Awesome Sauce by Sara Tune

We were able to catch up with iPhoneographer Sara Tune recently. Her very cool abstract “Awesome Sauce” won the Mobile Photography Awards in the Juxaposer app category and was overall First Runner-Up and winner of Second Prize in the inaugural MPA. Considering the competition, that’s an even more impressive credential. (Life In LoFi is a media partner of the MPA).

We recently interviewed MPA-winning iPhoneographers Souichi Forusho and krapoz. Sara Tune now shares her thoughts on life, her style, and rediscovering photography with her iPhone. >>>

iPhoneographer Sara Tune and her wee models

Life In LoFi: Hi, Sara! Congratulations on your success in the MPA. Thanks for taking some time for us today.

Sara Tune: Hello! Thank you so much for the congratulations! I’m still in shock! So much Talent in the iPhoneography community! I’m really honored.

LOFI: So, let’s start with the basics. Tell us a little about yourself — where you’re from, your background, what you do.

ST: I was born and raised in Los Angeles basically in the 70′s. I believe I had a very unique and unusual childhood, being that I was an only child raised solely by my mother who was an actress in Hollywood. I’ve always been surrounded by interesting and artistic characters.

I had an early interest in photography and my mother sent me to photography camp. Later, I attended Parsons school of Design in New York City as a photography major. I did not pursue a photography career however and moved back to LA and into the movie business — scenic painting, sculpting and building sets and miniatures. This is where I met my very talented and artistic husband and we are now raising our two kids and constantly working on some house renovation project.

My driving force in life is to be creative and I believe it comes out in everything I do. I’m interested in so many things I find it hard to focus on JUST ONE! I wish I could live forever and try each one as a career or master one at a time! I love architecture and Interior design, landscape design, building stuff, building my own signs (I’ve got some pictures of these), assemblage and collage, photography, music, fashion, cooking and eating food, travel and adventure!

LOFI: What got you started in iPhoneography?

ST: I have to say I stopped shooting pictures for over ten years. For some reason I lost interest in it. Instead my interest became creating these assemblage pieces and big art signs and selling them. But once I had my kids I couldn’t find the time or energy to work on my art. My husband gave me his first iPhone when he upgraded and because it was always with me I started documenting my kids every moves. My love of photography was reawakened and I was inspired again, photographing a subject I loved and was always there.

The first app I found was Shake It, the Polaroid app. Once I found that, I started photographing everything. I then found DXP and I was hooked on pushing the photos to a more artistic level. Because the phone can go everywhere with me, I found myself processing and playing any free moment I had. I love that I can create wherever I go! I’ve processed pictures while driving (in the passenger seat) on long road trips, on the beach, in bed, in the bathtub and yes… on the toilet.

LOFI: I understand. I do some of my best apping there as well. Do you also shoot with other cameras other than an iPhone?

ST: I have two Canon DSLRs, an old 2 1/4 film camera, and a Holga. I really only use the Canons once in a while. They are too heavy for everyday use. I should use them more and master them, but I honestly like the way I see and shoot with the iPhone more!  I used to drag a 4×5 view camera all over New York, but I sold it.

LOFI: How does shooting with the iPhone compare? Do you shoot any differently with the two?

ST: It’s absolutely different and I keep trying to understand why… possibly because you hold the iPhone out in front of you so you’re able to see your whole environment while shooting instead of having your eye just looking through the lens? Sometimes I think not fiddling with all the technical stuff frees me up to just what I’m seeing and feeling. Still not sure though.

LOFI: Tell us about your style. What are you shooting these days?

ST: For a while, I was shooting everything I saw but now its mostly my kids and textures or things of interest for collages. I’ve always been interested in layering and double exposures. I think I’m attracted to the humorous, surreal and bizarre, beautiful moods, personalities and also things that are old, rusted, peeling paint or have a vintage feel.  When I’m feeling brave, I like to ask and take portraits of strangers.

LOFI: Out of your own photographs, which is your favorite?

ST: Hmm… tough question. I love the one of my son riding on the ball. It might be one of my faves. It just came together so right and easy, like it was meant to be. I love some of my straight portraits of my kids maybe because of my connection to them personally.

Maybe two of my favorites might be in my early DXP experimentation days. The one I call “Oceania” of my daughter double exposed with seaweed and “King of 5″. I love how they came out and their bizarre quality.

LOFI: What other artists or photographers inspire you?

ST: Some of the artists who inspire me are Bill Barminski, the painter
Sally Mann, photographer
Annie Liebovitz
Diane Arbus
Edward Keinholtz
… and I recently discovered Tierney Gearon and bought her book “Explosure”. Her double exposure photography blows me away!

LOFI: Would you share with us some of your favorite photo apps?

ST: Right now, I’m still using Camera +, Superimpose, Juxtaposer, Diptic, Pic Grunger, Pixlr-o-matic, Lens Flare, and PhotoForge2. But I feel I need to discover and master more. I have lots of apps, but I’m always going to these.

LOFI: Where do you see iPhoneography and mobile photography going in 2012 and beyond?

ST: I have no clue, but I hope it goes more commercial! I would like to get a job shooting with my iPhone!

LOFI: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

ST: Nope. This was hard enough for me .

LOFI: Again, congratulations and I can’t wait to see what you’ve got in store for us this year.

ST: Thank you, Marty, for your patience!

LOFI: No problem at all. Thank you for sharing your works and your time with us, Sara.

…

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Big thanks go to Daniel Berman of MPA for easy access to these MPA winning artists.

Here is the second in our series of interviews with the winners of the Mobile Photography Awards. (Life In LoFi is a media partner of the MPA). We recently caught up with Souichi Forusho.

Giuseppe Capozzo won the ScratchCam category with his colorful and playful “You, Too”. In the iPhoneography community, he’s better known as krapoz. You may have seen his work in some of our Faved On Flickr showcases last year. We caught up with krapoz recently after the MPA awards announcement. Click past the jump to learn more about krapoz and to read what he has to say. It’s a great read.

