry Birds what are you trying to tell me anyway?
“Yes, the expensive professional gear you spent time mastering is a valuable asset to you as a professional photographer. In many cases your 5dMKII is the right tool for the job. But it is your eye, mind, and skill that make you a professional, not your gear. What we're saying is: your mobile device can be a tool for stock production. It isn't necessarily going to replace any of your other tools, but it is an option.
“What we're saying is: play, experiment, and see what kinds of images these tools lend themselves to. Take advantage of the intimacy and spontaneity of your mobile device. Have fun taking pictures.”