So you use your smartphone camera often?
“Yes I do! I spend a lot of time mountain biking and it’s always a mission to carry a proper camera. I’ve actually had photos published in Men’s Health Magazine using the iPhone, it printed perfectly. If you know how to use it, you can get good images.”
Really?
“You have to get your angles right and shoot at the right time of day. If you’re shooting with an iPhone the secret is to know what the limits are, such as the shutter speed and if you’re shooting into sun you’re going to struggle. But with burst mode it’s pretty quick, about 11fps, which is good enough to pick out the exact shot you want to use. And you can get precise action shots in good light. I have a lot of action photos I’ve done with my iPhone.”
How has the technology evolved?
“As soon as the first iPhone came out I got my hands on one. The sensor and lens quality have seen huge improvements. Every time a new iPhone comes out we do detailed shots of jewellery to see the quality and every time you can see the difference. The iPhone is pretty much the perfect camera to have in your pocket all the time.”
When else would you use it?
“If I’m doing location scouting I use my phone to get the metadata to know where I was, what time I took the photo and I may even geotag the spot. Besides photography, the phone is really useful for apps like Sungazer that shows you exactly when the sun will set and from what angle and direction.”
But your DSLR is still king?
“There’s no comparison to a good DSLR with good lenses. On Instagram, you can tell if someone’s shot with his or her phone or a DSLR. Depth of field is not something you have on a smartphone. If you know how to use a DSLR you can make a pro photograph. To have a DSLR with Wi-Fi that you can shoot straight to your phone and social media? That’s where the big push is coming now. Everybody wants to share their photo immediately.”
Lastly, any tips for taking better images with your phone?
“Don’t be too scared to experiment. Shoot as much as possible, shoot into the sun, shoot from every angle. Get creative and that’s the way you learn. You’re not shooting film so it’s not costing any money.”
Craig is a Red Bull photographer based in Cape Town, South Africa. Check out his website and Instagram feed for more of his work.
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Shooting on iPhone with Craig Kolesky
Real photographers don’t use smartphones for their work, right? Wrong. Here’s why Red Bull photographer Craig Kolesky’s a big fan of his.

© Craig Kolesky