Smartphone Editing versus Big Screen Editing AND Focus on Photography, or elsewhere

[Skygod44]

As you all know (especially @Terrycanon ), everyone has been nudged into becoming addicted to smartphones over the last decade or so.

The psychological, political, and socioeconomic implications, etc. are way outside the realms of FoP, but I've noticed a few things recently which I'm hoping to hear your experiences/thoughts/opinions on:

1) Is anyone else "editing on the run" more and more, recently?
- By this, I mean, using an image editing app in a smartphone, as opposed to, for example, Lightroom for desktop, on a large screen.
2) Those who do so, have you ever then reviewed your images on a desktop screen or large TV?
- if yes, what are your thoughts?
- if no, why not?
3) Those who only edit on a large (shall we say 14"+) screen, why?
4) Those who only edit on a smartphone (shall we include smallish-sized iPads/tablets, etc?), tell us why?
5) If you currently use both a smartphone app and desktop software, which is more fun?
- I use the word "fun" deliberately, because when I edited in Lightroom, many, many, moons ago, at first I thought, "Oh yeah! I'm the king of editing...my photos look amazing!"

But when paying customers/non-photographers said they couldn't see the point, I became disillusioned with spending my time perfecting images which nobody cared about.

On my much despised smartphone however, I can take utterly different images (so, "batch processing" doesn't apply) and using Snapseed edit them in seconds to how I like them, and then upload them no matter where I am; out in the countryside, next to a supermarket, on the toilet (yes, sometimes! ), it matters not!
To me, this "equals" fun, these days.

I've even printed up to A3 size using this technique, from my micro 4/3 cameras...
...and only received praise.
Not one person has commented negatively on the image quality nor editing.

Now the slightly heavier question:
6) Have you noticed shots from other members where you really want to ask something like;
"Why couldn't you see that the horizon wasn't level?"
or, "Why didn't you notice that the focus was waaaaaaay off?"
or, "Sharp? Call that 'sharp'?! My sofa cushions are sharper than that!"

- unless someone is new to photography (which, to me, means total forgiveness) could it be that we're seeing the results of combining the move towards "just enough will do", and "only viewed on a smartphone"?
If so, is it our responsibility to teach people what "OK", "better", "good" and "great" really mean?

Everyone creative has "off days", but if everyone only views the world through a relatively tiny smartphone screen, what next?

As a final comment, part of what I do to keep a roof over my head is teaching.
And since 2016 (when "free" iPads were delivered to my school) I've been erupting regularly at education "specialists" about how any tech in non-technical lessons degrades educational achievement in what's commonly called "K through 12".
Finally, Finland announced that from August this year (2025) all smartphones will be banned in schools.
And from what I've read, by extension, all "tech" in non-technical lessons (correct me if you've heard more) soon thereafter.
Could this spread worldwide?
If so, will that kind of basic education help to reverse the trend?
And if so, will I have to pay for Lightroom again?

Don't feel like you need to answer all (or any!) questions; it's just another Skygod mind-emptying exercise.
And now, I need to go food shopping!
Cheers for now,
Simon

 

[Joeseph]

Different for folks in visual field jobs I guess, but I almost never edit anything on a smartphone - if a photo is taken on the phone it's sent as-is, or if essential be cropped before sending.
why? because I don't shoot anything on a phone that's anything other than informative, or sometimes creating a memory & I don't have my main cam at hand.

Often if I'm doing a client network audit I'll take along the R5 instead of relying on a phone to get detailed shots to examine later as sometimes can't get close enough to equipment racks to really see what's in there.
Folks at work often mention the image file size though!

On to smartphones in schools, New Zealand schools have had varying degrees of limiting or banning use of, until April last year when it became mandatory for all schools to not allow use of smartphones in school.
These same schools require a laptop or tablet from year 8, these don't have to be huge horsepower devices either, just something to access cloud-based docs and apps.

 

[Skygod44]

Thanks Duncan

Different for folks in visual field jobs I guess, but I almost never edit anything on a smartphone - if a photo is taken on the phone it's sent as-is, or if essential be cropped before sending.

