Still doubt the power of phone cameras? Check out the stunning photos of Brent Hall

By Michael Cammack Last updated Jul 28, 2023

Phone cameras are so good these days that professional photographers often use them alongside traditional cameras. Brent Hall, owner of Light Bender Visuals, is one of those photographers who sees the benefit of shooting with a phone. Passionate about adventure and the outdoors, he photographs incredible landscapes all over the world using his handset.

Although Brent has one of the best camera phones (opens in a new tab), he doesn’t shoot it exclusively – although he often makes a point of using it with his other cameras. He is currently using a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra which has a remarkable 108MP main camera along with two 10MP telephoto lenses and a 40MP front wide camera (along with a 12MP ultrawide rear camera).

With these incredible specs, he is able to photograph the Milky Way and showcase the natural beauty of New Mexico, USA where he lives using only the camera in his pocket.

mobile photography — (Image credit: Brent Hall)

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“I started to realize the power of phone photography when the Galaxy Note 8 was released. It was a first for me as a professional photographer – having multiple lenses on the phone and a pretty good Pro mode made me allowed you to really take control of image creation.

Using your phone to take photos can really streamline the process, and there are so many great editing apps out there that you can do it all from your palm – there’s no need to transfer large files or convert RAW to JPEG, which will save your time.

Some of the best photo apps (opens in a new tab) such as Lightroom Mobile, Snapseed, and Expert RAW will let you give your images a truly professional finish by adjusting things like brightness, contrast, and saturation. You can even apply a hint of color for that cinematic feel.

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If you love photography, whether or not you own a camera, smartphones have made this art form more accessible to everyone. While some old-school photographers may argue that it takes away from the pros, Brent is very much in favor of people getting into photography this way.

“I think it’s amazing that smartphones are becoming so innovative with their cameras, sensors and capabilities. It really helps bring out everyone’s creativity. It drastically lowers that traditional monetary barrier to entry for photography in what you don’t have to run around and buy a camera body with different lenses and computers and expensive editing software just to get started.It’s all in your pocket now, and it’s fantastic.