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Many people love the camera of the iPhone, and for a good reason – it takes amazing photos regardless of the model. Apple’s iPhones have powerful cameras, and the winners of this year’s iPhone Photography Awards (IPPAWARDS) prove it.

Heroe, shot on iPhone 12 Pro by Ivan Silva

Soy Sauce Village, shot on iPhone 12 Pro Max by Thea Mihu

Sasa Borozan from Bosnia and Herzegovina wins the Second Place prize with his captivating image “Taming Waves,” taken with an iPhone 13 Pro. The Third Place Photographer of the Year Award goes to Derek Hager from the United States for his photo, “Tucson Morning,” captured with an iPhone X.

A photographer has taken to Reddit to ask if they did the right thing deleting their cousin’s wedding photos after their relative refused to pay.

A Reddit user by the name of MostFitBobo explains that they are a “semi-professional” photographer and was hired for their cousin’s wedding in December 2022 who apparently agreed to pay $1,000 for their photo services.

According to the photographer, their agreement was that they would be paid in full before sending the pictures. After editing the photos, the cousin allegedly didn’t want to pay in full, preferring to set up a payment plan over eight months instead. The photographer tells their cousin that’s fine on the proviso that the photos won’t be delivered until it is paid in full.

“It’s not that I don’t trust her but once you start opening such doors you’ll find it hard to close,” writes the photographer.

“February rolls in and she asks to at least see ‘samples’ to confirm that they were worth the price. I sent four pictures and she says she’ll show them to her husband and get back to me.

“Cue silence for a week or two until I asked for an update and she responded saying she’s still discussing it with him. I told her this was getting long and she must just start paying now and she ignored me again.”

Family Problems

u/MostFitBobo goes on to explain they saved the photos on a roommate’s flash drive but just recently the roommate needed to use the flash drive and asked if he could delete all of the files from it — including his cousin’s wedding photos.

“I saw [sic] fine and he deleted them. I still had about 20 of the photos saved on my phone from when I was choosing/sending the samples so I just explained the situation in a message to her and sent the existing photos free of charge,” writes the photographer.

Unsurprisingly this did not go down well with the photographer’s cousin who is now “slandering” the photographer online.

“It’s quite literally created a division between our families and to the point that our mums don’t talk now,” the photographer explains.

“I obviously feel bad but also feel like given the circumstances, I wasn’t really in the wrong though still acknowledge that it’s obviously very s**tty for her that I would’ve wished to avoid.”

The photographer posted their story into the r/AmItheA**hole subreddit and most Redditors seemed to agree that MostFitBobo was not in the wrong.

“Your cousin contracted you for a service, with payment agreed. She failed to pay,” writes one user.

However, it seems there was no physical contract which wedding expert and editor of Hitched Zoe Burke tells Newsweek is “essential for couples and vendors as they protect both parties should something not go to plan.”

Last week, PetaPixel reported on another viral Reddit post where a photographer demanded $1,000 to be trained in the art of horse photography.

Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.

Is your photography evolving or stagnating? Often this is a difficult and personal question. But it is one worth discussing, I believe.

Photography is an art form that allows us to capture moments, emotions and stories through a lens. As photographers, we strive to improve our skills and create images that resonate with both ourselves and our audience. However, amid the journey of mastering our craft, we often find ourselves at crossroads, wondering if our photography is evolving or stagnating. Let’s explore the signs of growth and stagnation, the challenges photographers face, and how to perhaps reignite the flame of creativity to keep evolving.

The stagnation paradox

Photography is a constantly evolving medium with technological advancements, trends and shifting creative landscapes. Stagnation can occur without warning, leaving us stuck in a rut of repetitiveness. If you find yourself taking the same shots repeatedly or avoiding experimentation, this may be a sign of stagnation. This can be caused by fear of failure, limited exposure to new ideas or becoming way too comfortable with a particular style or technique.