Life In LoFi: Hi, krapoz. Congratulations on being one of the finalists in the MPA. Thanks for taking some time for us today.

krapoz: Hi, Marty!

LOFI: Congratulations on being one of the finalists in the MPA. Thanks for taking some time for us today.

I’m extremely honored to appear on such a prestigious stage, so first of all thank you for giving me the chance to share some thoughts here. I’m still shocked to see one of my works among the 25 winners of the MPA. I take this opportunity to shout out loud my big “thank you!” to Daniel Berman, all of the judges, and Steve, the developer of ScratchCam. You’ve done (and always keep doing) a wonderful job!

LOFI: So, tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from? What’s your background?

k: Sure! Born in the mid-seventies, I answer to the name of Giuseppe Capozzo. I’m an interactive developer and creative coder living in Italy, in the Milan area; because of my job – as well for personal interest – I’ve always been interested in the mix between art and technology. That’s why iPhoneography has easily become one of my favorite ways to explore this fascinating field.

I’m also a quite eclectic music lover and in the spare time, I try to improve my skills as a youngster husband and father. My only worry is that our days are just 24-hours long and, from time to time, we also need to sleep. Otherwise I’m sure I would have tried to be good at cooking and dishing like a chef.

LOFI: How did you get started in iPhoneography?

k: My approach to iPhoneograhy has been definitely a slow one. I had a 3G model since its release in summer 2008 but until early 2010 I had installed very few photography-related apps (Photoshop Express, PhotoForge, Photogene), just to make very simple edits of my family pictures. During the same year I began to hear some increasing buzz about iPhone photography. To be honest, I was a little skeptical about it, primarily because I was not particularly exalted by the original captures of my 3G.

Anyway, out of curiosity, I downloaded the well-famed Hipstamatic and everything changed. I know this could be the same story of many others out there, but there it is. From that moment on, I found myself spending a lot of time (and money!) right to assemble my brand new camera-bag in the App Store, and exploring (as well as learning a lot from) various blogs and Flickr accounts devoted to iPhoneography.

LOFI: I hear ya about the money…. Tell us about your style. What do you like to shoot?

k: I like contrasts, paradoxes and extremes. That’s why I love to combine discordant – if not opposite – concepts within my images.

I really enjoy visualizing bizarre situations, often at the edge of surreal. Sometimes I tend to approach my creations with a good dose of sarcasm and black humor. Some other I like to be suspended between dream and reality. In all cases I never forget to add a touch of (typically Italian) poetry and romance.

More technically, I use to start from simple shots or neutral sceneries. Then I play with layers and cutouts, merging elements drawn from different pictures or literally synthesized by some weird apps. With the ideal of a balance between narrative and experimentation, I spend a good amount of time testing different solutions for the same image – often stimulated by the features of an app that somehow caught my attention – as well as taking care of small but significant details.

I try to offer the viewer several levels of interpretation or suggestion, in the hope of turning any image into something interesting or at least thought-provoking.

I’m aware that my style is closer to digital painting or graphic design than traditional photography, but one of the main reasons why I love iPhoneography resides in its crossover nature, allowing us to include different approaches under one umbrella. After all, it always starts from photography and always ends up with images whose strongest peculiarity is to have been produced on a mobile device.

LOFI: Out of your own photographs, which is your favorite? Why?

k: More than being my favorite, “do not rush, vanguards of time!” is definitely the one I am most fond of.

LOFI: I know that one. It was selected for a Faved showcase back in June of last year. Very Dali-esque!

k: Besides having a very deep personal meaning, this image represents the first time I thought I had expressed my vision in a complete and satisfying way, as if I had finally focused my style. From then on, although I’ve been pushing and still push myself with most demanding technical challenges on the apping side, I’ve been able to concentrate mostly on the story – or the message – to convey, since I had no more to worry about the right “language” to use.

LOFI: What other artists or photographers inspire you?

k: Without even thinking, I can affirm that I’ve always had the deepest admiration for the surrealist movement, regardless of the artistic context of application. So I could spend hours staring at the immortal creations of Salvador Dalì, Renè Magritte or Giorgio De Chirico, as well as enjoying the always amazing reading of Boris Vian, Raymond Queneau or Stefano Benni.

On the other side, if I were asked to choose three musical outfits for my visual aspirations, I would surely mention the crazy and creative freedom of Mr. Bungle; the dreamy, abstract and powerful soundscapes of Explosions In The Sky; to finish with the dark, urban and vaguely melancholic spirit of Interpol.

LOFI: What are some of your favorite photo apps?

k: Well, as a true app-dicted (sort of an OCD, indeed) I can’t live without my daily visit to the App Store in search of new apps or updates. Over the last three years I’ve installed tons of apps (mainly for photo and music creation) on my iPhone, so extracting a top-list out of my huge collection is a quite tough task. But If I were to outline my favorite apps inside my habitual workflow, categorized by use case, I could get to something like this:

- shooting: Hipstamatic, Lomora 2, 6×6
- general adjustments: PhotoForge 2, Snapseed, Iris Photo Suite, Camera+
- cleaning and perspective correction: TouchRetouch, FrontView
- layering and juxtaposition: Image Blender, Juxtaposer
- artificial lighting: LensFlare, LensLight, Rays
- blur and/or artificial focus: BlurFX, TiltShift Generator, Big Lens
- B&W and color manipulation: Noir Photo, Bleach Bypass, Cross Process
- texturing: ScratchCam FX, Pic Grunger, Photocopier
- final touches and fine-tuning: Photo fx

I would also like to mention the apps from Jixipix, especially the PhotoArtista family, as well as all the ones focused on a more experimental side, like Percolator, WordFoto, Pixel Twister, Decim8 and so on.

LOFI: Where do you see iPhoneography and mobile photography going in 2012 and beyond?

k: With the advent of devices more and more powerful and advanced, I can only predict – or at least hope – a growing success for mobile photography, along with an ever increasing interest in the medium on the part of traditional establishments.

