Starting up my desktop after just two weeks vacation, I was faced with a deluge of activity. First, my Mac informed me that there were OS updates available. Opening Adobe, it informed me of updates for Photoshop, Lightroom and Camera Raw. Checking my iPhone, I saw it was uploading images to the cloud, meanwhile Apple Photos on my desktop was downloading pictures from that very same amorphous locale. As if there was some conspiracy to use every bit of available bandwidth, a scheduled backup to my off-site storage kicked off as well as a backup to time machine.
Transferring images from my cameras, reseting their timezones, and updating the Lightroom Catalogue wrapped-up the storm. None of these things is unexpected, it is simply the intensity of activities that is noteworthy.
Some statistics on our trip:
- Places visited: Kaiserslautern, Salzburg and Munich
- Departure: 2024-09-29 @13:56
- Return: 2024-10-14 @20:12
- Purpose: visit family (first since COVID)
- Number of photographs: 2006
- GFX: 54
- iPhone: 1063
- Leica: 873
- Other: 16
I think it is noteworthy that the majority of photographs were taken with the iPhone. Its ease of use and that it is unobtrusive, play a role. As well the image quality is sufficient for many situations. Furthermore, its integration with social media tools greatly simplifies the production and distribution process. But its image quality on the small format of the iPhone is misleading and can encourage one to over estimate the phone’s capabilities. It is only when you get home, and look at the results, that the short-comings become apparent:
- Poor quality / doesn’t scale well
- Needs good light conditions
Artistically there are other limitations that Apps attempt to deal with, but few can replicate the control and versatility one has with a camera-lens combination.
No doubt someday these contains will be over-come, but for now it is important to keep them in mind.
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