A close friend of mine (a huge Apple fan) got hers the day it was made available to the masses. She showed it off like it was a new diamond engagement ring. I was resistant. It seemed too heavy. Too complicated. Did way too many things that didn’t seem necessary for a cell phone. Well… I guess I got hit over the head with a bat or something, but one day I caved and got my very own shiny new iPhone.

Then began the slow and gradual love affair. I’ve now been a proud owner of my 1st generation iPhone for about 2 years. It has a couple of cracks in the screen already, from slipping out of my pocket a couple of times.  But it still works great, and since the robust 3.0 update I feel like I got a new phone. Anyway, I started using the camera to take snapshots of random stuff, my cats, self portraits, clouds in the sky, etc. The iPhone Apps market wasn’t even a thought at that point, at least not publicly. But now there is a huge amount of apps including a category for photo editing. These apps make the iPhone snapshots so much more interesting and fun. I go through periods where I just use my iPhone more than my Canon 5d, some of my Flickr friends like to affectionately comment on that when I show up to a meet without my 5d.

A growing number of people on Flickr, for example, have photo streams dedicated to their iPhoneOgraphy, including myself, I even have my own group just for camera phones. It’s so easy to just snap a shot, then upload it instantly from the iPhone to a Flickr account for all to see, no matter where I am. And with an app called Flickit I can even add it to my Flickr group. I’m still working on taking more artful shots with my iPhone and getting comfy with the apps that are available and discovering new ones that make me think of using it in a different way. In the meantime I get lucky with the occasional shot that can impress the hell out of any pro photographer out there! Some apps I’m using:

• ToyCamera
• iBlur
• PanoLab
• CameraBag
• Mill Colour

Here are what I consider my best iPhone shots to date:

2. The autumn season.
I don’t think a lot of people know that Raleigh, being a Southern locale, actually experiences all four seasons, including a beautiful, cool and colorful autumn. Myself, I was very pleasantly surprised to realize this the first year I was here.

3. The occasional light blanket of snow.
I have lived in a harsh snowy winter climate (Toronto) and an arid desert climate (Las Vegas) that rarely gets snow. A southwestern desert snowfall isn’t quite as beautiful since there aren’t many trees around.  Here in Raleigh I seem to have found the perfect balance. When it snows in Raleigh, which it might once or twice each winter, it is a true winter wonderland. With all the city parks, rolling landscapes, tall trees and the beautiful sky as a back drop. Such a treat for me, indeed. Especially since I know it won’t last too long!

I generally use only 3 exposures (I set them at -2 EV, 0 EV, 2 EV) since the auto-bracket setting of my Canon EOS 5D only allows 3 auto successive exposures. I’ve tried doing six with more variance in exposure stops but find that the camera gets moved ever so slightly, and just enough to ruin the composition when I fiddle with the menu buttons to re-set the auto-bracket… I probably just need a better tripod to solve that problem!

Compare the two black & white photos below- HDR & non-HDR (single exposure, neutral 0EV), for the monochrome setting I applied a green filter on both:

And compare the color HDR & non-HDR (single exposure, neutral 0EV):

At first glance you may not see a lot of difference in the two b&w versions, but the main differences are in the blending of the water – it has become much smoother, and the tone of the trees in the background is different. And of course these are relatively small images on a computer screen. If you were to compare large prints the differences in details would be more discernable.

Photo descriptions:

Classy Pub
A local patron’s fedora casts a mysterious atmosphere at The Landmark Tavern, Raleigh. A classic pub-style establishment catering to the local and fervent beer culture.

Gözleme
Turkish women sitting on the floor around a low table preparing traditional Gözleme at the annual Turkish Festival, NC State Fairgrounds, Raleigh. Gözleme is a savoury traditional hand made and hand rolled pastry. Filled and sealed, then cooked over a griddle.

The Hottest Men
Prideful cowboys resting after an impassioned bout of bull riding at one of Carousel Farms, Raleigh weekly events. Bull riding and barrel racing is claimed to be the “hottest” thing going on in Raleigh.

Saptapadi
During this traditional Hindu wedding ceremony, held in Raleigh,  the leaves underfoot represent the Seven Steps, or Saptapadi. It is said in Hindu philosophy that if two people walk seven steps together then they will remain lifelong friends. Each nut atop the leaf represents each promise they make with each step. Food is involved in almost every stage of the ceremony, including candy.

Bio written for this exhibit:

Having spent most of my formative years in a bustling multi-cultural city – Toronto, Ontario, Canada,
I have become accustomed to being surrounded by many different ethnic people, lifestyles and traditions.
I consider myself lucky to have been immersed in such an interesting environment. Each person is unique,
and no matter their origin, religion or way of life they each have a fascinating story to tell. Whether orally,
or by their actions. As an observer it is only natural for me to want to shoot what I see as it happens. I tend
to quietly look for natural actions and be fascinated by the nuances of body language. A person’s stance,
facial expression, motion of the hand, or sitting posture can alone invoke emotion, imagination and
curiosity.

Since my arrival in Raleigh, North Carolina in late 2007 I have spent time attending events and festivals
that represent the small but present multi-cultural facet of life in Raleigh. I am honored to have been
invited to show my photography for the ‘Somewhere in Raleigh’ exhibit here at the Cameron Village Library.
I hope that the photos I’ve chosen collectively succeed in revealing a snapshot of the diverse community
that exists in this beautiful little city I now call my home.

I will update with even newer photos in the near future, and will be culling to try and keep each gallery to a maximum of 20 of my favorite photos. Please check them out when you get a few moments, thanks & enjoy!

By the way, I’m working on uploading newer photos to my online store at Imagekind as well, there is a link from my home page.

Here is a sampling of a few of them: