Apple announced the winners of its latest 'Shot On iPhone' contest and shared tips for how others can achieve winning results by using the iPhone 13 Pro's macro mode. Submissions were received from around the world, and each image is a unique and wonderful photo that helps highlight the new close-up photography capabilities of the iPhone 13 Pro. As captivating as these images are, it's even more amazing to realize that an entire world of tiny subjects is available to anyone with a smartphone that can focus at very short ranges.
The original iPhone had only a single camera with a two-megapixel sensor placed on the rear of the device. Apple didn't add a selfie camera until the iPhone 4 was released three years later. In 2016, Apple added a telephoto lens to the iPhone 7-Plus, making it possible to get a tighter shot of a distant subject but not really helping much with tiny objects. Telephoto lenses tend to have longer minimum focus distances, eliminating the benefit of the zoom when used for subjects that are quite close to the iPhone. A macro option finally came in 2021 with the introduction of the iPhone 13 Pro and its much improved ultrawide angle camera that can focus on subjects that are just an inch away, allowing greatly enlarged views of tiny details.
Apple's 'Shot On iPhone' macro challenge shows off what's possible with the iPhone 13 Pro's ultrawide camera. One of the keys to a great shot is picking the right subject at a moment when the lighting highlights it well. While that takes time and practice, it's also important to understand the equipment being used and how to get the most from the camera. Apple shared some great tips that anyone with an iPhone 13 Pro or Pro Max can use to improve their own macro photography. Getting close is important, and centering the subject will allow it to have maximum sharpness. That said, it is possible to tap the screen to change the focus spot if needed for a particular shot. The ultrawide camera is always used for macro shots, so shooting at .5x yields the best possible results. Of course, 1x can be used, but it will actually be a digital zoom from the ultrawide lens.
iPhone Macro Contest Winners
Apple opened the 'Shot On iPhone' macro challenge to iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max users worldwide. Ten winners were selected from entries that highlight the diversity of iPhone photographers as well as excellent photography. Finalists were selected from China, Hungary, India, Italy, Spain, Thailand and the United States. The winning images will be featured on apple.com, Apple’s Instagram page, and billboards in select cities to provide great exposure for the winners. Apple does compensate the photographers for commercial usage, but those details weren't shared in the press release.
The most popular subjects were flowers, with a deep red hibiscus blossom, dew-kissed lily, vibrant sunflower, and sharply contrasted tulip. Water is always beautiful since it has a remarkable ability to capture light and a macro submission of sea glass in water was the first winner shown in Apple's press release. Dewdrops on a spider web, a bead of water on a leaf, and carbonated water coating a strawberry in bubbles were also selected. Frozen water in the form of snowflakes on long puppy fur and a backlit fig leaf rounded out the ten winning photographs. These interesting and beautiful photos that Apple highlighted can be a great inspiration for iPhone 13 Pro photographers to explore the little things in life and bring focus to small details.
Source: Apple