Online communities, social platforms and blogs (long life to Life In LoFi!) will continue to be essential in spreading the word, attracting new participants in the movement and eventually encouraging people to raise the bar on quality and “interestingness” of their images.

Last but not least, I want to stress the importance of events such as the MPA, wishing this is just the beginning of something even more important and large-scaled, in order to help iPhoneography – and the overall mobile photography – gain the deserved respect as a mature artistic expression.

LOFI: One last question…. If you were in charge of design at Apple, what would you want in the iPhone 5?

k: Definitely a more resistant front glass! I have already had the “pleasure” of seeing mine broken into pieces some months ago after an otherwise negligible fall. Apart from this, I do not foresee or expect anything more because I love surprises as much as I love the style and ideas from Apple.

Ok, to be really honest I would go crazy for something like the just announced Polaroid SC1630. Naturally by Apple!

LOFI: Yeah, I’ve got to say that just looking at the specs, that could be a sweet little camera. I’m interested to see how the optical zoom works. Anyway, is there anything that I forgot?

k: This is for all the people and friends who visited, commented, faved and inspired my work online so far: thank you so much my fellows, I always appreciate any form of support and attention you bless me with. And to the amazing guys who operate each one of the other iPhoneography related channels – Nicki from iPhoneography Central, Edgar from iPhoneogenic, Glyn from iPhoneography.com, Yann from i comme Photo, Allan from What I See Now, everyone at EyeEm, just to name a few. Thanks a lot for your work and always keep up your great passion and dedication!

LOFI: Again, congratulations, krapoz, and I’m looking forward to seeing more of your work in 2012 and beyond!

Thank you again, Marty! I follow Life In LoFi from the very first moment I stepped into iPhoneography, so I will cherish this moment as one the best memories from such an exciting journey. Stay creative and see you all soon.

krapoz’ work can be found online on these websites:

Flickr (flickr.com/krapoz)

IPA (iphoneart.com/krapoz)

EyeEm (eyeem.com/krapoz)

Twitter (@krapoz)

…

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A big tip of the Fedora to MPA’s Daniel Berman for allowing us to interview some of the winners of the Mobile Photography Awards. =M=

In December, the winners of the Mobile Photography Awards were announced (Life In LoFi is a media partner of the MPA). Among the winners was the abstract industrial “Image pic #35″ by Japan’s Souichi Furusho.

You’ve probably seen a lot of Souichi’s work displayed in Life In LoFi’s Faved On Flickr showcases often. His photography is simple yet stunning. He caught everyone’s attention with his stark use of light and shadow. Recently, he has been creating incredible abstract dreamscapes with his photography.

We finally caught up with Souichi. Here’s the Life In LoFi interview. >>>

Life In LoFI: So, tell us a little about yourself — where you’re from, your background, what you do — things like that.

Souichi Furusho: I live in Japan, and work as a graphic designer in the field of advertising media.

LOFI: What got you started in iPhoneography?

SF: I discovered iPhoneography on Facebook and Flickr about the same time I bought my iPhone. That was followed by a variety of delightful encounters with people online. Although I had no prior experience whatsoever as a photographer, I was familiar with working with photographs as part of my career in graphics. This made it very easy for me to use the iPhone applications as picture-making tools. Trying out application began my pursuit of iPhoneography.

Despite an interest in other cameras, I don’t consider myself a person who could use both them and the iPhone well. I can carry my iPhone every day with ease, and this makes it a very useful camera in my mind. You could therefore say I made a conscious decision to shoot exclusively with the iPhone. All considered, I think I made the right choice.

LOFI: Tell us about your style. What are your favorite things to shoot?

SF: My style is what I call “freedom & simple.” And I approach it from many different angles. It is the result of pursuing my own vision, which is represented by my works. I often have the final image in mind at an early stage of the creative process. One challenge becomes seeing whether I can achieve the final image as envisioned using the applications at hand. I then proceed using these various applications as I work to complete a piece. At times, surprising forms take shape while processing, and this can change the final outcome. I find this process quite interesting.

LOFI: Souichi, you caught everyone’s attention with your excellent monochromes — a lot of light, shadow, and a lot of contrast. Recently, you’ve been sharing some brilliant abstracts. How did this evolution come about?

SF: When I began posting on Flickr, I established color divisions and thought that I would present my works according to those. The reason is that I wanted to discover which color would prove significant among my works. I thought I would see a big difference show itself. I also wished to analyze my works through this classification for myself rather than for those who look at my work. However, as I produced images, I found myself making many in monochrome. The black-and-white palette turned out to be one of my favorite “colors”. It offers a simplicity that lets me explore my vision. I feel it was a good idea to attempt this color classification as an approach. I shoot in a variety of situations, most often shooting scenes I come across in daily life. I do not go to various places seeking out shutter opportunities, as do many photographers. I therefore combine photographs taken in everyday life with imaginary scenes and moments as I envision them. This gives birth to “My World” as viewed through my images. All this said, I do think it good to get out and shoot lots of photographs. Of course, it was also indispensable to my evolution to view the work of others.

LOFI: Out of your own photographs, which is your favorite?

SF: My favorite work is “Child pic #07.”

LOFI: Why?

SF: I have many recollections as regards this piece. My son served as my subject, and makes it most important to me. Furthermore, this piece caused me to start being strongly conscious of iPhoneography. It serves as my logo and I use it as my icon. To me, this is the best piece I have created to date. For me, it is also the most wonderful work.

LOFI: I love that photo. That’s your Flickr profile pic. What other artists or photographers inspire you?

SF: I am inspired to try new things by viewing the works of others. It allows me to observe feelings and sensibilities that are not part of my inherent makeup, and I absorb a great deal from the works of other iPhoneographers. Let me introduce some of those who inspire or influence me.

