Bon Appétit insisted photographers shoot the main photos for its March issue with the iPhone 6s and documented their reactions to trading in their camera equipment for Apple’s flagship smartphone. Common complaints were a lack of fine control over depth of field and ability to keep lighting consistent, but New Orleans photographer Daymon Gardner said the experience was “liberating,” allowing him to keep everything more “conversational and loose” with the subjects as he shot photos. While he bought a couple of macro lenses to give the phone’s camera a boost, Gardner said he didn’t find them very effective. “The beauty of iPhone photography is that it’s very simple,” he said.
Chicago photographer Matt Haas also appreciated the phone’s abilities, particularly the ability to lock the autofocus and adjust the camera’s exposure. “Instagram has filters, but if you use this trick and get good exposure from the beginning, you won’t need them,” he said. While the professionals said they won’t be ditching their usual equipment any time soon, they noted fundamentals like composition and timing are the same regardless of what gear photographers use, even throwing out praise for the amateurs who choose to go without an expensive camera. “Photography is good no matter what you use, and I think there are iPhone photographers out there who take insanely good photos,” Gardner said.