Apple gets up close and macro with Shot on iPhone challenge
Apple has announced this year’s Shot on iPhone challenge. This year it is inviting iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max users to share their best extremely close-up “macro” pictures. In previous years it has run competitions around night photography and portrait images.
Get closer, iPhoneographers
The new camera in the iPhone 13 Pro range is capable of capturing macro images with a minimum focus distance of 2 centimeters – and Apple wants people to take photos with these new cameras.
To take part in the challenge, all you need to do is share your favorite macro photos taken on iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max on Instagram and Twitter using the hashtags #ShotoniPhone and #iPhonemacrochallenge.
A panel of expert judges from the industry and Apple will review worldwide submissions and select 10 winning images.
Those ten images will be published in a gallery on Apple Newsroom, apple.com, Apple Instagram (@apple), and other official Apple accounts. They may also appear in digital campaigns, Apple Store locations, billboards, or in a public photo exhibition.
Submissions will be accepted beginning at 6:01 a.m. PST on January 25, 2022, and ending at 11:59 p.m. PST on February 16, 2022.
You must be 18 years of age or older to participate, and this challenge is not open to Apple employees or their immediate families.
Apple’s tips for macro photos
Apple points out that some of the most impressive macro images you can get comprise photos of everday objects, animals and nature. The compamy also shared the following tips for macro photography.
- Make sure to get close to your subject — you can get as close as 2 centimeters (about an inch) away.
- Place the primary point of focus near the center of the frame, as that’s where the sharpest focus is when shooting in macro on iPhone.
- Tap an area in the viewfinder to set a specific focus point.
- Shoot at .5x to capture an Ultra Wide field of view, or try shooting at 1x for tighter framing — iPhone will automatically switch cameras as you get close while maintaining the 1x framing.
What can you win?
As noted, ten winning photos will be featured across Apple’s online and social media accounts. Images may also appear in Apple Store locations on billboards, Apple internal exhibitions, in digital advertising, and any exhibitions.
Apple will pay a licensing fee to the 10 winning photographers for use of such photos.
Winners will be notified on or close to April 12, 2022.
Who are the judges?
Apple has also announced who will judge this year’s competition. It seems worth noting that former VP Worldwide Marketing and now Apple Fellow Phil Schiller will not be a judge this year. The judges include:
Anand Varma
Anand is a National Geographic Explorer and award-winning photographer who believes that a camera is not just a tool to capture what he sees — it’s a way to illuminate the layers of beauty and complexity that are otherwise hidden from our naked eye. With a degree in integrative biology, Anand highlights creatures whose incredible details typically go unseen, and discovers new stories behind the science along the way.
Apeksha Maker
Based in Mumbai and co-founder of commercial photography firm The House Of Pixels, Apeksha’s photography is a path to “self-expression.” She works with a wide range of leading Indian actors and global brands, and her images are regularly featured in India’s top publications like GQ, Elle, and Cosmopolitan.
Peter McKinnon
Peter is an internationally acclaimed photographer, filmmaker, YouTube creator, and entrepreneur. Peter uses his platforms to inspire and help people pursue their passions behind the lens. In 2019, he was named Breakout YouTuber of the Year at the Shorty Awards, and in 2020, he won a Streamy Award for Cinematography. His photography was featured on two special collection coins issued by the Royal Canadian Mint.
Paddy Chao
Paddy is a photographer who specializes in capturing life’s moments on iPhone. His work is diverse, covering street, human, landscape, and architectural photography. He has won numerous international photography awards for his iPhone photography, including National Geographic’s photo contest, PX3, Mobile Photography Awards (MPA), and IPPAWARDS.
Yik Keat Lee
Yik Keat is a self-taught urban photographer based in Singapore. At only 25 years old, Yik Keat has worked with leading global brands, including Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Adidas, and Porsche on seasonal local campaigns, and top local companies, including Singapore’s OCBC Bank and national broadcaster Channel 8 on photography activations. He is known for creating unique narratives out of ordinary daily life and puts immense effort into crafting every piece of visual content. He is active on multiple social media platforms where he teaches others how to craft outstanding mobile photographs.
Arem Duplessis
Arem works closely with some of the most accomplished photographers worldwide in his role as the director of photography in Apple’s marketing team. He previously served as design director of The New York Times Magazine for nearly a decade.
Billy Sorrentino
Billy leads photographic experiences across all products with the Apple design team. Before joining Apple, he served as head of creative at WIRED, collaborating with many of the world’s most celebrated editorial photographers.
Della Huff
Della leads product management for Photos and Camera software at Apple, and is a passionate photographer who loves exploring and capturing the world with her iPhone.
Kaiann Drance
Kaiann works with talented teams at Apple to deliver products that put great photographic tools in the hands of many — from the first iPod touch with a camera, to the latest iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro lineup — in her role as vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing.
Pamela Chen
Pamela leads aesthetics and visual storytelling development for Apple’s camera and photos software team, working closely with creators and artists from around the world. She previously served as the editorial director of Instagram and senior photo editor for National Geographic.
How to enter the competition
You can enter your images via Instagram and Twitter, using the hashtags #ShotoniPhone and #iPhonemacrochallenge to participate in the challenge.
Weibo users can participate using #ShotoniPhone# and #iPhonemacrochallenge#.
Please note which iPhone model you used to capture your image in the caption.
You can also choose to submit your images in their highest resolution via email to [email protected], using the file format ‘firstname_lastname_macro_iPhonemodel.’ Subject line must be: ‘Shot on iPhone Macro Challenge Submission.’ Photos can be straight from the camera, edited through Apple’s editing tools in the Photos app, or edited with third-party software.
Full rules are available here.
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