Why I prefer the iPhone 5 to a DSLR camera.

I remember how excited I felt 5 years ago when I was about to purchase my first "real camera". The new Nikon D90 has just been released and I was convinced that THIS was the best bang for the buck... or at least that this camera would improve my photography skills and business opportunities making it a worthy investment. This was the decision I made after carefully reviewing all the DSLR cameras.

While still in the parking lot of the camera store, I had to put it all together so I could try it out on my drive home. I was so eager that I didn't want to take the time to read any of the instructions and I nearly broke the lens while mounting it on the camera body for the first time. For the next 2 years I lugged that beast around almost everywhere I went, which was really a big hassle but still seemed like my best option until I decided to get a Sony Cybershot which was very small compared to the D90. Since I was literally able to take my camera anywhere I went, the Cybershot gave me a lot more flexibility. I never had to miss a photo taking opportunity anymore and so this little camera slowly became my main camera of choice, just for the freedom that it offered. Soon, I practically forgot that I had the D90 and it sat on my shelf just collecting dust and showing some signs of jealousy from the relationship that I was forming with the Cybershot.

All during this time I was still using a "dumb" phone. This phone had a 1.3 mp camera that in no way even came close to offering the kind of quality to be able to take a decent photo. But by now, I had my eye on the newer iPhones and started seeing some pretty impressive photos being shot on these little devices. I finally got my first iPhone earlier this year. Suddenly the rest of the shackles fell off and I felt completely liberated. Not only did I always have my camera with me, but I always had it in my hand, always ready to get that shot. This camera was so fast that I could just click off the photos very fast, with what seems like no lag at all from the time I press the button until the photo has been shot. The ability to easily email or post the photos online was a nice effect too. I started to document the cool things that I saw and experienced as I could shoot, then post the better or more interesting photos immediately and all while hanging out of the car passenger window even. Posting my photos instantly to Facebook was something I did mainly to have a single place to keep these types of photos, sort of documenting my life. At least this was the main reason I started doing this. My secondary motive was as simple as finding some joy in sharing the beautiful and very interesting things that I experienced with the world... or just whoever happened to see them.

I will admit that I have from time to time read about some of the newer cameras, such as the Sony NEX series, which I've had my eye on since right after I got the brick camera, my D90, which I no longer have, btw... but that is for future post. I've even been offered the full use of a nice Nikon D80 and politely declined since I really seem to prefer to shoot with my iPhone 5. I do realize that some of the other smart phones now have better cameras and also have the capability of shooting better in low light conditions. I also realize that there are a lot of limitations when almost solely using a smart phone camera, such as a good quality zoom. But for now at least, I choose to have these limitations in return for the utter convenience and simplicity of shooting with my iPhone 5. (Almost) Everything I need on the go is now in the palm of my hand. Internet, email, useful apps... and the only camera I really need.

That 41 mp Nokia 808 Pureview looks interesting.... but it uses Windows 8. I think I will stick with my iPhone for now.

Take a look at some more of the photos I shot on the iPhone 5.

Here's a whole bunch I shot from a moving car a few months ago.
http://www.stacyyoungblog.blogspot.com/2013/07/oregon-countryside-lots-of-barns-farms.html

written by Stacy Ann Young
StacyYoungArt.com

Some crazy dreams; driving a semi, stepping over snakes and being in a Hollywood studio... from last night!

I had many crazy dreams last night and most of them have already faded, but I will recount what the pieces of the dreams that I remember.

In the most recent dream, I was sitting in the passenger seat of a semi truck and the driver jumped out at a red light, leaving it running and didn't come back soon enough, so I had to try driving it from the passenger seat. I was mostly steering the truck, until I came to another red light and I remember feeling slow acting, so I couldn't react fast enough to jump into the driver seat and take control of it, but luckily, just a split second before I got to the intersection, the light turned green and I just kept on truckin. Then I managed to get into the driver seat and was now in full control of it, except that I have never driven a semi truck before! But I have driven a stick, so I used what I knew and managed it. I went on for another 10 minutes in traffic like this and was actually starting to feel a little proud of this accomplishment too! But I knew I needed to turn around at some point and go back to pick up the driver, who I think I remember being a friend of mine in real life, but the memory of exactly who this person is has faded since waking up. I came up to a roomy shopping center parking lot, so decided to turn around there. Then as I was slowly driving through the parking lot, next to the shopping center, some people who were walking very slow, made me have to stop abruptly. They then looked up and apologized, then got out of the way and I kept driving, back out to the road and on my way back to pick up my friend.... when I woke up.

Before this dream, I was visiting a Hollywood studio for some other reason, than working there in some capacity, was there for other business, which I'm not sure what that was.  I had my camera with me and was taking pictures of some of the interior rooms, as well as a few of the people. I did see a couple famous people and took pictures of them. I remember feeling a little excited about that opportunity too. At one point I was in a movie set room with a few other people and we were waiting for someone to arrive to do a shoot. Then some strange things happened in this room and it became all messed up and full of dust, with the appearance that it has been there for a long time. Then a director showed up and was full of glee that it looked like that and he said it was perfect now. Then I helped him carry in some large pieces of furniture that were very antique looking. This is all I remember of this segment.

Before this dream, I was just trying to get somewhere, walking at night throught the countryside with a friend. He said he needed to go through the woods and get something and would be back later. I was supposed to sit there and wait. But a few minutes after he left, I thought I would venture into the woods and try to find my way and catch up with him. I remember at one point feeling that familiar dream paralysis, where I could just barely move and everything I did was so slow. I was sitting down on the ground and noticed a large snake in front of me. It wasn't moving and I thought it might be dead, but I didn't want to touch it and find out, so I tried to step over it, but I could hardly move. Finally I got over it and then saw another snake, just like that one. I repeated this same process, then immediately found a third snake! This is all I remember of this dream sequence, but at some point during the same dream, I realized I had to cross a huge field to get my shoes and socks, which I left there earlier. This field had 5 long rows of Christmas lights laid out from one end to the other, each strand was about 25 feet away from the other and they were parallel to each other. So I walked across the field and that seemed to take a long time to do. When I finally got to my shoes, a farmer who owned the field was near my shoes and I introduced myself and told him I was just there to get my shoes. He was apprehensive at first, but when he realized that I really did just want to get my shoes and go on, he seemed a bit more at ease. I also asked him about his Christmas lights which were strung across his field and he told me that it was something he had to do. He began to explain the reason, but I really didn't understand and it made no sense. This is all I remember of this segment.

So, it was a busy night and I woke up feeling like I needed to rest a little more, to recover from my dreams!