Alan Kastner
Alessandro Greganti
Benedicte Guillon
Carlein van der Beek
Chia Aik Beng
Catriona Donagh
Daniel Berman
Edgar Cuevas
Emily Rose
iPhoneography London (Robson Santos)
Io Analoger
Jennifer Bracewell
Jaime Ferreyros
Janine Short Graf
krapoz
Laura Peischl
Lindsey Thompson
Lene Basma
Liz Grilli
Max Berkowitz
Mariann Nikolaisen
Nacho Cordova
Nicki Fitz-Gerald
Patrick Shourds
Paul Moore
ReCal El Ectro
Robert Herold
Robin Sweet
Robert-Paul Jansen
Stefan Mahè
Sascha Unger
Star Rush
Yammay
Masahiro Jitsuda (iCloud_9 / NyanJiroo)
Blue_Moon_Rabbit
U-ko Pebble (Browneyes)
Takamasa Mitsugi (3S-i)
mutablend

And many others. There are too many to list.

LOFI: Great list. I’m familiar with most of those artists, but there are a few there that I’m going to check out based on your recommendation.

What are some of your favorite photo apps?

SF: Applications I use often include Iris Photo Suite, Filterstorm, FX PhotoStudio, Photo FX, and PhotoClip. All these apps are important to my workflow and were used in producing the pieces I’ve created. Iris Photo Suite broadens the range of my imagination by allowing me to perform compositing processes. My latest favorite is Filterstorm because of its ability to introduce particular details. Photo FX is helpful when processing colors. Each application has its appropriate place and function to me.

LOFI: Where do you see iPhoneography and mobile photography going in 2012 and beyond?

SF: I expect iPhoneography and mobile photography to continue evolving as it becomes more capable. This will also change the nature of the photos we create with them. At the same time, the imaginative power and techniques of those who produce images will evolve further. I think this continued change and its relationship with the ongoing evolution of the hardware and software is most interesting. I think that the evolution will continue to attract even more people to the field.

LOFI: If you were in charge of design at Apple, what would you want in the iPhone 5?

SF: If you allow me to digress…

LOFI: Of course…!

SF: If you allow me to digress, my desire is to see Apple release a version of “iOS” that is designed specifically for children. In conjunction, I would like to see them make a product intended for children. This is my wish.

LOFI: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

SF: I’d like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to a few people. Firstly, I’d like to thank all the friends and families who have supported my efforts. I’d like to thank you for inviting me to do this interview. And, I appreciate the ongoing support shown me by Alan Kastner and Daniel Berman. Thank you all very much!

LOFI: My pleasure! Thank you, Souichi for taking the time to talk with us.

=M=

…

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No. 255 by Lynette Jackson

We’ve been posting the weekly Faved On Flickr showcase since August of 2010. Recently, you may have noticed a lot of images from an iPhoneographer who goes by Page67. That would be Lynette Jackson. Her abstracts caught my eye last summer and she’s been a regular on the weekly showcase since. Her style is unique and mixes high contrast photography, architecture, typography and geometry. I really like her work.

We had a chance to get caught up with Lynette recently. Click past the jump to find out more about this fascinating iPhoneographer.

Life In LoFi: Hi, Lynette! I’ve loved your works since you started sharing your abstracts in LoFi’s Flickr Group last year. You have a very distinct style. Thanks for spending some time with us today.

Let’s start by telling a little about yourself — where you’re from, your background, what you do — things like that.

Lynette Jackson:  I live in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia and work in the Telecommunication industry. As a creative outlet, I have always spent time drawing, painting, and now creating photo images. Although photography is a hobby I have a few clients that I shoot for on a regular basis. Mobile photography has increased my love for photography.

LOFI: What got you started in iPhoneography?

LJ: I am a visual junkie and often surf the internet soaking up photography and design. About two years ago, while surfing I stumbled upon Sion Fullana and instantly intrigued with his iPhoneography. I wanted more information, so I googled “iPhoneography blogs” and a few blogs, including Life in LoFi appeared. Your site legitimized mobile photography for me. I downloaded some photography apps and have been shooting & experimenting since.

LOFI: Do you shoot with other cameras as well?

LJ: I have two Canon DSLR’s which I use for shooting my client’s projects and a Panasonic GF2 as my second camera during vacation.

LOFI: How does shooting with the iPhone compare? Do you shoot any differently with the two?

LJ: A DSLR is straight forward; an iPhone is limiting which forces me to be creative. The most challenging thing about the iPhone is the perspective issue. I prefer shooting with my iPhone in public, it’s less conspicuous than a DSLR with a 70-200mm lens attached.

LOFI: What is “Lynette Jackson’s style?” What do you like to shoot and why?

LJ: I’m not sure if I have a style, but I am inspired by monochromatic photography, modern architecture, and International Style graphic design. I will shoot anything that moves me, landscapes, light & shadows, buildings, but I have a phobia about shooting people — street photography. I don’t want strangers to catch me taking candid shots of them. I love photography as a creative outlet. It gives you instant gratification.

LOFI: I’ve gone back through the images that you’ve shared. You first caught my eye with “Mixed_002. Image 03.” last summer. That whole series was very grungy. I really liked the way you incorporated the type and very stark imagery in those photos. Same thing with “Mixed-Diamond Bar Road.Image 01.” Please tell us about those series’ of images.

LJ: Through Flickr I discovered great artists like Mark Weaver, Stéphane Massa-Bidal, and Ophelia Chong. I was inspired by their handmade and digital collages. So I challenged myself to create similar collages on my iPhone, the results is the Mixed series, not even close to their masterpieces, but it was great fun.

LOFI: Your more recent work is cleaner, less grungy, more abstract and architectural. Tell us more about your recent work.

LJ: In the beginning I was skeptical about architecture as my main subject, but I decided that I should shoot and experiment with things that inspire me. I found ads that Richard Paul Lohse’s created for the Wohnbedarf’s furniture company in 1955 and 1965. The layout is simple and brilliant — a monochromatic image, a simple rectangular color overlay, typography, and great use of space. Each day I am inspired by those layouts.

LOFI: Out of your own photographs, do you have a favorite?