Yes. I can understand that approach if your job depends on it.

Funnily enough, since I was sucked back into FoP, I've almost completely stopped using my smartphone as a camera.

why? because I don't shoot anything on a phone that's anything other than informative, or sometimes creating a memory & I don't have my main cam at hand.

This makes a lot of sense.

Often if I'm doing a client network audit I'll take along the R5 instead of relying on a phone to get detailed shots to examine later as sometimes can't get close enough to equipment racks to really see what's in there.

I have no clue what you do...
...and this paragraph made it as clear as mud, to me

Folks at work often mention the image file size though!

Yeah...
...a definite disadvantage if/when sensors get bigger.

On to smartphones in schools, New Zealand schools have had varying degrees of limiting or banning use of, until April last year when it became mandatory for all schools to not allow use of smartphones in school.

Although it was only a supporting 'aside' to the main thrust of the thread, I'm really happy to hear this.
Hoorah for NZ

These same schools require a laptop or tablet from year 8, these don't have to be huge horsepower devices either, just something to access cloud-based docs and apps.

Oh well...
...still, imho, mostly in the right direction.

For me, unless specifically learning about 'cloud storage', or app use, lessons shouldn't require anything other than a pencil, eraser, blank paper and a textbook/teacher.

Up to age 16, kids are so lacking in basic/general knowledge, fannying around with a tablet/laptop just equals playtime.

But this was all just on the peripheral of the main point.

Thanks again, mate.
Simon

 

[Lester Wareham]

I don't think I have ever done that; i know my 6D had wifi so you could pull an image in, I may have done this once to send holiday snaps to relatives.

The current bodies the R7 and R6II probably do, I have not checked.

My eyes are not that great so editing on a bigger screen is preferred, if a away with a laptop I would only use it for a quick sanity check of "money shots"

Also my work flow is batched based, I work through a batch (normally a days shoot) and upload; I don't dip in process; I would get quite lost. This way it is easy to keep a simple check list of what is processed.

 

[Terrycanon]

Thanks for the mention, Simon. Can't help with this thread, but I know you have seen that I photographed someone actually reading a book rather than on their phone. Now they are VERY hard to spot these days. It's in the Black & White Street Photography thread.

For what it's worth, I've never tried to process a photo on a phone, beyond cropping and straightening - the screens are far too small for me. I do so on my iPad Pro when we're away on holidays, though, with some success. Much prefer it on my iMac at home, however.

 

[Skygod44]

Thanks for the mention, Simon. Can't help with this thread, but I know you have seen that I photographed someone actually reading a book rather than on their phone. Now they are VERY hard to spot these days. It's in the Black & White Street Photography thread.

For what it's worth, I've never tried to process a photo on a phone, beyond cropping and straightening - the screens are far too small for me. I do so on my iPad Pro when we're away on holidays, though, with some success. Much prefer it on my iMac at home, however.

Yes, I loved that you'd found someone not glued to a smartphone screen.

And it's interesting that you put them in the B&W thread...
... I've been pondering on that one recently.
But that's not for this thread.

Back on topic, and your reasoning is sound as a pound: smartphone screens are small, so the logic is completely right.

See you soon, mate.
Simon

 

[Infrared Guy]

FWIW, I shot and edited this on my Samsung galaxy. I installed this scarecrow in a field for a scene in a show. One of my few edits on the phone.

 

[Skygod44]

FWIW, I shot and edited this on my Samsung galaxy. I installed this scarecrow in a field for a scene in a show. One of my few edits on the phone.

Thanks for joining in.
I'm currently on my PC, and looking at this image I'd say you've nailed it.
Any "issues" with the editing someone may have are far from relevant, due to the subject matter being so compelling.

I'm beginning to wonder if this kind of question is also related to the much-attacked "4K" thread I started way back.

The human eye simply can't discern the details that high-res puts out, unless peered at minutely.
And that's missing the whole(?) perhaps.
Maybe?
Possibly?
I dunno...
...I had a migraine last night until the wee hours, so my brain isn't functioning normally at the moment.

