Phone Photos

Mark Littlejohn

Mark Littlejohn is a landscape photographer based on the edge of the English Lake District. He specialises in moody, atmospheric early morning conditions and offers bespoke one-to-one workshops and Lakeland tours.

marklittlejohnphotography.com

I’ve used my phone to capture wee scenes ever since they first put cameras on the buggers. I love them. Being a reactive as opposed to a creative photographer they are a very useful tool. On occasion, I’m sure some of us will have gone out with their cameras but forgotten the memory card. On one occasion I carried my camera bag all the way to the top of a big old hill and when I opened the bag I had seven or eight lenses but no camera. It was on the hall table at home. But I’ve never forgotten my phone. Which is handy for catching those wee moments that would otherwise pass us by. I’ve never really felt the urge to get involved in the whole camera snobbery thing. My reasoning for buying a newer DSLR wasn’t to lord it over the guy next door.

The phone also suits a more fluid style of photography. You shoot and move. No fussing about with a tripod. No faffing on with manual focus. No humming and hawing over which lens to use. And live view is up and running already. You can instantly see if the shot works or if it’s a bust. No worries if it doesn’t work. Bung the phone back in the pocket and walk away, whistling a happy tune. There is no pressure attached to a phone shot. It is simply used to capture a passing moment in time.