LJ: I don’t have a favorite photograph, but perhaps two favorite moments since I started posting my iPhoneography online. On Instagram I post in series of four, and two series, No._253-256 and No._285-288 is when things seem to fit and work. The series represent a simple blend of 2-3 images, but I found a look that worked for me.

LOFI: What other artists or photographers inspire you?

LJ: I was just recently introduced to Aitor Oritz, but Julius Shulman, Alex Varanese, Andreas H. Bitesnich, Oscar Neimeyer, Richard Neutra, Alex Lustig, Richard Paul Lohse, and Sion Fullana to name a few. Music is also a constant source of inspiration. I am inspired daily by work posted on Flickr and Instagram.

LOFI: Care to share some of your favorite photo apps?

LJ: My apps for processing are SnapSeed, CameraMatic, PictureShow, FilmLab, MagicHour. For  design, it’s iDesign, StripeCam, PicFrame, Decim8, ImageBlender, and Phonto. I use the iPhone Camera for shooting.

LOFI: Where are you currently showing your works — online and in brick-and-mortar galleries?

LJ:  Flicker/p67, iphoneart.com/P67_byLynetteJackson, I post almost daily on Instagram as @P67_byLynetteJackson.

LOFI: Lynette, again, thank you for taking some time to talk with us.

LJ: Thank you for the opportunity to talk about my mobile photography journey. I am excited to have this medium as a form of expression and I am very grateful for the people who take time to visit my work.

LOFI: We look forward to seeing more of your work.

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One of Life In LoFi’s promotional partners is the Mobile Photography Awards and it’s one of the largest, highest profile mobile photography contests to date. The MPA was organized by one of iPhoneography’s pioneers, Daniel Berman. You might also know him online as Reservoir_Dan. Dan has been shooting and exhibiting since the early days of iPhoneography, as well as being a highly visible presence online on both Twitter and Facebook.

As the entries phase of the Mobile Photography Awards ends in about a week, we thought this would be a good opportunity to talk with Dan about the MPA and the state of iPhoneography in general.

Entries are still being accepted through November 30, 2011 — that’s about a week away. Click here for more information.

Click past the jump to hear what Dan has to say.

Life In LoFi: Hi, Dan. Thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview.

Daniel Berman: Thanks, Marty. Firstly, I’m very sorry about your Rangers. Since I had no horse in that race I was truly pulling for you. As a Cleveland Browns fan and a Toronto Maple Leafs fan I have no clue what it means to be that close but I know it must hurt.

LoFi: Thanks, Dan. I don’t think you wanted to talk baseball here, though. As I told you over the phone a while back, I love the concept and how you’re doing the Mobile Photography Awards. What is the MPA and why have you started it?

DB: I’ve been involved one way or another with mobile photography for several years now. I’m passionate about my own iphoneography but what keeps me coming back for more is the talent that I see around me on a daily basis. And there is truly very little being done to harness that talent in a concentrated way outside of the online world. So, the Mobile Photo Awards were founded to promote the medium as an art-form, a commitment to presenting the images in galleries and exhibits.

The short-term goal of the Mobile Photo Awards is to celebrate the medium of mobile photography, the artists, the developers who create the applications and, of course, the beauty of the images. We believe that in order to bring the pictures into the public eye the medium must move beyond online photo sharing. The images must be tactile, printed and framed, viewed on walls in a public space, and treated with the public respect accorded other art forms.

LoFi: How will this further expose Mobile Photography and Mobile Art?

The idea is that over time the awards will grow into something that are covered by the mainstream press. My goal is to bring these images into the public eye much like other international photo awards elevate the stature of the artists and images in particular genres. I see mobile photography as a genre of photography and art at large and it deserves it’s own focus. Hopefully, the gallery shows and exhibits will continue to garner media attention and bring the images into the view of both the public and collectors of fine art.

LoFi: Who are the judges and how does the judging process work?

DB: The judges are drawn from a pool of established talent in the mobile photography and art world. Most of the folks on the panel have been creating pictures with mobiles for several years and have made names for themselves in the community. I felt it was important to populate the jury with people who work in the genre and view/create images everyday. Each category in the awards has a lead judge who will narrow down the entries to five images. The system is “blind”, that is to say that the names of the entrants will not be available to the judges. Then 3 or 4 other members of the panel will join that person to determine a winning image. The grand prize winner will be chosen from among the 25 winning images and be decided upon by the entire panel.

LoFi: How is this event different from similar events?

What distinguishes the Mobile Photo Awards, besides the prizes and exposure of the contest, are the gallery shows.  Yes, there is a $500 Apple Store gift card for the grand prize winner, $50 itunes gift cards for the 25 winners, Keepsy books, free archival prints, and more…but the real award in my mind are the exhibits that will visit three cities for month long runs at established galleries.  I see nothing wrong with 2 night runs but it’s important to me that the exhibits are lengthy, and build momentum to give the press a chance to cover the events and viewers the chance to see the images.

LoFi: Why is there an entry fee?

DB: Like virtually all open gallery calls in the art and photo world there is a nominal entry fee. These fees cover both the prizes as well as the costs associated with the gallery shows. When a brand or a product puts on a gallery show without entry fees the costs are paid for from an advertising/marketing budget and is designed to build awareness for a product. We have no product to sell. The means to an end here is about the art, not about a corporate brand, a particular camera or a piece of software. Not that there is anything wrong with sponsored events, please don’t get me wrong there, it’s just that we are an independent organization and have no product or brand besides the awards themselves.

LoFi: Can you tell us about one of the galleries that will be presenting the MPA exhibit?

DB: Absolutely, the MPA exhbit will be visiting the prestigous ArtHaus gallery in San Francisco from April 4 through April 30th. ArtHaus is an amazing 1700 square foot space in the heart of San Francisco’s art district. It has been voted the city’s best contemporary art gallery the last two years by the media in San Francisco. This is a serious gallery, one of the biggest and most well known to put on a Mobile Photo show and we’re thrilled to be putting on the exhibit there. We expect it to be a big success and are very excited about the run. And more to come!

