iPhone Photowalk 2024 — Photographic Styles + SOOC / October 28, 2024 by Adrian Galli

Traditionally, I’ve had my new iPhone photography up within a few days of receiving my device. My photo walks usually take me around the city, and September and October are particularly great for photography in Chicago. With some new and exciting photographer-centric features like Photographic Style and Camera Control, I wanted to take a bit more time to explore them. Since I had a trip to Italy coming up, it seemed like an obvious choice to share more than just the Chicago photos I captured in a few days. Enjoy a bit of Italy and Chicago in this annual series of iPhonography.

All Shot on iPhone 16 Pro, all SOOC (straight out of camera) using Photographic Styles and/or minor cropping/straightening.

Traveling to Italy

Chicago

Shot on iPhone 16 Pro

Annual iPhone Photowalk — iPhone 15 Pro / October 18, 2023 by Adrian Galli

Those who know me have seen my iPhone photowalks every year since iPhone 5. While some might argue each iPhone is merely a “minor upgrade” from year to year, I beg to differ. Every year I find new and incredible changes to the camera in iPhone. Some years are bigger than others—one that comes to mind is iPhone 6.

iPhone 6 had such a great change in the quality of the camera, I still measure output of mobile device camera’s against it. Perhaps it was the lens, or the sensor, or a combination of both. Perhaps iOS and those hardware features serendipitously made for an outstanding union. Either way, iPhone 6, iPhone X, iPhone 12 Pro, were devices with cameras that stood out to me.

No, Grasshopper Portrait is not from this year’s iPhone 15 Pro, or last year’s iPhone, or that of the year before. Grasshopper Portrait is from iPhone 6—approaching nine years ago on a “measly” 8 megapixel camera. No special processing, no AI generating-whatever, no machine learning super resolution—just a good camera (and a good photographer, I like to think).

“A camera alone only captures light. Through skillful manipulation does that light become cinematography.”

— Adrian’s Life Rule #69

There is no denying that technology has evolved since then. iPhone 15 Pro is no different in its evolution but with new lenses, new sensors, new processing, I’ve rarely been as impressed with what I’ve been able to achieve with a mobile device camera as with iPhone 15 Pro.

This isn’t a review or a sales pitch, but a sampling of photos I have created using my iPhone 15 Pro over the past few weeks. From Chicago to Italy, I’ll let the image stand on their own.

Italy: Lucca, Bologna, Firenze

Chicago, USA

September — A Year in Photographs — Light and Shadow / October 6, 2023 by Adrian Galli

Photography means ‘photo,’ light, and ‘graphy,’ writing—writing with light. Black and white is also my favorite form reducing imagery down to shapes and patters. And there are fewer better times of year than September in Chicago for amazing light and shadows.

Striking blackness and sharp whiteness of sunlight or a flash splashing across cement or brick, making for dramatic contrast catches the attention of anyone who can see.

September is a tribute to the most basic of concept of photography—photographing simply how light plays against its opposite of shadow.

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