Conveniently capturing memories

Last week in the aftermath of the El Paso and Dayton mass shootings, it didn’t seem appropriate to post about something I love. But this week, I’m back at it…

A phone booth on the streets of Toronto, captured with my iPhone.

I grew up taking pictures with my dad’s Minolta manual focus SLRs. I learned to shoot on film and develop it myself in a darkroom. I eventually switched to autofocus and then to digital.

We took lots of pictures with the SLR when Norah was little, but gradually, we switched away from having a “big” camera. We first found ourselves using point and shoot cameras more often and then, with the advent of the iPhone, we started using the built-in camera for most things. It has limitations, but I love my iPhone camera.

Easy to carry. I just got back from Toronto and walked all over the city, taking pictures as I walked. I could have done that with an SLR or mirrorless camera, but then I’d have to lug the camera around. My iPhone stays in my pocket until I need it. (Plus, it’s always with me, anyway.)
High (enough) quality. I know that images from SLRs and mirrorless cameras are higher quality, especially with a high quality lens. But for what I use it for — mostly posting to Instagram or this website — the quality is high enough. The camera on the iPhone seems to get even better every year. (And Google Pixel users claim that their camera is even better.)
Creative procrastination. There are lots of ways to waste time on a smart phone — games, social media, etc. — but sorting, editing and posting pictures is one of the most creative ways you can burn 20-30 extra minutes before a meeting or appointment.

For now, I post many of my images on Instagram, but I’m looking at some non-Facebook options.

Bob Wertz writes about design, technology and pop culture at Sketchbook B. Bob is a Columbia, South Carolina-based designer, researcher, college instructor, husband and dad. He’s particularly obsessed with typography, the creative process and the tools we use to create. Follow Bob on Instagram.