LoFi: Where do you see the MPA going from here?

DB: Well, let’s hope it’s a success this year and if so we’ll be back next year!

LoFi: How can people enter the awards?

Please visit www.mobilephotoawards.com to enter the awards. The deadline for submissions is November 30. So hurry up and get those images in for a chance to win!

LoFi: Dan, I know you’re busy. Thanks again for taking the time here.

DB: Thanks, Marty!

=M=

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The blogroll in our sidebar isn’t just a place where I swap links. These are links to sites and iPhoneographers whose work I like or blogs I read often. In this “Meet the Sidebar”, we talk with someone who fits both descriptions.

Read past the jump for another look behind our sidebar and meet not only a very talented iPhoneographer, but a prolific blogger as well, Edgar Cuevas.

LOFI: The iPhoneogenic blog is the creation of iPhoneographer and fellow Texan, Edgar Cuevas. Good afternoon and how are things down south, Edgar?

Edgar Cuevas: Hey Marty, it’s nasty out there right now! It’s been hot and rainy the past few days and when it clears up you’re hit with the humidity. That’s what Houston is known for though, heat and humidity. Other than that, everything else seems to be in fair condition.

LOFI: I hear ya. We got it today. Thanks….

Tell us a little about yourself. Who is Edgar Cuevas? What do you do when you’re not taking photos? Tell us a little about where you’re from and how it affects your art.

EC: I’m a native Texan from a place called H-Town. I am student at the University of Houston Downtown studying for a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. When I’m not taking photos, I try to find iPhoneographers to feature on my blog, iPhoneogenic and just being a mid-twenties kind of guy. The enlightenment from interviews with fellow iPhoneographers propels me to keep improving my own work.  Being from the H has its limitations when it comes to my art, especially living in suburbia. If I want to capture something truly unique I have to venture thirty-five minutes into town or an hour the opposite way toward the country fields. The local art scene here is fairly hidden underground, either you know about it or you don’t. Houston is moving from the traditional urban art to a new medium of street art called Wheat Pasting, with guys like Dual and Give Up leading the way. This has inspired me to start a new series in my Flickr iPhoneography in which I will attempt to chronicle the Houston Street Art phenomenon.

LOFI: What formal arts training do you have?

EC: I have no formal training in any art form that I pursue. For the most part, I think anyone is quite capable of creating a masterpiece without formal training. Sure, there is a need for basic knowledge to improve your work but I don’t like dealing with the technicalities that formal training requires.

LOFI: Let’s talk about your iPhonegraphy. How did you get into iPhoneography? (I lifted that one straight from your site!)

EC: I have always used my iPhone to take snapshots, but never thought about the potential of creating art in the realm of iPhoneography. It wasn’t until I stumbled upon iPhoneography.com and Life In Lo-Fi a year ago while searching for a plug-in-play replacement camera with higher resolution for my 3G (no luck). From then on, I was hooked by all of the reviews about photography apps and the inspiring work of others.

LOFI: What types of subjects do you like to shoot?

EC: I tend not to focus on any particular subject. I believe being open to any subject gives you a wider range of possibilities for capturing something you feel is truly unique. Much of my earlier work (not posted online), consists of Mother Nature.

Another aspect of shooting that I love is panoramic shots. There is so much to see around you and panos does a great job of capturing that. Panoramic iPhoneography is quite underappreciated might I add.

Street iPhoneography presents many possibilities as well. Thanks to iPhoneographers like Sion Fullana, Greg Schmigel, and Robson (iPhoneography London) I have found inspiration in the streets. Everything is just so real and I enjoy capturing moments that usually go unnoticed.

Perhaps it’s my unwillingness to conform to one style/subject that keeps me evolving as an iPhoneographer.

LOFI: What are some of your own favorite photos that you’ve shot?

EC: My favorite photos are the ones that usually don’t get much attention on my photo blog and Flickr. Those are the ones that I actually put a lot of effort in. Sometimes it takes more than half an hour of patience, probing, and close monitoring of the subject. For example, following a fly around for a significant amount of time to get a decent shot makes it a favorite of mine because I know what it took to capture it.

Click to enlarge

LOFI: Who are your artistic influences? Who inspires you?

EC: There is a laundry list of artists that I admire. They include artists from the Byzantine era, Pop artist Andy Warhol, Nontraditional artists such as Robert Rauschenberg and Jackson Pollock and Street Artists like KAWS, just to name a few.

As for iPhoneographers, there are plenty of influential and inspiring people I follow on Tumblr, Posterous, Flickr, Twitter, and elsewhere. Too many to list but they know who they are.

LOFI: You’ve got some nice apping in your work. You use the apps to enhance the photo, not to be the photo. Nice. What are a few of your favorite apps that you’re using right now?

EC: You’re right, Marty, I like to use the apps to improve a photo, not to change it into something it’s not. There are plenty of iPhoneographers using the apps to really change their photos into a form of mixed media, which I love but, Knox over at Pixels has been encouraging everyone to produce a more refined look that would be more accepted by galleries and the general public as a form of photography. With that said, don’t be surprised if I use some of the radical filters in PictureShow or Backgroundz because that’s one of the things that makes iPhoneography so great.

In my camera bag right now, there is well over 50 apps, most of which rarely get used. I usually cycle through my apps but, my go-to apps include Perfectly Clear, FilmLab, Diptic, TiltShiftGen, CameraBag, PictureShow, Lo-Mob, Cropulator, and Pic Grunger,

LOFI: Okay, let’s talk about your blog, iPhoneogenic. Does it feel a little weird being the one interviewed?

EC: Somewhat. I never thought that my blog would be so well received by the iPhoneography community that I would end up answering a few questions about it.

LOFI: Tell us about the blog. How did you come up with the idea?