Signs of evolving photography

• Experimentation: Evolving photographers embrace the spirit of experimentation. They eagerly try new techniques, compositions and subject matters to challenge themselves creatively.
• Learning and growth: An evolving photographer continuously seeks opportunities to learn, whether through workshops, courses or studying the works of other artists. They are open to constructive criticism and use it as a stepping stone for improvement.
• Breaking boundaries: Evolving photographers push the boundaries of their comfort zones. They venture into uncharted territories, allowing their curiosity to drive them toward new possibilities.
• Storytelling: An evolving photographer uses their craft to convey emotions, stories and messages. They strive to connect with their audience on a deeper level, leaving a lasting impact with their images.

The challenges of evolution

As with any journey of growth, evolving in photography is not without its challenges.

• Self-doubt: The fear of failure and self-doubt can hinder progress. Overcoming these barriers requires resilience and a belief in one’s abilities.
• Comparison trap: In the age of social media, it’s easy to fall into the trap of comparing our work to others. Remember, each photographer’s journey is unique, and comparing yourself to others may stifle your creativity.
• Time constraints: Life’s demands can limit the time and energy available for photography. It’s essential to find a balance between responsibilities and nurturing your passion.
• Creative block: Every artist experiences creative blocks. During these periods, it’s essential to step back, recharge, and seek inspiration from various sources.
• Burnout: I believe this really can be true. I was facing this same problem after the worst of the pandemic was over. I worked like crazy and tried to squeeze in as much time as I could. But by the end of last year, I found myself stuck in a rut with a lack of creativity.

Is evolution necessary?

Evolution is a fundamental process that drives growth and adaptation in all aspects of life, including photography. While not perhaps necessary, I honestly believe embracing evolution is essential for personal and artistic development. By continuously seeking new perspectives, experimenting with techniques and learning from experiences, photographers can expand their skills and create more meaningful and impactful work. Evolution allows artists to remain relevant, stay ahead of changing trends, and connect with diverse audiences. It fosters creativity and enables photographers to break free from stagnation, ultimately enriching their artistic journey and leaving a lasting impression through their evolving artistry.

Reigniting the flame of creativity

If you find yourself in a state of stagnation, don’t panic; there are ways to reignite the flame of creativity and push your photography to new heights.

• Seek inspiration: Explore the works of photographers from different genres and eras. Draw inspiration from various art forms like painting, literature, or music. Take a class or a workshop, learn something new.
• Join a community: Engaging with a photography community, whether online or in-person, can offer invaluable feedback and motivation. Collaborate with fellow artists and participate in challenges to stimulate your creativity.
• Set goals: Establish realistic goals for yourself. They could be as simple as photographing a new location, learning a specific technique, or capturing a unique event. Also set a realistic time schedule, once a month or once a week, whatever fits in your budget and schedule.
• Embrace failure: Failure is a stepping stone to growth. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes; instead, learn from them and use them as opportunities to improve.
• Document personal growth: Keep a visual diary of your photographic journey. Look back at your early work to see how far you’ve come and celebrate your progress.

My personal journey

My own journey has evolved, especially in the last six or seven years. I got my first DSLR in 2014 and had to learn photography all over again. I started capturing portraits for my digital art. Now my photography has taken on its own voice and I find myself making little digital art. I used to work on long and complex series taking months, even years to complete (The Dapper Rabbit, The Tarot), and now I work mostly on a single theme.

I have shared images from some old work to explore where I have come from and look toward where I am now heading. The point is I guess evolving can be difficult, but also a wonderful experience. Don’t be afraid to experiment, try new techniques or indeed occasionally fail. We learn from experience.

Final thoughts

The journey of a photographer is a perpetual evolution, filled with ups and downs, challenges, and rewards. The key to continued growth lies in being open to change, embracing experimentation, and pushing your creative boundaries. Remember every photographer’s path is unique, and it’s essential to focus on your progress rather than comparing yourself to others. With dedication, passion, and a thirst for learning, your photography will undoubtedly continue to evolve, and your artistry will shine through the lens.

Yo-Yo at the DeSalvio Playground in NoLIta, 1996.

Sue Kwon didn’t set out to chronicle the evolution of hip-hop. In the late 1980s, Kwon, who had grown up in Connecticut and studied photography at New York University, was living in lower Manhattan. For a while, she wanted to become a war photographer, but the birth of her eldest son, Kainoa, changed that calculus. She also became immersed in the city’s blossoming second-wave hip-hop scene. At the time, New York was teeming with new acts like A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Mobb Deep, and Wu-Tang Clan, with a powerful group of female MCs like Roxanne Shanté and Salt-N-Pepa taking the mic.

