I Wouldn't Jump Out of a Plane Without My Smartphone

Before I leave the house, I check my pockets for two things: my wallet and the iPhone. It's at the top of my essential gear list for nimble photography. In fact, I can't imagine my work without it.

But not for the same reasons as many others.

When you're the type of shooter that I am - always working with new gear ranging from the latest digital to decades-old analog - I need a constant that I can depend on. The smartphone is the one tool that works with everything else. Here are five top of mind examples.

Snapshot Camera - Yes, I'm starting with the most obvious. But the ability to never miss a moment is huge to me. For decades, I've always wanted a camera that would be my constant companion, and the iPhone 6S is exactly that.

Mirrorless Conduit - I love mirrorless gear for event coverage, whether it's being a spectator at an NBA game or working as a festival photographer. Generally I shoot RAW+Jpeg, allowing me to transfer files from the camera to the iPhone, then publish them online while still on location. Whether I'm using WiFi or the Lightning card reader, the iPhone is my conduit from professional camera to the online world.

Personal Backup - The minute I copy an image from the mirrorless, or capture it with the phone itself, those images are automatically backed up to iCloud and Flickr. I don't have to think about it. I don't have to push a button. It just happens. That means I will never lose those shots.

Competent Light Meter - I was shooting with a Pentax ME Super this morning and the light meter decided not to work. This happens with older cameras. No problem. I used the 1/125th mechanical shutter option on the ME, pulled out my iPhone, and launched ProCamera. I set the app to ISO 200 and took a meter reading. Those are the settings that I used for the Pentax, and I kept on shooting. I'm sure the shots will be terrific.

Metadata Tracker - I keep a photo journal with the Day One app. So when I shoot a film or digial shot, I grab a quick iPhone image too that also records weather and location. Plus I can add my own notes and comments. I cannot express how helpful these journal entries have been toward helping understand my photography and improving it.

All of this without even discussing image editing or swiping through Instagram shots while standing in the grocery checkout line.

A competent smartphone has the highest of nimbleosity ratings. And it's the parachute that has saved me so many times.

-Derrick

Aperture Settings

Even when you work for yourself, you work for somebody else.

It's true, I don't have to sit in a cubical nor go to endless staff meetings. (I did that for more than 20 years, so I know how to waste time.) And instead of a boss, who has a boss, I have clients. So I've substituted a vertical chain of command for a horizontal one.

But my thoughts are the same as yours, no matter where you work: "How soon before I can grab my camera and go somewhere, anywhere, to take pictures?"

Photography is different for some of us. I watch my kids work their smartphones and acknowledge that digital imaging is huge for them. Snapshots of daily life transmitted electronically from one device to another. In their own way, they love pictures as much as I.

But photography is different for some of us. Smartphones are a part of the feast, in the way that mashed potatoes complement the turkey. But some appetites cannot be satisfied by potatoes and gravy.

I think about taking pictures, working on cameras, and making prints when I'm driving to work, enjoying a coffee break, and dozing off for a nap. There are days when I can't wait to finish a client project so I can grab my bike and pedal down the street looking for photo opportunities.

Many days I never get to it. I'm too busy making a living. And I say to myself, "Tomorrow I'll be done by three and can take that ride. Tomorrow for sure."

It's hard to explain these feelings to those who don't share the passion. "It's just taking pictures; I do it all the time," the respondent will remark while pulling out their iPhone to show me yesterday and the day before.

I photograph to make life better. Even my Instagram shots are attempts to show how beautiful the mundane can be, given the desire to recognize it.

I don't take pictures to reflect how life is. I use my camera to show how I want it to be.

To be perfectly honest, I think there's magic in everything. And for some reason, my looking glass to that world is a lens set to f/1.8, 5.6, or 11. It depends on what I'm trying to say.

There are no aperture settings on an iPhone. Maybe that's the line of delineation between what you saw, and what I want to feel.

-Derrick

A 2016 ToDo List

I was thinking a bit about my ToDo list for this afternoon (instead of actually completing it), and I noticed how throughly computer dependent it was.

Virtually everything on the list was, well, virtual. See for yourself:

  • Update Google webmaster tools for theAnalogstory.com
  • Sign up for Linkedin (at the friendly prompting of the team at lynda) and complete my profile page
  • Write a post for The Nimble Photographer (now, that's a fun one!)
  • Write metadata entries for each of the new movies for the soon-to-be published Flickr Mobile title on lynda.com
  • Write and record Welcome movie for Flickr Mobile
  • Post new items in TheFilmCameraShop on Etsy
  • Answer reader email
  • Finish refurbishing the Contax 159MM and 139Q film cameras 

Not until the last item did I get to do something truly physical. I think because of this list, I've really come to relish activities such as restoring film cameras, riding my bike, and taking long walks. 

That's also why I love taking pictures. Photography remains a truly hands-on experience. Regardless if I'm using a digital or analog camera, I'm still exploring the world through my viewfinder, adjusting the dials and buttons, pressing the shutter, and hoping that I've created something pleasing to look at.

I'm lucky to be a publisher, writer, and a consultant. As far as jobs go, those are terrific. But at the end of the day, photography is the joy of my creative life. I've loved it since I was 11 years old. And I wouldn't be surprised if my last words were:

"Could you please hand me that lens over there."

-Derrick

Pancake Lenses

A compact body is important, but it's only half the equation. The lens you mount on that nimble picture-taker makes or breaks the entire package. And for some time now, I've been hooked on pancake lenses.

Granted, the name isn't very attractive. But their slim designs more than make up for it. By only protruding from the front of the camera by an inch or less, these diminutive optics create a sharp picture-taking machine that fits practically in any pouch or jacket pocket.

My favorite pancakes include:

In addition to their compact size, these optics provide sharp results and relatively fast apertures. They've literally changed my approach to photography. By working with just a single focal length, I've become more resourceful in finding the right distance and angle for a shot, and I've missed fewer opportunities because I always have one of these cameras with me.

Every Nimble Photographer deserves a pancake lens. And once you've tried one, I'm certain you'll never let it go.

-Derrick

Two Lenses and a Body

On Sunday afternoon, we all gathered in a conference room at the Cartwright Hotel to share our pictures. 

I had the projector and viewing screen set up. We were tired, but in good spirits. Everyone had been working hard for two and a half days to build a small collection of images to show to the group.

Each photographer choose eight that they wanted to talk about. This could include their favorites, or simply experiments that didn't turn out as expected. It didn't make any difference to us. We were there, in that darkened room, to enjoy the efforts of our fellow artists.

I've seen many of these shows over the years. It's the conclusion to practically every workshop I lead. By the time we get to the final day, the level of comfort and trust within the group makes these presentations fun and not threatening.

The quality of imagery is always high. That happens when people have the time and support to work on their passion and immerse in their craft. And the show on Sunday was not different. The photographs were outstanding.

What was different, however, was how they were made. Since we were working on the streets of San Francisco, sometimes logging as many as 10 miles a day, bulky backpacks were left at home. Most of our shooters opted for a light shoulder bag, a body, and just a couple lenses.

You'd think, at least at first, that leaving your arsenal of glass behind would adversely affect the variety and quality of imagery. But contrary to that thought, I think the pictures actually got better. Everyone was surprisingly fresh and energetic, even as the days wore on. And that energy translated into creativity.

I guess you could consider this a field test of sorts. Do photographers fare better with less gear for urban and travel shooting? Based on the images projected in that darkened conference room on Sunday afternoon...

I would say yes.

-Derrick