Taking fantastic photos with an iPhone
Back when I was doing my Top 100 amazing iPhone photographs, a few photographers’ names kept returning again and again – one of them was the amazing Sion Fullana, whose Flickr photography stream is full of absolutely fantastic street photography; mostly in New York, all taken by iPhone.
After gawping at his photos in incomprehension, I just had to ask him if I could interview him about his technique, and see if I could get some tricks of the trade out of him – luckily, Sion was happy to oblige.
So, if you have an iPhone and want to learn how to put its camera to good use, or if you just want to find out how you can take incredibly moving photographs even with inferior equipment, you’re in for a proper treat…
King of the Castle by Sion Fullana on Flickr
1) Why do you take photos with your iPhone? What other cameras do you
have, and why don’t you use them?
There are various reasons why I love using the iPhone for photography. I guess the most basic is that you carry it on your pocket all the time so you have a photographic device always ready if the opportunity shows, instead of having to wear a big bag with a heavier camera.
Secondly, even though I know the 2MP lens of the phone is not too much for quality, I am convinced that under the appropriate amount of light and holding the iPhone very still, you can get images that would put to shame some great SLR cameras. It’s something about the colors and the light that the iPhone captures beautifully, and it allows you to go for certain type of shots that may be less perfect but with a very special and distinct signature.
Last but not least, since I do mostly street photography, the iPhone certainly allows me to get some good “sneaky” shots of people without them noticing. Something that with my bigger camera I couldn’t be able to do.
When I don’t shoot with my 3G iPhone, I take out my Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50, a camera that despite being considered a point and shoot still, has all controls and zoom manual, like an SLR. I use that one mostly when I cover journalistic events, or when I’m exploring a new area in the city where I want to take some wider shots or some street portraits from a bit further, zooming in.
Gentleman on a rainy day by Sion Fullana on Flickr
2) How long have you been using camera phones for photography?
Well, my iPhone was my last birthday’s gift from my boyfriend, on July 2008. So I’ve been using iPhone for 8 months, and taken around three thousand pictures with it. Almost 400 per month. Not bad, i guess.
3) Your work is quite amazing – your iPhone photos (despite all the limitations of the iPhone) are better than many people would be able to do with a DSLR – can you pick one of your favourites and talk us through your process step by step, from fishing the camera out of your pocket to people being able to see it on Flickr?
Oh, thank you very much!! Let me actually use for this the last photo I have uploaded on Flickr, as I really like it.
So here’s the story: I was on my way Uptown for a birthday dinner and I take the subway towards Times Square. In front of me, on the platform, I see this beautiful, elegant girl with her boyfriend. They both look awesome and I decide to take their picture, using the Camera Bag application, Helga Style (my favorite!). Unfortunately, the app decides it’s one of those times when it will crash and force you to restart the phone, losing your good image.
A bit down, we all enter the train, super packed in rush hour. The girl is sitting right in front of me, while I stand up. And suddenly, even with the movement of the train running, I see her using her pocket mirror to put some make-up on, and I’m fascinated. So I quickly snap the photo and off we go, Times Square…
Hours later, back home, I download the photos to my MAC, I see and like the image of the girl, and I go straight to Picnik, my favorite processing software. I tweak the image a bit by using the Cross Processing and the Orton-ish effects, and I upload it to Flickr and start spreading it around in my favorite groups.
So you can see here the original image and the final result (which you can also see (and comment on / favourite etc) on Flickr, as “Paint my eyes in blue“). I love post-processing and what you can achieve sometimes with it. It’s a fascinating part of the process of taking photos, for me.
4) What are your top tips for people trying to wrangle some sense out of the iPhone as a camera?
I would say “Don’t stop trying”. Shoot, shoot, shoot. Experiment. Look for reflections, seek for rays of light in the hours after lunch on a sunny day, stay quiet for a while in a corner and hold your iPhone very still and snap at everything that crosses your path. Try movement effects. And also, do not hesitate about using photo applications.
My truly favorite had been VINT B&W, that allows you to get some beautiful black and white images, with the right contrast and tone… until I have recently tried and fallen in love with the CAMERA BAG app, specially the Helga and 1962 styles.
