The iPhoneography Showcase of Matthew Burrows
Thursday, December 10, 2009 at 2:00PM | Glyn Evans As somebody who teaches high school English for a living, I have always strived to help my students notice the beauty of subtlety in both writing and life. And it is this beauty that I strive to focus on in my photography.
Photography is more than a just a way to document moments in my life, it’s a way to interpret them—to give them meaning.
As a result, many of the subjects I photograph are of the mundane variety—the things too often overlooked. My goal is to present them in an interesting way. And this is why the iPhone has become my go-to camera. It’s always with me. Always.
But I must give credit where credit is due. It was this very blog that sparked my interest in iPhoneography. Months before I even had my iPhone, I stumbled across a post Glyn had done on Sion Fullana. I remember thinking, “He’s taking amazing photos with a…gasp…cellphone?” Not only was I impressed, but I was also inspired. Here was the iPhone—the great photography equalizer.
To me, the iPhone levels the playing field. Even though I enjoy shooting with my Nikon, there was always a feeling that my pictures could never measure up to the gorgeous photographs that fill magazines, books, and hang in galleries. To be blunt, I don’t have the money to invest in studio lighting, thousand dollar lenses and cameras. But now, for a few dollars in photo apps, everybody who uses an iPhone seems equal.
It comes down to composition and capturing the right moment. It comes down to treating the iPhone like the legitimate camera that it is. With this in mind, I tend to do very little post-processing of my photos. ShakeItPhoto is, without a doubt, my favorite app and often the only one I use to process a photo. Other than that, the apps used for some of the following photos include: Photogene, Cool FX, and TiltShift Generator.
Thank you to Glyn (who further encouraged my interest in iPhoneography by taking me on as a contributing writer until the school year started and I was again swamped with essays to grade). Thank you to Sion Fullana (whose iPhone photography sparked my initial interest in the iPhone).
Finally, thank you to all photographers I have met through Flickr (especially Terry Johnston [powerbooktrance] and the rest of the Grand Rapids Flickr group who have treated me with unexpected respect and encouragement). Your feedback and advice are truly appreciated. Thank you so very much.
More of my iPhone photos can be seen on Flickr.
“There are Angels in Your Angles”
“R.I.P. Dorothy Gale (She Just Kept on Following that Yellow-Brick Road)”
“And That Was the Last I Saw of Her...”
“Timeless” 
“Nightmares & Dreamscapes”
“Ostracized”
“Hold Still...We're Being Watched”
“The Odd Couple”
“I've Got My Eye on You”
“I Think It Was the Waiting That Gave Me the High Blood Pressure...”If you would like to showcase your iPhone photos here on the iPhoneography blog, then send me an email and I'll reply with details on how to submit.
Reader Comments (16)
Woohoo! Finally! This is a wonderful selection of images from someone I believe to be one of the most interesting, creative and supportive iPhoneographers around. Matt's ability to make the mundane interesting (as he mentions above) is quite unique and well honed. Perhaps it its the teacher in him, but he is also very lucid and generous with his observations and comments of other's work on Flickr. Definitely check out his Flickr stream as there are many more jewels to be found. Congrats Matt!
Absolutely stunning showcase, Matt! Each and every one of them has character and could tell its own story.
Beautiful composition and processing.... terrific work
Amazing! Kudos..
WOW! Nice work Matt!
Wonderful work, Matt!
I'm so glad you finally showcase here. And for what concerns me, you make me feel proud that my iPhone work got you inspired to start creating yourself, as we get these amazing examples of a great art that you might have kept hidden otherwise...
These photos are truly a vision of an artist that sees and reflects the world with delicacy and interest in the beauty of the small details. I sympathize a lot with that. And I hope I'll be seeing a lot more of your work. Big hug for you!
there's not much more to add here. love your work Matt!
Jon: I truly appreciate the kind words (here and on Flickr). You constantly keep me pushing the limits of the iPhone with your amazing talent of seeing beyond the obvious and creating photos that can only be described as art. Thank you so very much my friend.
Tony: Wow, I don't know what to say. Your comment is one I always hope to inspire in people. Really appreciate it. Really.
Karl: Composition is something I try to always be mindful of, so your comment is truly appreciated. As for the processing, I am one that tends to very little post processing. That said, ShakeItPhoto is the best $0.99 I've ever spent. The other apps I used in some of the above photos (TiltShift Generator, Cool FX, and Photogene) are also worth checking out, as they perform certain, specific functions beautifully.
Peter & Max: Thanks! I really really appreciate it.
Sion: Humbled. Thanks not only for the inspiration, but also for the kind words. They really mean a lot coming from you (somebody who also sees the world with an eye for the beauty of nuance). Like you mention, it's the small details and subtle differences in subjects that make them not only beautiful, but memorable. lol..and a big hug back!
Dominique: lol...duly noted! You know I feel the same way about your work. Keep it up and keep me inspired! Thanks for the comment and take care.
Very inspiring. Thank you for sharing your talent.
Very very nice. Great work.
Damon: Means a lot. Thanks so much for checking it out & leaving a comment. I really appreciate it.
Jordi: And I appreciate your comment very, very, very much. ;-)
really nice, very interesting composition work, i like it ¡¡¡
Gonzalo: Not to sound cliche', but the iPhone really brought back a sense of playfulness to photography, and composition is one of the things I've experimented with the most. There are always a variety of ways to approach a subject, and part of the fun is figuring out how to best do it. Thanks so much for the comment!
Congrats Mr. Matt! Excellent and oh so inspiring work you share with us
Did you know that you are Shakeitphoto photographer of the month?
http://shakeitphoto.com/
Congrats again to you and keep up the great work!
Congrats on all your success. :) You are an amazing photographer.
Chaos: It really means a lot to read this & know that my work has inspired somebody as so many others have inspired me. I don't really know what else to say except, "Thank you. Thank so so very much." As for the ShakeItPhoto photographer of the month, I'm humbled to have been selected.
Kristine: Greatly appreciated. What a great comment to wake up to. :-) And though I'm completely flattered by your kind words, it is all the great photographers on Flickr & elsewhere that I have to thank for inspiring me by sharing pieces of thier life with me--with us. There are countless ways to interpret what we see, and I feel that this makes photography not only enjoyable, but important. Again, thanks for the comment!