The Art of iPhone Photography in Orange County (PHOTOS)

Aim well, shoot fast, and scram." -- Henri Cartier-Bresson

If Cartier-Bresson was still taking photos today, he would ditch his Leica and be taking photos with an iPhone. At least, that is the view of Knox Bronson, a curator, composer and iPhoneographer who has been gathering a stunning gallery of iPhone photos on his site: P1XELS the art of the iPhone.

Bronson, who is a purist, is only interested in collecting photos that have not in any way been manipulated outside of the phone by a computer:

Early on, I discovered, to my great dismay, that some people, even well-known iPhonographers, manipulated their pictures on the computer. This instantly seemed wrong. I knew that the only way to keep the medium pure was to not allow computer manipulation: otherwise we would just be another Photoshop site, of which there were and are thousands. I hold true to this tenet to this day: the art form is defined by the device, the iPhone itself.

There are, of course many applications that can be used directly on the iPhone to create effects. For anyone who would like to learn more about these applications, Bronson recommends a visit to the site: Life in Lo-Fi: iPhoneography.

iPhoneography, which Bronson characterizes as "an underground art form emerging from its infancy," is the subject of a real world exhibition, on view at the Orange County Center For Contemporary Art through April 28th. The slideshow below features Bronson's hand-picked selection of 10 images from the show.

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Candace by Christian Peacock

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PIXELS @ OCCCA An exhibition of iPhone photography

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Comments

[Reservoir Dan]

04:03 PM on 06/03/2011

These comments accusing the artists of taking photos of paintings or of other pictures are insane. My picture included above, Second Last of Autumn, was shot in my hometown of Milton, Ontario by me on my phone and manipulated by me on my phone with a host of apps. None of these pictures are of paintings or other photographs. What could possibly have given you this notion? Good lord the spew that comes out of people's keyboards because of the anonymity of the internet - you should be ASHAMED for making such an unfounded and ridiculous assertion - in fact if any of these ignorant fools had the pride to put their own names to their comments I doubt this kind of nonsense would even be typed much less published.

[OPa Infinity]

01:50 PM on 05/21/2011

Taking a photo of another photo, or painting, is worse than manipulating your own original photo with photoshop. Besides, what happens when photoshop makes an application for the iPhone? If he took a photo of a photo or painting that I originated I would sue him for copyright violation. One of the reasons that some art galleries and museums do not allow cameras, the photographer would be copying the work of an artist. I am amazed that the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art would display such work.

[Knox Bronson]

02:25 AM on 06/03/2011

All of these images are original photographs shot on the iPhone and manipulated on the iPhone. They are not pictures of pictures. They are original works of art created solely on the tiny iPhone with its limited lens and buggy applications. Please read the article and visit the site http://pixelsatanexhibition.com before posting such blithering ignorance again.

[OPa Infinity]

01:30 AM on 06/05/2011

Name calling, the first sign of a weak argument.

I did read the article, and visited the site. My comment stands, as my opinion. I was hardly the only one that believed some were pictures of pictures.

Did Roger Guetta actually make the leather art design he took a picture of?

As to the original article, “Cowboys and Indians: Mum’s The Word” by Jon Betts, is a single picture of what, with only effects added on the iPhone?

Your “Tomorrow Mandala For Tomorrow People” is a picture of what originally? Did you draw the picture of the chicken?

[laleche]

08:37 AM on 05/21/2011

Actually if you look close it is a small version of a woman laying on top of a man. The white fabric is his underwear/shorts. Towards the top left of the woman you can see the hair line and the belly button.

[Just a regular joe]

08:02 AM on 05/21/2011

Im sorry but taking a picture of a painting or statue is not art. Only 2 out for the 10 images shown for this article are Photographs that are not of someone elses art, that means that 8 out of 10 are plagerized. You cant take a picture of a Picaso, Monet, or Da Vinci and claim to have made art. if you take a picture of a Van Gogh thats all it is, a picture of a painting.

[Knox Bronson]

02:29 AM on 06/03/2011

As publisher and curator of the website the pictures all came from, I ask you if you are simply speaking from ignorance, or just lying? I know the artist and origin of every picture displayed here. They are all original works of art created solely on the iPhone. Visit my site, http://pixelsatanexhibition.com and educate yourself.

[Reservoir Dan]

03:58 PM on 06/03/2011

This comment is insane - my picture of the Mill Pond in my hometown of Milton was taken by me on my phone and manipulated by me on my phone with a host of apps. None of these pictures are of paintings or other photographs. What could possibly have given you this notion? Good lord the spew that comes out of people's keyboards because of the anonymity of the internet - you should be ASHAMED for making such an unfounded and ridiculous assertion.

[johnstoneman469]

07:52 AM on 05/21/2011

First picture is definitely a female soft skin narrow hips. 3rd picture looks like a camel toe on its side

[emp313]

07:51 AM on 05/21/2011

I really don't see what the big deal is!! Yes, beautiful picture it is, but....it's been done before with iPhones I agree with Michael Anderson; this does not deserve it's own name! My sons and daughter haven been doing this for a long time and movies also! Come off it...you've created NOTHING!!

[catjoan2]

07:34 AM on 05/21/2011

This photographer has a great eye,.look how far we have all come since the brownie camera. I must admit I still miss the anticiaption of picking up the pictures and seeing what shot you got and didn't get and the look of film print. When Bell invented the telephone I bet he never though about something like thil

[Micheal Anderson]

07:34 AM on 05/21/2011

iPhoneography, really? It's a phone with a camera, people, that's it. It's not special, it didn't create a whole new freaking style of photography, especially one that warrants it's own friggin' name.

[sallysunbury]

07:09 AM on 05/21/2011

Is the black and white photo of the nude a male or female? Looks smooth-skinned, but hands look large and can't see the breasts. The shape of where the waist meets the butt also does not look feminine.

[Knox Bronson]

02:29 AM on 06/03/2011

Her name is Candace.

[420Slapz420]

06:30 AM on 05/21/2011

Wow! I wonder what they will think of next??? I actually think we are looking at the next mico angelo!

[rightasrain]

06:07 AM on 05/21/2011

In a word, amazing!! My faves are the innocence and wholesomeness of kids on the shore.

[shanbananz30z]

03:46 AM on 05/21/2011

IT'S ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL. PERIOD.

[Zazii SimmonsPorter]

01:15 AM on 05/21/2011

...iphone photography? nah!!! ...who yah kidding? ...iphone artwork ...yes

[cmacias621]

12:56 AM on 05/21/2011

I have a question about these photos.....the article talks about manipulating digital photos with Photoshop, etc.....but are these photos taken with the iPhone manupulated in some fashion by other means, like Hipstamatic, Instagram, etc.? If so, which ones were used? I find them very lovely and interesting and have an iPhone but have never even taken a picture with it......

[Natalie Simmon]

01:36 AM on 05/21/2011

I was thinking the same thing. I guess we need clarification.

[Natalie Simmon]

01:38 AM on 05/21/2011

nevermind here is the submission info.....

#"Images must have been taken with the iPhone and edited with the iPhone ONLY. No exporting to Photoshop on the computer for levels adjusting, for example. To clarify: using any application on the iPhone itself to modify, enhance, manipulate the image IS permitted; exporting the image to a computer for the same is not permitted."

[thefourthman07]

12:41 AM on 05/21/2011

It's good to see that a phone camera can give roughly the same quality as a standard camera.