5) What would you improve about the iPhone to make it a better camera?
Obviously, there are things that could improve the experience of iPhoneography, indeed. Giving it some extra resolution wouldn’t be bad at all (more Megapixels for better quality). Some settings straight from camera (some control of shutter speed, or white balance) would be great too.
Woman on Heels by Sion Fullana on Flickr
6) Are you a professional photographer? Tell us about yourself!
Well, when do you get to call yourself a professional photographer? When you work exclusively taking photos? When you have made any money with them? When you are famous because of your images? :-)
Right: Mirror of Soul (Self Portrait) by Sion Fullana on Flickr
Let’s just say for now that I have become more serious about photography in the last year and that I love documenting the world through my lens, and that I have been selling my first images recently. My greatest goal with photography is try to raise awareness of the small details and the special moments in daily life that surround us but we tend to overlook in our rushed lifestyle.
When people have told me that this is one of my strengths, I feel I’m on the right path. Whatever the future may bring me with photography, let it be welcome!
The Yellow Line will take you home by Sion Fullana on Flickr
As for my background, I am originally from Majorca (Spain). But I have also lived eight years in Barcelona, two in Cuba (where I graduated in filmmaking) and now I reside in New York, where I am currently since 2006. I am a journalist, writer and filmmaker.
I work freelance as a reporter / photographer, and I’m currently in the very early steps of investigating a documentary film project about GLBT homeless kids in New York. You can see some of my previous work on my Youtube page and -if interested- purchase some of my photos on my website.
Thank you!
Thanks for helping us along and explaining your work, Sion! you’re a star!
If you liked this article, why not take a closer look at Sion’s work on YouTube, Flickr, or his own website?
My day job, if it can be called that, is being a writer. I've got one book out there so far and it's awesome, so go ahead and buy a copy! It's available from 
In front of you, five hyperactive men with guitars, drums, and microphones. Behind you, five thousand fans. In your hands, a camera... You're going to need more than just a little bit of good luck to pull this one off. That's where this book comes in.
Take a Canon EOS 450D. Attach a Canon 50mm f/1.4 lens. Hit the streets of London. See what happens.
Insights, suggestions and comments
Great article and great photos ;)
Thank you very much for such a great post, Haje! Like I told you, I feel honored of being included on your blog. Best to you!
Wow, fantastic photos!!!! SION YOU ARE KING OF THE IPHONE!!!
I hate sounding like a wise-ass and I know I will, so I apologise in advance… but I find this post excessively biased [Apple fan] and off-point. I’m a photographer too, and I take photos with both my cellphone and my digital camera [Canon]. I wouldn’t it call “Nokiography”, and certainly even though his pics are very good, it’s not BECAUSE he uses an iPhone; it could be any phone, like my Nokia, that has allowed me to produce amazing results as well. His “trick”, as subtly as he says it, is postprocessing. I call it Photoshopping. I can Photoshop anything and the results WILL be extremely good looking, compared to the original pic from the phn. On the other hand, I can actually take amazing pics with my phone and leave them like that, controlling what little options I can tweak within the phone. Examples? I upload around 30% of my stuff bc I lack the time, but I have some photos in my deviantART gallery. It would be awesome if he could share how he did the “man with the umbrella”’s zoom blur.. I’m assuming it’s photoshopped, over saturated, and heightened the contrast… the only point I super agree with, is that being a cellphone, people won’t react to it as if they see a camera, allowing some shots that otherwise would be hard or impossible [kids running from the camera, or blushing couples, or a policeman telling you to destroy the film/memory card hahaha]. Other than that, it’s just taking photos with any cellphone and photoshopping them. iPhones and Macs aren’t magic. Oh and btw, I transfer my photos to my computer, not to my “Intel based Acer laptop”…
top photos and great post! Sion, why did you drop the “m” out of the middle of your name!! ;)
I think I feel obliged to answer to Djin’s comment. Not about his opinion (that is very personal and he’s totally free to share it, and I actually appreciate him being honest), but it’s more about his insinuation of extreme Photoshopping.
