Biker Couple Framed – Austin, Texas

I don’t post many iPhone photos on this blog. Not because I don’t think they are worthy cameras — they are. Unlike years past, when serious photographers looked down on iPhoneography, everyone now seems to acknowledge the usefulness of these tools. No, the reason why I don’t post many iPhone photos is, I don’t shoot too many serous photos with it. It all has to do with Photography Mode.

Virtually all of my “serious” photos are shot in what I call Photography Mode. That’s when I explicitly switch my brain to making images. Once switched on, I actively hunt for interesting compositions, people, shapes, colors and textures. Over the years, I’ve honed this skill enough to make decent images under most conditions. However, there’s a downside to Photography Mode. It tends to suck down enough brain power, driven by OCP (Obsessive Compulsive Photography) that I don’t do other things very well. My lower brain barely protects me from physical dangers, such as being hit by a car, but don’t expect me to carry on a coherent conversation.

The thing is, when I plan to go into Photography Mode, I explicitly carry my beefier cameras and thus end up making photos with those purposely built photographic tools. When I’m not in Photography Mode, which is most of the time, I have my iPhone but end up shooting inane food photos like everyone else. I guess you can call me, all or nothing on the photographic front. I suppose it’s also a self-preservation mechanism, since if I were always in Photography Mode, I would get nothing done.

That said, on rare occasions, a visual pops into my head that momentarily jolts me into Photographic Mode. For some reason, I liked how this biker couple was framed within my car window. Luckily I was able to shoot this, before the light turned green. The image was converted to black and white, in iPhone, with Snapseed.