Kwon began to document it all, scoring assignments for The Village Voice and The Source. But what she captured wasn’t just the explosive energy of a musical genre finding its footing—it was a culture coming of age.

De La Soul, 1996.

Pharrell (left) with Chad Hugo (center) and Shay Haley of N.E.R.D in a Virginia Beach, Virginia, studio, 2001.

Method Man, 1995.

There’s an intimacy and immediacy in Kwon’s images that somehow managed to bottle the creativity, community, camaraderie, and joy that have always been at the center of hip-hop. There are the members of De La Soul crammed into the back of a car. There’s Yo-Yo enjoying a Popsicle on a playground. There’s a young Pharrell, with his turn-of-the-century outfit N.E.R.D, toiling away in a studio, dreaming up new things.

There are eerie moments, like Kwon’s pictures of Biggie Smalls, a.k.a. the Notorious B.I.G., presiding over a listening session for his album Life After Death just 11 days before he was killed in 1997, and lighter ones, like Kwon’s portraits of Method Man, whom she once shot brushing his teeth. There’s also an image of Method’s Wu-Tang-mate Raekwon with Kainoa, who was often by Kwon’s side.

“I would just bring him with his toys,” she says. “Nobody knew hip-hop would become what it is today. I’m just grateful that I was there.”

Arrested Development, 1992.

Beastie Boys’ MCA, a.k.a. Adam Yauch, 1992

Big Daddy Kane, 1991.

Souleymane Dicko, 1985.

“I loved the music,” Kwon says. “I would go to DJ seminars and different events for fun. And I always had a camera because I was obsessed with just documenting. I wanted to stop time. I don’t know why. Maybe Freud or some therapist might have something to say about that. But it’s a good thing for me that I did,” she continues. “I just remember always having a backpack with my Rolleiflex and a light meter. We all had our little side hustles, and we were just trying to survive, right? But of course, it was exciting. I mean, I can’t deny that. I was like, ‘I’m listening to their music and loving it, and then I get to shoot and work with them?’ I was excited.”

Brand Nubian on a SoHo rooftop, 1992.

Mobb Deep, 1995.

Dres from Black Sheep (top center) at the Apollo, 1991.

N.W.A, 1991.

J Maseo, Monie Love, Trugoy the Dove, and Jarobi White of Native Tongues, 1990.

“Right after college, I started assisting a fashion photographer. We’d be shooting 10 or 15 rolls of one dress down a beach, and I’d have with three cameras around my neck. And I just remember thinking, ‘This doesn’t matter. Conflict and war—that’s what really matters,’” Kwon says.

“I was always interested in stuff like that. I think it was because of my dad. He was a history buff. We talked about the Vietnam war and the Korean war. I thought documenting war was important because that was something that really could maybe change the world,” she continues.

“Robert Capa, who helped start Magnum [the legendary photo agency], was one of my first influences. And then I did an internship at the Magnum agency for a bit and was able to pour through all their negatives. That’s where I discovered Susan Meiselas, who took also those pictures of the conflict Nicaragua and also became a big influence.”

Yasiin Bey, who previously performed as Mos Def, circa 1999.

Busy Bee in NoLIta, 1992.

EPMD’s Erick Sermon, 1995.

Kool G Rap, 1995.

“Downton New York was different. I lived on Mott Street, between Prince and Houston. Def Jam was around the corner on Elizabeth Street. Loud Records, which was Wu-Tang Clan’s label, was on Broadway near The Village Voice,” Kwon says. “I worked at agnes b. in Soho. You would have Rammellzee or Jean-Michel Basquiat coming in, and then they’d converge and hang out across the street in front of a store. You would see all of these different artists or musicians convene. It was a little hub.”

Biggie Smalls, a.k.a. the Notorious B.I.G., 1997.

Biggie Smalls, a.k.a. the Notorious B.I.G., 1997.