First of all, because I have NEVER used Photoshop in ANY of my images. Perhaps, for starters, because I don’t even know how to use the program whatsoever. The only tool I use is Picnik.com, that allows you to tweak certain aspects of the photo, but never manipulate (add or eliminate) anything. In the case he’s interested in, “Gentleman on a rainy day”, the only steps I took were raise the contrast, apply the Lomo effect, and soften a bit everything but the man. Nothing else.
And hey, it’s not a secret that I process my photos a bit. In my answers, I never hid my passion for what you can achieve with that. On the contrary, I’m actually quite proud of it.
Anyway… thanks for commenting.
And as for Simon… Sion is actually my real name. In Catalan language is the abbreviation of Melsion (Melchior, one of the Three Kings of the Bible). :-)
Hey Sion, don’t give too much concern to Djin’s comments. If you had to work on Vista you’d be bitter and jealous too.
And to Djin: You say “I can Photoshop anything and the results WILL be extremely good looking”. Well could you point us to an image in your deviantART gallery that in any way backs that claim up?
Now now, kids, let’s try and keep it a little bit without the attacks on each other here!
I’m a mac user, and I’m probably quite guilty of being a bit of a fanboy, but the fact remains that people get more excited about taking photos (and getting tips about doing so) about the iPhone, than they do about taking photos with a Sony Ericsson K550i… While the latter undoubtedly has a far superior camera built-in.
The tips in Sion’s interview are 100% transferrable, so if you aren’t interested in the iPhone, pretend it says ‘camera phone’.
Also have an appreciation for iphone photography-it’s the digital version of our beloved holgas. Have a quick question for anyone else out there that is racking up hundred of images on their iphone: whats the best way to clear them off the phone after you’ve uploaded them safely to the computer? All I’ve found is to delete them one at a time, which can get kind of epic if haven’t kept up on it. Any insight would be much appreciated.
Matt-
Hey Matt,
If you’re using a Mac, use Image Capture to copy the photos off your phone, then select all images and click the delete button – it’ll go through them on your phone, removing them for you!
On a PC… Who knows… Anyone?
- Haje
I couldn’t live without my iphone! I know thats sad, but it’s true.
pro photographer and iphone owner…..great site here, very interesting
About two or three months I got sick of having to deal with my 4 year old phone, which btw was absolutely destroyed, the screen was blank and I had to scream in order to be listened to – Literally.
So I saved money and bought an iPhone, Im not a professional photographer, nor have a photo website account where I publish my work, but since I was 8 years old or something I liked taking photos, I have my camera and I take photos as a hobby, Im a senior now, and Im planning to keep up with photography even if my family disagrees, anyways, the point is, that when I got my phone and used the camera for the first time I was pretty dissapointed, of course now Im an iPhone freak and I’ve learned and downloaded all the tricks and apps that help me get cool photos..
It was awesome to read this article, it shows that its true that art can be created in any way we want it to.
Congrats, your work is awesome!
I am obsessed with iPhone photography. I love the limitations of the 2 megapixel, no flash, no zoom, etc., camera. In fact I have created a website for iPhone photography (click on sig) and am seeking submissions for a gallery show in Berkeley Ca.
That said, I am afraid Sion disqualified herself as an iPhontographer the minute she manipulated the image on her Mac. Either the image stays ON the iPhone or then it’s just another photoshopped whizbang. That is not say she doesn’t create nice images, but once you pull the picture off the phone, you can do anything with it.
Part of the art of the iPhone is working with its limitations. the 3GS has a 3.2 megapixel camera and even that is getting a little high end for me! And the 8 megapixel Android phones? Forget it.
And to the people who complain about this being Mac-centric? No one cares what you think.
To Knox:
First of all, I’m a HE, not a SHE. :-))
In second place, the images you saw here in this post belong to the first months that I started shooting with my iPhone, and they are far away from the great work I’ve accomplished after that. And you’ll agree with me that we all tend to “overdo it” in our humble beginnings.
That said, I can’t be more in disagreement with your point. First of all, I have NEVER used Photoshop to process any of my iPhone photos, just done minor adjustments with other basic software as Picnik or iPhoto. It’s ridiculous somehow to disqualify the art of an image just because you don’t show it exactly how it was taken raw. Even the masters of photography working in film always improved their art in the processing and developing of their material.
Besides, I don’t think that you can call yourself an iPhone photographer (or iPhoneographer) ONLY IF you took, processed and uploaded the photo from the phone. I do that whole process often, but please tell me what’s wrong with uploading the photos to the computer and from there to your website, blog or Flickr page.
On my iPhone set on Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/sionfullana/sets/72157606373779150/) you will see tons of examples of my work with iPhone that were uploaded straight from camera. In those cases, I didn’t feel any further change was necessary to express what I wanted. But I will always work to show my art at its best and I strongly believe that your ability to process a photo to make it look as good as possible is a huge part of the artistic process and the eye of a creator.
And again, if there was no good in that, I don’t think me or my work would have had the recognition I’ve been lucky to get so far, including an article on CNET Australia (that you ran on your website), being the only non-American of four iPhoneographers featured in “American Photo Magazine”, or being about to present my work at the PMA 2010 Trade show.
Please don’t take this as any form of attack to your comment. I totally value your opinion. I’m just trying to prove that when it comes to iPhone photography, the biggest joy of it all is that it’s a movement whose rules we write every day, and the sky is the limit. No one neither can nor should say what iPhoneography truly is. Just keep working all of us to make it become a permanent and rich artistic movement.
Best,
Sion
I think people that have macs and iphones are a little more impassioned about macs and iphones. It’s a mac thing and unless you are a mac person, you’d have a hard time understanding MacLove.
I also think that Sion’s photos prove that the iPhone does not have an inferior camera but, a simple camera that can do amazing things (like the toy cameras i.e., Helga effect).
Peace from a MacLover ; )
It’s certainly Knox’s prerogative to set rules on his website for photo submissions and what he calls an “iphone photo”. Not really fair to put restrictions on Sion here as he’s not submitting to iphontography.org. (which is a great idea, btw, and unfortunately with a contest site rules are required.)
There’s a Photoshop app now for the iPhone, and many others. The lines of what happens on and off the phone are definitely blurred.
Otherwise, in my opinion, when you’re just following your passion, as long as you’re honest about what you’re doing, anything can be viewed as artistic.
The iPhone is a unique tool for photography, like the Holga and LOMO cameras that have captured people’s imaginations. Hang on to your 3G Knox, the new phones are going to keep getting more “high end.”
Beyond that, to me, the amazing thing about the iPhone is that it’s a tiny camera that’s always with you AND a computer with an OS that has apps allowing effects to be applied right away. Add in that it’s connected to the Internet where the special moment that you’ve captured can be shared immediately on Flickr, Twitter, Facebook, or your own blog. What a device.
And now the Android OS will be bringing a whole new class of portable, app enhanced, Internet connected devices to the market.
Amazing times. Watch out Flickr!
Happy New Year!
I have a question: is it worth trying any of the ‘enhanced’ iPhone camera apps available? I’m predicting these will only enhance usability rather than results? I’m very curious.
Calling Sion someone who has “disqualified himself as an iPhontographer” is harsh. Not only does he produce brilliant photos, he’s also dedicated to this new art form like few others out there. I think we should embrace the fact that he’s paving the way for mobile shooters. We should do everything to support him, and many others like Knox who do good things for the iPhone photo community.
I got some photos published in Newsweek, taken with my iphone as well. I did put the photos and Newsweek layout on my blog. I thought you might be interested. http://blog.ericleleu.com/2009/11/01/newsweek-magazine-lik/
Congrats, Eric!! That was a very clever thing you did with the iPhone and it’s a GREAT recognition for you to be on Newsweek. I might recommend you to a good friend that might want to feature that story on his iPhone blog.
I’ve checked your website and left you a comment there. Hope you get to read it!
Best,
Sion.
PS: I wanna take the chance as well to publicly thank both Dominique and Scott for defending my position in the “What’s iPhoneography?” debate.
I heard many people say bad things about iphones and they don’t even make an effort to try them.
Anyway I love your photos Sion! I just took mine like a couple of days ago and I really like the result as well. Your artwork is my inspiration… Yay! =D
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