Photographers sure do love their gear. But let’s be honest, with the awesomeness of smartphone cameras lately, it’s not always necessary to carry around a big professional camera. We’ve been totally blown away by some of the pro-quality smartphone photos posted by photographers. Enter the iPhone 11 Pro camera and its three lenses. Yeah.
We asked four seasoned photographers what they loved most about the iPhone 11 Pro camera, and some of what they said surprised us. We expected to hear about the amazing extra-wide angle lens and the game-changing portrait mode, but some pros also said that just having a high-quality camera at your fingertips is the most important thing.
And, p.s., for those of you who don’t have an iPhone 11 Pro… We’d just like to remind you that it’s the artist who makes the pictures and the moments captured that count. So embrace your smartphone cameras, pro-quality or not, and document this day.
1. I can photograph our environment perfectly.
From Jennifer Bogle
Daily-life documentarian and stock photographer
The iPhone 11 Pro Max is my ultimate daily-life, documentary camera. Whether it’s shooting hoops outside, or fevery kids snuggled in my lap on the couch, my iPhone photos usually aren’t about searching out the best locations or changing my environment, but rather about making the best of the moment I’m in, wherever that may be.
I’m usually late to the party with phone technology, so it was a splurge to jump straight from the iPhone 10 to the iPhone 11 Pro Max. So far, shooting with the iPhone 11 has been a dream and it’s definitely one of my favorite cameras to own and carry with me.
Extra-wide angles
I bought the iPhone 11 Pro Max for one feature — the extra wide lens. I’ve been using a third-party wide lens on my phone for years, so having it native to the camera is perfect for me. I like to include a lot of environment in my images, and living in the Pacific NW, I often have a lot of beautiful views I don’t want cropped out. I also love that the ultra-wide preview is on when I’m using the standard lens, showing the details outside of my chosen frame.Â
Portraits
I also (somewhat unexpectedly) love the portrait mode on my iPhone 11. With my old phone, I often needed a third party app to adjust my images. Now, not only can I adjust the depth of field in camera before shooting, it can be adjusted and edited after the fact! I also love that portrait mode on the iPhone 11 is available in a wider field of view. Though the camera defaults to the 2x portrait lens when you switch to that mode, a quick tap on that 2x button in the corner will switch you back to a wider field of view but keep you in portrait mode.
Jennifer Bogle is a family and Offset Stock photographer living in Washington State with her husband and three kids. The two best places she has ever found her images were on the back of the Cheerios box (her kids’ favorite), and National Geographic (hers). See more of Jennifer’s work on her website, or on Instagram.
2. It’s easy to create high-quality videos on the go.
From Keri Jones
Family photographer and videographer
For several years I tried to carry my DSLR everywhere. I use a Canon EOS 5d Mark IV for the majority of my professional work in family portraiture and videography. And, while I love using it to document my family, having two kids makes it harder than ever to carry my big camera plus lenses. Because I almost always have my phone on me, it has become my main tool for capturing our everyday moments.
I upgraded to the iPhone 11 Pro back in October from the iPhone 8 — right before our family trip to Disney World. I was so impressed with the camera, and after considering its convenience, I decided it would be my main camera for documenting our trip. It did not disappoint. I was able to capture some awesome memories while still enjoying the moments since I wasn’t having to worry about my DSLR.
The quality of the video is amazing. I love that I can shoot 4K at 60 fps, a capability that my DSLR does not have. To get more creative control and to reduce camera shake I pair a Zhiyun Smooth 4 gimbal with my iPhone 11 Pro. A great feature of the gimbal is that it can be used as a tripod as well.Â
I shot the clips in the video below at 4K, 24 fps and edited it in Adobe Premier Pro. I shot mostly in manual mode and adjusted the exposure to my liking on the Zhiyun Smooth 4. Then, I airdropped my files to my iMac, making it very easy. My kids love watching this video as much as I do. We are all able to look back fondly and remember some of favorite times at Disney World.
Keri Jones is a newborn and family photographer and videographer located in northeast Georgia. She is passionate about making family keepsake films and also capturing her own family.
