*lowercase intentional*
smartphones have singlehandedly turned everyone into photographers. literally and sarcastically. the birth of social media has given way to the “show it now” mindset. “I look cute” (show it now); “look at the dog humping a towel” (show it now); “look a fight” (WORLDSTAR!!!!!!). you, the reader, get the point.
smartphones have also opened the door to creativity [inserts bookmark]. now, by nature, human beings are creative to certain degrees. we have a simple yet huge entity within us commonly known as imagination. however, I personally feel smartphones (and social media as a whole) has exposed said natural tendency. an expose that has tainted the true essence of creativity (depending on the level and intent of said creation).
true ametur to professional media enthusiasts (photo, video, graphics, music) took advantage of the great potential of the new age technology. just in the past five to ten years smartphones have become a playground for serious creativity and work flow with a wide range of apps geared specifically toward the creation of media content. however, the boom in said technology also gave way to the not so serious social media community who may very well use the devices for it’s original intent. see the irony? bottom line, smartphones enabled the opportunity of choice for its intended user; any and everybody. personally, I reconnected with my first media love: photography. having the ability to take pictures at will opened up my eyes to the world around me just as editing apps created the path for me to share with the world how I see it creatively.
such bliss cannot exist without a sense of debate on what’s real versus a waste of time. “the best camera is the one you have with you;” a debatable statement that gave me a sense of encouragement during my early days of what has now become to be called “mobile photography.” of course said statement is broad and simple considering the number of selfies that flood Instagram and Facebook by the second; a camera is always handy. and of course the viral videos of anything ranging from cute pets to fights to crimes against humanity proves that the world is literally subject to recording and posting for all to see. easy access; yet for how long?
for what it’s worth smartphones can be looked upon in a variety of levels in regard to media. be it skilled or unskilled, anyone taking advantage of a camera phone is a photographer. be it a featurette or a quick upload to Facebook or YouTube, anyone taking advantage of the video recording feature is a videographer. I could talk about the need for training and proper use of such a powerful tool for everyday life; but that would only minimize the adventure in enjoying life through mobile media. just keep in mind holding the phone sideways allows you to get a wider and sometimes better shot than holding it up the normal way………..