It's my Photography story! It was not to many years back that I got my first flip-phone and took my first phone photo . Yes, I know it blows your mind that my old phone could make calls, I could also text message from it and it could take photos. That's if you could figure out how to use it then point and click. Mind blowing right? It will be ok....just breath, I know amazing.
I had always wanted to dive into photography but never purchased what I thought was a real camera. Looking back now It’s very hard to imagine that. I never could afford a high end film camera when I was younger. I looked longingly at them many times. We did own a few family digital cameras and before that a couple of those instant cameras, what were they called a Polaroid? I took a few photos and peeled the paper back and waved my new photo in the air until it was dry. This is story is as bad as a telling you about using a rotary dial up phone, but I digress. These photos were not very great and the film over time changed colors. This was my world until my flip phone did away with this hassle. I would click away until my phone was full of photos. The challenge back then was what do you do with a photo on such a little tiny screen? So eventually I learned how to I transfer the photos to my computer but to be honest I was not impressed, my photos from my phone did not compare to the ones I would see in the magazines that I was reading at the time. Once you saw them on your computer screen they were horrible. Then bout 5 years latter everything changed, phones added video, high pixel count photos and then it happened, multiple lenses yes you could own a smartphone.
These new phones started an increase of photos posted online, new phone applications launched on social media like Pinterest and Instagram and the list goes on. Many of us started getting into Facebook hoping to see what someone else was doing on Saturday. These phones added flashes, music apps and even the quality of the screen resolution and size. Once these phones added video the switch flipped for me. My smartphone just fueled my passion for photography and videography. MY creative brain was engaged. Soon I took a leap and I purchased my first prosumer video camera, started my first YouTube Channel and about five years latter a very high end DSLR camera from Canon called the 5D Mark III. This camera could shoot full frame 1080p video and incredible high end photos. The reason I’m still very pro smartphone even after owning these amazing cameras is the simplicity, speed, portability as well as availability of a phone in my pocket. The phones I had a few years back did not even compare to that Camera.
So what’s is the point of this blog? Time is changing us and so are the tools we use to communicate. With this huge advancement in technology you can produce videos, podcast, shoot amazing photos and edit it all from your smartphone. In fact some of my friends, peers and family think I’m a bit weird. But I think I’m progressive. That getting my thinking outside of the flip phone box and seeing what the possibilities are has changed my life forever. I believe that the only reason that someone could not advance their passions and build their influence in the multimedia world we live in would be a lack of mentoring to use these amazing tools.
Social media is no longer a small part of what happens in our world today. Some now believe that it’s a critical part of our tools to grow, influence and even network around the world. It’s even caused a growth in artistic expression, more people are writing, posting, blogging and some even reconnect with lost family and friends. No it will never replace a real face to face conversation, some people need a 12 step program to be social without a phone in their hand. Yet that does not change the fact that these hand sized supper computers are here to stay and will expand and grow. With a little help you can use your phone to. It just may help you start positive change, it could help provide you one more great tool to launch your dreams, passions and allow you to film your grandchild's play in 4K.