“Biggie was obviously kind of that room. I walked in and ‘Hypnotized’ was blaring and I got goosebumps on my arms because of that song and the hook,” Kwon recalls of photographing the Notorious B.I.G. at Daddy’s House recording studio in midtown. “All these guys are just hanging out and there’s tons of smoke and this champagne and Hennessy. Diddy was dancing around and different people were dancing,” Kwon says. “Biggie had hurt his leg, so he was just sitting at the desk. But I feel like he was just on this throne, this presence. He knew his talent. I mean, he was a baby. He was 24 when he was killed. But he was just so confident at that age.”

Redman and Method Man, 1995.

Method Man (center) with fans, 1995.

“Method Man was so cool, even back then,” Kwon says. “He knew the power go the camera and how to play to its, but not in an annoying ‘Look at me!’ way. He was so charming, of course, he was not hard to photograph,” she explains. “But he was very open-minded. A lot of people might pause and be like, ‘How does this look for my image?’ whereas he was game for anything.”

Special Ed, circa 1995.

Wu-Tang Clan on Yo! MTV Raps, 1997.

Mobb Deep in Times Square, 1996.

“I admire when photographers can extract things and make the subject do something wild, but I’m just a fly on the wall,” Kwon says. “When I’m just in the moment and absorbing it and trying to get done what I have to do, I’m just looking for cool images or moments. I’m just focused on the camera and shooting and not thinking about the ‘big’ moment. I always love the stuff that’s just when the subjects are not working for the camera and they’re just doing their thing.”

Lil Wayne, 2006.

Rick Ross, 2008.

Swizz Beatz, 2006.

Roxanne Shanté, circa 1998.

Eve, 2000.

Mobb Deep, year unknown.

Naughty By Nature’s DJ Kay Gee, year unknown.

Raekwon with Kwon’s son Kainoa, 1995.

“There was a lot of male energy. But if you were a woman and you could hold your own, it was fine. I think it took a certain type of personality to exist in that world,” Kwon says. “It’s a very special memory to me to have had my child with me on these shoots. A lot of times, if I photographed artists in the studio, I would just bring him with his toys and he would play. I’m grateful I was able to do that. Nobody was like, ‘Oh, you have your kid.’ It was very natural,” she explains. “At one point, I really wanted to do a project on rappers and their babies. The Source finally let me.”

A version of this story appeared in the August 2023 issue of Harper’s Bazaar.

By Ailbhe Macmahon For Mailonline

Updated: 07:44 EDT, 1 August 2023

An iPhone is a tool for astounding creativity in the hands of these talented photographers.

Their work has been honoured in the 2023 iPhone Photography Awards, an annual contest that sets out to showcase the most showstopping images captured on Apple devices. 

This year the contest, which has been running since 2007, welcomed submissions from photographers from more than 140 countries. For a place in the running, photographs must have been captured on an iPhone or an iPad, and the use of desktop image editing programs such as Photoshop is forbidden.

Reigning supreme overall, this year’s grand prize winner is Mexican photographer Ivan Silva, who captured a magnificent shot of a young football fan on an iPhone 12 Pro. Other shots to gain recognition include a moody picture of Dartmoor National Park in southern England, a vibrant image of a Swiss mountain railway and a mesmerising shot of a trio of elephants marching across an arid landscape.

A statement from the awards’ organisers says: ‘Congratulations to all the winners for the amazing stories they managed to capture with such sensitivity, humour, and beauty.’

Below is a handful of the pictures that captivated the judges. Scroll down to the very bottom to see the photograph that takes the top prize…

The 16th annual iPhone Photography Awards contest has been won by an image of an exuberant boy, shot on an iPhone 12 Pro.

The Grand Prize-winning photograph, “Heroe” by Ivan Silva

Thea Mihu’s “Soy Sauce Village,” shot on iPhone 12 Pro Max

Sasa Borozan’s “Taming Waves,” shot on an iPhone 13 Pro

Derek Hager of the USA, with “Tucson Morning,” shot on an iPhone X

Skye Snyder came top in the the Animals category, on an iPhone 12 Pro Max

Scott Galloway came first in the Nature, using the iPhone 12 Pro Max.

Sofia Ershova won in the Children category with this shot on an iPhone 13 Pro

Tao Fan used an iPhone 11 to take first place in the Other category.