Why the best camera is the one in your back pocket

“I wanted a challenge,” says Kuwaiti photographer Abdullah Shayji, “and I was tired of lugging my DSLR around with me everywhere I go. So one day I decided to leave it behind”.

Shaiji is part of an ever growing number of professional photo and video-takers who are putting down the bulky cameras in favour of letting their smartphone do the work.

The photographer recently travelled to Tanzania as part of a project to see if he could document and capture the Massai Tribe, without his pro-level gear. And the results speak for themselves.

What got you into photography?

The love of making photographs that preserve a moment in time. Things like vacations, special occasions, and unforgettable moments – they come back to life when you have a photograph.

What’s the biggest mistake you see would-be photographers making?

I think people get too technical. They neglect the story behind a photo, and therefore the message they are trying to get across in the picture. The gear you have is really secondary to a great story.

Is it easier or harder to take great looking photos with a smartphone over a proper camera?

I would say that it is easier, because the phone does most of the work for you. My iPhone – for example – can shoot high dynamic range photos, which preserve highlights and shadows automatically. To do that with my big camera would involve several edits in an application like Lightroom or Photoshop.

Do you think smartphones are beginning to outperform DSLRs?

When it comes to numbers and technical specifications, no. Phones are still very much playing catchup. But from a results perspective they certainly compete.

If you could improve your iPhone’s camera in anyway, what would you do?

I would really like a better quality wide-angle lens, as well as smarter portrait mode. And even an increased mechanical zoom, if technology allows.

What’s the secret to taking great smartphone images?

Well, you need that smartphone for one. I use an iPhone 12 to shoot pictures, not necessarily because of the camera but because of its brain power – it makes getting great shots that much easier. After that, you really need to know its strengths and weaknesses (which you can learn by trying out different styles of photography). And then, patience. Lots and lots of patience, to try again and again to get it right.