Photographer Robert Clark continues his Sony Ericsson camera phone tour

While I'm on the subject of taking great photos with camera phones -- as I just wrote -- check out the latest camera phone photos (see below) of professional photographer Robert Clark as he travels across the United States and Canada snapping images with Sony Ericsson's 1.3 megapixel S710a camera phone.

As I wrote in February, Sony Ericsson is sponsoring Robert Clark's "Image America" trek.  There's an update of his tour published in Southern Methodist University's (SMU) daily newspaper that reports Clark sometimes wishes he had a large selection of lenses for the camera phone. 

Value in simplicity

However, he also appreciates the simplicity of taking photos with a handset.

The article notes, "Clark, who is used to traveling on assignment with 10 - 12 cases of equipment and two assistants, says his 4.2 by 2 inch camera phones are a bit easier to manage.  The sheer simplicity and small size of the phone 'lets me concentrate on the design of the photo...or the emotional content of the person.'

"Any limitation the camera presents 'is really more about what is your limitation in terms of being creative with composition and thinking.'"

After the tour

Clark has three S710a's and will end his tour on April 19.  The camera phone photos will be displayed at the International Center of Photography in New York and he's also preparing a book with the photos, the SMU article says.

I'm very glad handset vendors such as Sony Ericsson (and Nokia) are contracting with professional photographers.  Viewing images by professionals helps encourage amateurs to get creative.

I've written before that even VGA camera phones (some, at least) can take interesting photos.

Comments

[Tom Karches]

Whether a photo is interesting or not :

- is in the eye of the beholder
- has nothing to do with the camera resolution

Interesting comes from the creativity of the photographer, not the quality of their equipment.

I saw someone with an S710a a few days ago, and it is an elegant piece of technology. I want one :-)

[Tychocat]

I like the concept of the tour (and I like the phone). The article was fun, though regarding Clark's quote, "Any limitation the camera presents 'is really more about what is your limitation in terms of being creative with composition and thinking'" just begs the follow-up question, "So, will you be dumping your 10-12 cases of equipment and firing your two assistants?"

I'd guess not.

I'm hoping to see more camphone photo contests and exhibitions, though I'm wondering if there's been a problem with verifying that all such entries are, in fact, taken by camphones.