EC: When I first encountered iPhoneography.com, I saw the feature “The iPhoneography Showcase Of …” and took a liking to it. I wanted to recognize iPhoneographers for their extraordinary work as well so I started iPhoneogenic as a Facebook Page where I introduced a feature called iPhoneographer of the Day. I wanted to make it a point to feature someone new everyday, but it had to be more than just a feature. I wanted to get to know each iPhoneographer on a more personal level where they lived, how their iPhoneography journey began, etc.  I didn’t want iPhoneographers to ask me to be featured, but rather, I wanted to find artists that had great work and deserved to be recognized. The task of featuring someone everyday in an interview has become overwhelming due to other priorities outside of iPhoneography but I do my best to post interviews whenever I can. iPhoneogenic will continue to be a place for highlighting the iPhoneographer.

LOFI: One of the things I love about your blog is your ability to get so many iPhoneographers to open up about themselves and their work in such great detail. You have a ton of interviews on the site. Is it hard actually getting the iPhoneographers to interview?

EC: I was quite surprised by their responses as well. Their willingness to open up was set up by the first interview I conducted with Matt Beechan. I had no idea what I was doing, but Matt set a precedent on how to go about answering my questions. From there, things have only gotten better. Each iPhoneographer has really taken their time to articulate what iPhoneography means to them. I wanted people to see that iPhoneography is not only about the photos but the people behind the work and the strong sense of community between iPhoneographers.

As for how difficult it is to get an iPhoneographer to interview, it hasn’t been difficult at all. They are more surprised that I would consider them to be featured. Everyone has shown gratitude for the opportunity to be interviewed. They feel honored that I have asked them to be a part of the blog.

LOFI: Are you afraid that someday you’ll run out of iPhoneographers to interview?

EC: That has crossed my mind, but the number of new iPhoneographers continues to grow every day. More and more people are switching or upgrading their mobile phones to an iPhone, everyday people like me are becoming iPhoneographers.

Now that the new iPods are equipped cameras, there is a new pool of iPhotographers to consider for interviews. There will be a debate in the weeks to come if the community should consider this wave of iPhotogs as iPhoneographers. What should we even call them, iPodographers?

LOFI: Are there any iPhoneographers who you haven’t interviewed yet that you’d really like to?

EC: Yes. Dirk Dallas, IcyThings, Steve John, Odilia Liuzzi, Marty Yawnick, Maia Panos, The Lisa Show and Pixel Particles are due for an interview on iPhoneogenic.

I have also asked two prominent iPhoneographers if they would oblige to an interview but I have not heard back from them in a while. I won’t say their names because that would be calling them out, but the people want to hear from you! I’ll remind them that there are Q&A’s in their inbox very soon.

LOFI: I know a guy who can hook you up with a Marty Yawnick interview….

Writing a blog like yours, you are exposed to a lot of iPhoneographers. Who are some of your favorites?

EC: Man, that’s a tough one because I don’t want to leave anyone out! There is so much talent out there so I’m going to limit this one to three iPhoneographers in no particular order.

Odilia Liuzzi : Her work is phenomenal. The vibrant tones in her photos and choice of subjects are out of this world. To me, she represents the fine art nature of iPhoneography.

Daniel Berman : His work in capturing Mother Nature in all her beauty is jaw dropping. From sunrises and sunsets to flowers and trees there is a sense of tranquility and awe that leaves me speechless.

Gusbano : His work in black and white iPhoneography is very cool. He finds a way to really accentuate the difference between light and dark spaces.

LOFI: Dan Berman and Gusbano are great. I definitely need to track down Odilia Liuzzi — I haven’t seen her work. Thanks for the tip. Are there any up and comers that we need to watch out for?

EC: Some recent discoveries have led me to a few iPhoneographers that we need to keep our eyes on. A fellow Texan Meagan Metcalf, a young lady from Delaware Jenni C., and a veteran iPhoneographer who I have not heard of until yesterday, Eliano Imperato.

LOFI: Where do you see mobile photography and iPhoneography a year from now? Two years from now?

EC: I believe iPhoneography can go as far as it wants to go. Proponents like Knox Bronson, Marty Yawnick, Glyn Evans, and others like EYE’EM and iPhoneArt are doing everything possible to make iPhoneography come up from being an underground medium to a publicly accepted art form. iPhoneography Artists are also doing their part by producing amazing work. If everyone continues to do their part, the sky is the limit for iPhoneography.

LOFI: Anything else you would like to add?

EC: I want to thank you, Marty, for including iPhoneogenic on your BlogRoll and supporting the efforts of iPhoneogenic in shedding a new light into the world of an iPhoneographer. Not only that, but also asking about my personal iPhoneography. Your words are much appreciated.

LOFI: You’re very welcome. Your blog is a great read.

Edgar, thank you so much for your time. Your blog, iPhoneogenic, is a resource. You are helping to write down the history of iPhoneography.

