Phone it In

Photography and Text by Ross Evertson

Photography has been an expected, pervasive part of our existence for over a century now. It is arguably one of the most accessible artistic platforms—you might not be able to draw, but surely you can push a button. For photography, the 20th century was a steady march through culture, documenting and infiltrating as much of our lives as possible.

And here we are, 2011 and almost every device we have has a camera in it. Phones, computers, cars. Everything is full of cameras. Our streets are lined with them, for better or for worse.  We have the capacity to document nearly everything, and the tools to share it all with everyone.  This is a scary, overwhelming and amazing thing.

I’m someone who to this day resists the crushing waves of digital photography. A vast majority of the images I make are still shot with film. I will fight for its survival as long as I am able, but not even I can resist the simplicity and constant presence of my iPhone.  Though it’s never been hard for me to convince myself to take an unnecessary photograph,  any excuse I had before has ceased to exist. Everything is photographable, and soon enough, everything will be a photograph.

[All images from an iPhone 4]