Pictures Have Never Been Easier

When I was pregnant with Arden, Jim and I decided that we needed to get a "good" camera.  Sorry, rinky-dink point and shoot, but we wanted "profesh" grade pictures of our kids.  We did minimal research and found a camera that we love(d).  Naturally, we ran to Target that very day and plunked down our benjamins and walked out with a camera that was more expensive than my wedding dress.  That camera is amazing.  The photo quality is impeccable and I absolutely LOVE the moments that have been captured, like these:

But as time goes on, I'm reaching for our big,  good camera less and less; these days, it's all about my iPhone 4s and as it turns out, I don't think I'm alone.  I've been reading on a few other mom-blogs about the camera phone replacing a professional grade quality camera and like these women, I'm not feeling bad about it.  I'm sure each of them have their reasons, mine is two-fold: first, I'm trying harder to capture more organic moments and lugging around a two pound camera with a big, dangly strap isn't conducive to that and second, I'm lazy; obviously, laziness is more of a factor than I care to admit.

Lately, I've been feeling a little guilty.  After capturing hundreds of moments with the good camera during Jameslyn's first week, the dslr camera has been sitting on the counter since then, staring at me.  However, my phone, which is in my hand more than it should be (tisk, tisk), has been snapping away.  One day, I'm very sure that I will be glad that I've heard the apple-camera-snap more than the authentic dslr click and I've all but resigned myself to the fact that these pictures are going to make up the majority of my children's photo documentation.

Despite my acceptance of my phone replacing my dslr, I wish that phone pictures were better quality.  But wait, there's hope for people like me and it goes a little something like this: photo editing apps and basic photographic skill, both of which Kelle Hampton has helped me explore.  Recently, I read her how-to tips and I'm glad that I did, these are all useful, practical ideas that can be used with both a dslr and a camera phone.  After a few days of being conscious of her tips while taking pictures, I think my point of view behind the lens has changed... for the better.

Don't get me wrong though, photo editing apps like Afterlight are still my jam and for good reason, the quality of the iPhone will never hold a candle to the dslr (check out the before and after below).  These days, with a little luck and the right exposure, I'm pleased with the photos that I'm taking; although, I think it helps that the subjects of my photos are beyond cute, because there ain't no app for that!