=M=

~~~~

UPDATED 02.08.10: Now with a link to our follow-up story, “Wausau City Pages uncovers the real Hipstamatic backstory?”

The case can be made that the hottest camera app in the App Store right now was created in 1982.

Hipstamatic (link to Hipstamticapp.com) is one of the most popular photography apps in the App Store at the moment. It’s in the Top 5 in multiple countries. Flickr groups have popped up. The #hipstamatic hashtag is all over Twitter. The app has universally gotten rave reviews, and deservedly so. The environment, the sounds, the photos — it recreates the fun of shooting with an old, plastic, toy camera.

Read Life In LoFi’s full review here.

The original Hipstamatic camera is almost an urban legend. Part of the mystique of the new app is its backstory — that it’s based on the old, plastic camera that few people had heard of, let alone seen.

The story starts in North Central Wisconsin in 1982. While attending art school part-time, brothers Bruce and Winston Dorbowski came up with an idea for bringing photography to the masses cheaply. Inspired by an old Russian plastic camera and the Kodak Instamatic, they worked from their small riverfront cabin, developing and hand-producing the all-plastic cameras which they called Hipstamatic.

The original was a square frame 35mm camera. It had the ability to swap lenses and use multiple film formats. Each one had a yellow shutter button which became sort of cult icon. Only 157 of the cameras were ever made — the family currently has only 3 of those.

In 1984, Bruce and Winston were killed by a drunk driver on their way home from signing a lease on a new building that would have been their manufacturing plant. The Hipstamatic was never mass produced.

There’s very little history available on the original Hipstamatic camera. Most of what’s available is on their brother Richard’s Dorbowski’s blog, The Great Hipstamatic 100. An excellent read and a good tribute.

UPDATE: Actually, an intrepid reporter from the Wausau City Pages has followed up on this story and found that there is no evidence to support the Hipstamatic backstory. Click to read our follow-up story, “News: Wausau City Pages uncovers the real Hipstamatic backstory?”

The Hipstamatic might have been little more than a footnote in the history of quirky lo-fi cameras had it not been for two graphic designers from the Twin Cities. The iPhone version of HipstaMatic was created by Ryan Dorshorst and Lucas Buick with Synthetic Infatuation. Not only have they created one of best retro camera apps, they’ve also recreated the analog camera user experience. From the jet-black unibody faux-plastic case to the viewfinder to the great Hipstamatic Owner’s Manual, the app is loaded with little details. Everything about Hipstamatic is a loving nod to the retro, analog camera experience.

Life In LoFi was able to ask Ryan and Lucas a few questions. Below, they talk about the Hipstamatic, the backstory and how they got involved with this rare, classic cult camera.

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LOFI: Why LoFi? What got you interested in “toy” cameras?

L & R: We have always been obsessed with all things retro, vintage, and mechanical, as well as tech toys and gizmos. The physical experience of taking photographs has really been lost over the past several years. 10 years ago you had to be much more intimate with your camera. Just by removing the need to put your face up to the viewfinder, we have lost that. Polaroid has always been a favorite at Synthetic. We have a collection of shots of people that stop by our office or would come to our exhibitions, but now we have run out of film.

LOFI: In addition to being a really cool app, the whole package — the backstory, the user interface of the camera, even the downloadable owner’s manual — this is also a tribute to the Hipstamatic 100 and to its story. How did this all start for you?

L & R: We become aware of this obscure toy camera about a year ago through a family member. We had a hell of a time tracking down Richard Dorbowski. His blog went offline just after we reached out through email, and we didn’t hear back until we finally got a phone number, which was over the summer (we have since helped him put the blog back online). Anyways, the idea of creating an app was something that we wanted to do for quite some time — actually, the idea of having a product to sell instead of working with our clients was a big factor in going into app development. As a brand consulting and design studio, Synthetic has always been about creating experiences, so when it came to developing the Hipstamatic we set out to recreate the experience of having an analog device yet make the best possible use of the iPhone technology.

The story of the original Hipstamatic was something that we really related to. The idea of a couple of guys from nowhere that set out to innovate and inspire an entire industry couldn’t have possibly hit any closer to home. After meeting Richard and seeing the vision of Winston and Bruce, we really wanted that product to live.

LOFI: With only 157 of the cameras ever produced, this is probably the rarest, most hard-to-find lo-fi camera in existence. I read on Richard’s Hipstamatic blog that you got to spend some time with one of his cameras. I’m envious that you got to handle one. Tell me about your hands-on with the actual camera.

L & R: Over the summer we did get to play with one of the original Hipstamatic 100s, As it turns out the sucker was much more of a prototype that you would have imaged. But it was super fun to be able to change lenses, and we even rigged up a modern Canon lens to the Hipstamatic, which was the inspiration to the Lucifer VI. All in all, the original camera was a ton of fun. We even dropped off the film at the drug store for processing, which is something neither of us have done in years. Only a handful of our images turned out but for us it was beside the point.

LOFI: Did you get to keep one?!!!!

L & R: Sadly no, Richard has only three cameras left, and of those only one of them is really usable.

LOFI: How was the process to capture the look of the Hipstamatic and get it from film to iPhone?

L & R: We took a lot of creative license with making the Hipstamatic. Though the idea of the camera was from the Hipstamatic, the end result is more of a mashup of all of our favorite things about lo-fi cameras. The flash charge sound, for example, is something that reminds us of family vacations and our childhood, so we had to add it.

LOFI: I hope this is a huge app for you. So far, it looks like it is. What are your plans for Hipstamatic and beyond?

L & R: We are completely blown away by the community that has begun to pop up since the Hipstamatic came out a few weeks ago. We are currently working on an update that will include more manual control of the camera, and more unpredictable effects. The Hipstamatic is a way to spark creativity and allow people to see things in a new way. We would like to start putting together exhibitions of people’s prints and we are looking for a partner to allow people to order prints directly from the app or the website.

We are also working on an app to change the way users manipulate images taken outside of the Hipstamatic. That’s really all we can say at the moment.

Longterm goals for Hipstamatic are all about the community and inspiring creativity in people. There is nothing better than seeing someone who doesn’t consider themselves ‘artistic’ uploading a HipstaPrint to Flickr or sharing it on Facebook or Twitter.

LOFI: Any other favorite analog lo-fi cams? Other than Hipstamatic, what are your three favorite camera apps in the store right now?

L & R: Hands down, ShakeItPhoto (App Store link). Nick Campbell, the creator, is the most giving designer/entrepreneur ever. According to Facebook, he has another app in the works. I have seen some test images and they look amazing. We would love to have him create a HipstaPak for the Hipstamatic.

LOFI: Gentlemen, thank you so much for your time. Any parting words?

L & R: We would like to thank everyone for feedback they are sending with feature request, problems, praise, etc. The more we hear from our users the better we can make this app.

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UPDATE: A recent issue of City Pages in Wausau, Wisconsin features a story about hometown hero and one of Hipstamatic’s creators Ryan Dorshorst. City Pages’ Deputy Editor Rick LaFrombois, who wrote the story, dug pretty deep into the Hipstamatic backstory. What he found indicates that the Hipstamatic backstory may be “a myth.” Read the full story here.

We’ve got a lot more Hipstamatic news throughout Life In LoFi, including all the latest on updates and HipstaPaks. Check out all the news by clicking here.