3. The ability to switch lenses makes any photo possible.
From Kelley DallasÂ
Award-winning documentary and travel photographer
I started using my iPhone camera to its fullest potential about a year ago. At that time I was using the iPhone X, but I’ve since made the switch to iPhone 11 Pro, because of course I had to have the three lenses. I use my smartphone camera mostly for documenting my daughter, but I have also used it for travel photography.
As a candid photographer, I strive to document the authenticity of life and go beyond posed and staged scenarios. Always having a camera at arm’s reach is critical, so I don’t miss out on the moments that unexpectedly present themselves. Here’s how and why I use each of the iPhone 11 Pro lenses.
Extra-wide angle lens
I adore the addition of the extra wide angle — 13mm (1.54mm), f/2.4 (.5 label on the phone) — lens. I love to use this lens to highlight the subject by making it appear proportionally larger than it is. I also love the affect an extra wide-angle lens has on skies. And, of course, it is my go-to when I can’t step back far enough to get everything I want in the frame.
Wide-angle lens
For indoor photos where I want to capture more than a portrait, I gravitate towards the 26mm lens (the 13mm gets a little tricky indoors because of the potential distortion). Also, with a wide aperture of f/1.8, the 26mm (4.25mm) lens can let in more light than the f/2.4 extra-wide angle lens. If I want to use a shutter speed high enough to capture movement without blur, I use the 26mm extra-wide lens.
Portrait lens
When I want to get a portrait and minimize background distractions (portrait mode) or simply zoom in on a particular subject, I go for the 52mm (6mm, f/2.0) lens. I love the ability to change the f-stop in portrait mode and decide on the amount of background softness that looks the best, even after the photo has been taken (in edit mode).
Kelley Dallas is an award-winning visual storyteller interested in exploring the convergence of documentary and fine art photography. She is motivated to document real life and go beyond the posed, staged and expected. At home in Colorado, she focuses on capturing childhood through an unscripted and everyday life approach. She also has a passion for capturing the people, culture and scenes of her domestic and international travels. Some of her recent adventures include Japan, Cuba, and Italy.
4. The iPhone 11 camera helps me stay in the moment.
From Katie Zamykal
Lifestyle and documentary family photographer
I have never been one for using my phone for photos of anything that was of importance to me. Instead, I would lug around my Canon EOS 5D Mark IV. Then I started noticing incredible photos that others were capturing with their smartphone cameras, so I decided to start intentionally using my phone camera for those moments when I didn’t have my big camera along.
Learning to shoot with my smartphone camera has bought me a real sense of freedom.
Before, if we were going to the beach and I took my DSLR, I would be consumed with taking photos (because I had gone to the effort to bring and carry my big camera). When I take my iPhone, I don’t miss those special photo moments, but the rest of the time I get to put my phone in my pocket and be present.
Using the iPhone has also allowed me to let go of the need for the photo be perfect, sometimes life is fast and the moment may not be composed as I would have loved, but I am grateful for it regardless.
The greatest feature for me with the iPhone 11 is the fact that I generally have it close, which means I don’t miss the moment I see happening before me. It is then so easy to edit in my Lightroom Mobile app, print on my Instax Share SP-3 and either tape the photos in my dairy or pop into a glass photo box on my coffee table.
Katie Zamykal is a passionate and overexcited person who loves photographing families. She takes a documentary approach to photographing her own family and a lifestyle approach with her clients. You can find her at kzphotography.com.au or on Instagram.
Show us how you’re using your iPhone 11 Pro camera! We wanna see those wide-angle shots, portraits and everything else. And, if you don’t have an iPhone 11 Pro, remember there are other companies, such as Moment, that make wide-angle, telephoto, fisheye and macro lenses you can add to your smartphone camera. We can’t wait to see you on Instagram.
Need more inspo for using your smartphone cameras?
Here’s why a smartphone 365 project is the perfect way to document everyday life
Seeing square: 5 Tips for mobile photography composition
15 Must-have mobile photography apps for photographers
12 Of the best smartphone photographers on Instagram
8 Simple projects to inspire your mobile photography
