iPhone vs Photographer; Do I Need to Hire a Pro Anymore?

The latest release of the iPhone is pretty legit, right? I mean, multiple cameras, all of the pixels, and a variety of settings that can help you take photos like a pro is super handy. It gives the average person access to creating images that only professional photographers used to take. Phones today can rival many digital cameras out there in in features + quality. Even I take a few of my business photos with my phone and you should see the shot of the moon my husband took with his google phone the other night. Basically everyone can be a photographer now, right? Maybe. Let’s round-table this discussion. Pull up a chair and jump in whenever you want!

I’ve been seeing so many courses and guides lately advertising to teach you how to shoot like a pro using just your iPhone and I have a couple thoughts about it. First of all, yes, you absolutely can take amazing photos with just your phone that help you to capture the daily life of your family or grow your business. There’s no doubt about that. But while you’re staging, snapping and re-snapping images, you’re missing one key to images that stop people in their tracks. Guidance. Guidance from an experienced photographer changes the game. You can fake emotion with or try the same pose 45 times to get one that looks good enough, but your phone isn’t going to tell you when you need to take a step to the right to block out the post coming out of your head, nor is it going to tell you to take that hair-tye of your wrist or to adjust your chin this way to get the best angle for the shape of your face. Your phone isn’t going to give you prompts that bring out genuine emotion to create an authentic connection with your partner/family. Your phone simply cannot save you the hours of trial and error to tell you where the best light and mood is going to be.

No, friends. That’s where a professional photographer comes in. Again, I’m not saying you can’t create amazing images on your phone without a photographer, but to level up - I do believe you need one.

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A professional photographer is going to save you so much time in the long run. Trust me, I’ve tried taking family photos with my husband and dog, running back and forth between the tripod and telling my hubs what we need to try differently each time. He was ready to run away by the time we were done (bless his heart). We were supposed to be capturing photos that showed our love and only 2 photos turned out out of more than I’m willing to admit. And you know what? We were both feeling irritated and stressed by the end of it, which is exactly the opposite of what a photo session should be like! A photo session should inspire, encourage and bring out the best in you. If you have a partner, it should build connection, enhance intimacy and simply be fun! If it’s for your business, it should make you feel proud of your product/service, confident and powerful in what you’re creating. If it’s for your family, it should make you feel like a happy playdate with your kids.

If taking your own photos doesn’t feel this way, outsource those photos, love! Life is too short.

What do you think? Can anyone with a good phone be a photographer or are professionals still needed today? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.