Photographer
J I M
Posts: 524
New York, New York, US
I swear half the threads on any photo/model site get derailed because someone uses the term 'cell phone pic' and it is completely taken out of context or has its meaning altered.
For example, if someone says, 'Her portfolio only has crappy cell phone pics' or 'His images look like a guy who lured models into an alley and photographed them with his cell phone' ... isn't it meant to be taken more as a comment on a crappy aesthetic rather than the actual device used to capture the image?
Always seems like lots of people jump in and say that they've taken great pics with their phone, major magazine layouts have been done with iPhones, etc... instead of discussing the issue the OP is most likely addressing.
So instead of it always being taken so literally, what phrase can be used instead? Or should we just ask people to think a little more than usual and not jump the gun (or metaphorically use their cell to call 911...ha)
Photographer
DougBPhoto
Posts: 39248
Portland, Oregon, US
jsl wrote:
I swear half the threads on any photo/model site get derailed because someone uses the term 'cell phone pic' and it is completely taken out of context or has its meaning altered.
For example, if someone says, 'Her portfolio only has crappy cell phone pics' or 'His images look like a guy who lured models into an alley and photographed them with his cell phone' ... isn't it meant to be taken more as a comment on a crappy aesthetic rather than the actual device used to capture the image?
Always seems like lots of people jump in and say that they've taken great pics with their phone, major magazine layouts have been done with iPhones, etc... instead of discussing the issue the OP is most likely addressing.
So instead of it always being taken so literally, what phrase can be used instead? Or should we just ask people to think a little more than usual and not jump the gun (or metaphorically use their cell to call 911...ha) Some of us call them Jems.
Model
Gemma Huh
Posts: 153
London, England, United Kingdom
I always just say self shot phone images.
Photographer
Art of the nude
Posts: 12067
Grand Rapids, Michigan, US
jsl wrote:
I swear half the threads on any photo/model site get derailed because someone uses the term 'cell phone pic' and it is completely taken out of context or has its meaning altered.
For example, if someone says, 'Her portfolio only has crappy cell phone pics' or 'His images look like a guy who lured models into an alley and photographed them with his cell phone' ... isn't it meant to be taken more as a comment on a crappy aesthetic rather than the actual device used to capture the image?
Always seems like lots of people jump in and say that they've taken great pics with their phone, major magazine layouts have been done with iPhones, etc... instead of discussing the issue the OP is most likely addressing.
So instead of it always being taken so literally, what phrase can be used instead? Or should we just ask people to think a little more than usual and not jump the gun (or metaphorically use their cell to call 911...ha) I would think that "crappy cell phone pictures" covers it. As long as things aren't phrased such that "crappy" implies "cell phone" or the other way around. You can have crappy pictures from a cell phone, a Rebel, a D3s, or for that matter, a large format Hassleblad film camera.
Photographer
J I M
Posts: 524
New York, New York, US
I see what y'all are saying. I'm not really ranting (hell, my cell phone doesn't even have a camera!), just thinking out loud (always dangerous...) Reading this thread: https://www.modelmayhem.com/po.php?thre … 327&page=1 it was interesting how the discussion changed from the fact that the guy couldn't find his camera after getting drunk the night before (and saying that he did a shoot with his cell phone) to a discussion on 'good cell phone images' when I really don't think that was the issue at all.
Photographer
safe as houses
Posts: 435
Schaumburg, Illinois, US
jsl wrote:
what phrase can be used instead? Crappy Cell Phone Pic?
Photographer
J I M
Posts: 524
New York, New York, US
safe as houses wrote:
Crappy Cell Phone Pic? Wow, I can't believe how bad I must be at communicating. Sorry 'bout that...
My point (again) is that someone starts or replies on a thread that mentions 'crappy cell phone pics' and instead of addressing the professionalism of the model or photographer, which is usually the thrust of their argument, the thread turns into a discussion of the potential quality of a pic taken with a phone.
Maybe I need another beer...
Photographer
Looknsee Photography
Posts: 26342
Portland, Oregon, US
jsl wrote:
So instead of it always being taken so literally, what phrase can be used instead? Or should we just ask people to think a little more than usual and not jump the gun (or metaphorically use their cell to call 911...ha) 1) It's probably not worth the bother -- it is unlikely that you'll get consensus & get the term adopted by even a significant number of people.
2) In my experience, people on this site use the term "cell phone pictures" to be derogatory. Personally, I think that aesthetics are more important than the technical aspects. So, I don't care about what kind of a camera is used to create an image (well, I nearly always don't care).
3) The most common context of the term "cell phone picture" is something like "She only has cell phone pictures in her portfolio, and she expects me to pay her!!!" (as if people don't have the right to ask for the compensation they want).
So, already I've exhausted the energy I would devote to this topic.
Photographer
J I M
Posts: 524
New York, New York, US
I do believe that's a good idea. Nothing against any replies I've seen, and I am certainly not trying to get a new word published in the dictionary or anything, but I do believe it is time to move on. Also, and again nothing personal against anyone who replied as such, but I didn't want to limit the thought process to pics that people take of themselves; in fact, the thread I referenced was about a photographer shooting with a model . But again, I thank everyone for their input 
Photographer
nick latino
Posts: 291
Tucson, Arizona, US
my cell phone can take pics? where do i put the film?
Model
Ainsley Alexandra
Posts: 266
Saint John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
"Snapshots"?
"Snapshot", to me, says "a photo taken without forethought or skill". Ultimately, it's a lack of forethought or skill that makes a bad photo bad and not necessarily the equipment that was used to capture the shot.
Photographer
Mask Photo
Posts: 1453
Fremont, California, US
Ainsley Alexandra wrote:
"Snapshots"?
"Snapshot", to me, says "a photo taken without forethought or skill". Ultimately, it's a lack of forethought or skill that makes a bad photo bad and not necessarily the equipment that was used to capture the shot. QFT
Photographer
Nico Simon Princely
Posts: 1972
Las Vegas, Nevada, US
a crappy picture is a crappy picture it does not matter what it was taken with.
I have seen some super hot sexy self "cell phone pics" with great posing and angles and have seen some Crappy "Canon D50 with $2000 lens pics" It's not the device it's the user that determines the quality.
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