Lately, I’ve found myself reaching for my phone more often when taking photos, not out of convenience alone, but because it genuinely fits certain moments better than my main camera. After reflecting on this shift, I realized the reasons might not be what you’d expect.
Let me start by saying this: I never consider myself a “phone photographer.” But that doesn’t mean I look down on phone photography. Far from it. I’ve seen people create absolute magic with nothing more than a smartphone. A phone, like any camera, is just a tool — and any tool shines when used with intention, in the right place and time.
Here are a few points I’ve learned from my ongoing journey with phone photography:
Makes You Inconspicuous
If you’ve ever tried photographing people with a camera, you know how aware they become the moment a lens is pointed their way. Some shy away, others glare, and a few might play along and pose. Of course, it depends on where you are — in Japan, where I live, people often apologize for stepping into my frame. In Indonesia, my home country, people are far more likely to flash a smile and strike a pose.
But with a phone? Nobody bats an eye.
People take photos with their phones every time, and we are conditioned to it nowadays. This is the ultimate advantage of phone photography in my opinion — it makes you less intrusive and gives you access to more natural, intimate moments.
Timing is Everything
The second thing I want to highlight is that sometimes things unfold before your own eyes at breakneck speed. This is more prominent in street photography compared to landscape photography. And unless you have a camera ready at all times, there is a chance that you will miss the shot.
Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t always wear my camera around my neck. If I know I won’t be actively scanning the environment for a photo-op, I wouldn’t take my camera out of the bag. With a phone, you can frame, shoot, and even edit in seconds.
It’s about readiness — and sometimes, speed beats gear.
Let’s Go Wide
Phone cameras tend to default to wider angles, with many now featuring ultra-wide lenses. This makes them surprisingly good for tight spaces or when you want to exaggerate a scene’s scale.
This is another good reason for me as I regularly use a 50mm for everyday walk lens. That cool-looking building there would be great framed with some people on it, as a scale comparison to emphasize how big the building is? A phone can do that.
Quality-wise? It’s Awesome
Which brings us to the last point. Let’s just be honest here. Phones have come a long way; in general, they have evolved from producing low-resolution images 10 years ago to creating images with quality on par with modern cameras.
And though in my opinion, image processing via software is still optically inferior to hardware, phones make great enough photos for our everyday enjoyment. At times, it’s rather hard to discern which photos were taken using phones or not, at least for me.
And there you go, those are the 4 lessons I felt compelled to share.
These are just personal takeaways — observations from someone who still prefers the weight and depth of a dedicated camera, but who’s learning to appreciate the power of a phone.
I’ll always reach for my camera when it matters most. But I’m no longer surprised when a memorable photo comes from my pocket.
Still don’t believe me? These photos below might convince you.