Cheers for now,
Simon

 

[paddler4]

There's another wrinkle to this. If you take a photo with a smartphone, a lot of the editing is already done. That's why many smartphone photos look quite good. Quite apart from computational photography functions, they apply pre-set algorithms for sharpening, color balance, contrast, sharpening, etc.

So I never take serious photos with my smartphone for the same reason I don't shoot JPEG: I don't want an automatic algorithm to do my editing for me. On rare occasions, I have to make do with a smartphone photo anyway. For example, I've been given smartphone photos by other to print for them. Then I upload them to my computer, where I have the most control, and do what I can to fix what's not done to my liking.

 

[Wilt]

Why I dislike smartphone images (unless nothing else is available)...edge enhancement applied by the phone, hidden unless you know it is there for the finding:

 

[Skygod44]

There's another wrinkle to this. If you take a photo with a smartphone, a lot of the editing is already done. That's why many smartphone photos look quite good.

I couldn't agree more...
The trouble could come if "quite good" becomes all that's ever required.

Quite apart from computational photography functions, they apply pre-set algorithms for sharpening, color balance, contrast, sharpening, etc.

Yes again
And this is where AI needs to be taken out of the equation, as far as I'm concerned.
Manipulating individual pixels via AI really could make editing skills an old timer's obsession.

But AI won't (I hope not in my lifetime) get what it means to be human.
Images will all look the same...
...much like people who all go to the same plastic surgeon.

So I never take serious photos with my smartphone for the same reason I don't shoot JPEG: I don't want an automatic algorithm to do my editing for me.

I've emboldened that last sentence - can I ask why?
(And I'm assuming you're getting paid for these photos/prints, yes?)

On rare occasions, I have to make do with a smartphone photo anyway. For example, I've been given smartphone photos by other to print for them. Then I upload them to my computer, where I have the most control, and do what I can to fix what's not done to my liking.

Another question, because this was the part which really knocked me sideways when I was working in photography:
Many of my customers wanted a final image that I wasn't happy with, for example too much skin smoothing and general de-aging, too bright or too dark, the list goes on.

Recently, I find jpgs are simply easier and quicker than RAW files, to edit.
And because I shoot almost exclusively for me, if I get things in-camera 90% "right", there's no need to edit much, except to add some mood.

BUT, if I dip back into paid work (unlikely) would I shoot RAW?
Definitely...

Cheers for now,
Simon

 

[Capn Jack]

There's another wrinkle to this. If you take a photo with a smartphone, a lot of the editing is already done. That's why many smartphone photos look quite good. Quite apart from computational photography functions, they apply pre-set algorithms for sharpening, color balance, contrast, sharpening, etc.

So I never take serious photos with my smartphone for the same reason I don't shoot JPEG: I don't want an automatic algorithm to do my editing for me. On rare occasions, I have to make do with a smartphone photo anyway. For example, I've been given smartphone photos by other to print for them. Then I upload them to my computer, where I have the most control, and do what I can to fix what's not done to my liking.

Why I dislike smartphone images (unless nothing else is available)...edge enhancement applied by the phone, hidden unless you know it is there for the finding:

Modern cell phones have some sort of RAW image mode, although you need to set it up. Use that mode, and it is a convenient camera.

 

[West Coast Birder]

I know my phone (iPhone 14 pro max) can do raw but I have not set it up. Need to do it if just to test it out.

 

[RDKirk]

I don't use my phone to photograph anything I'd bother editing.

 

[Archibald]

Like most of you, I pretty well never edit on my phone. I do use the phone for photography, though, but in raw mode. I download those and edit them in Lightroom.

A couple of months ago I sent some pics from a session with a model to the model. She uses a smart phone. To my surprise, she complained that I had smoothed the skin pores too much. How could she tell that on a phone?? Well, she did, and I was impressed. So I can't just post rough stuff to IG, because some can see the details.

Apart from phones, I also don't like laptops for editing. I do a ton of editing on my laptop anyway when travelling, because I need the feedback from the day's shooting. But I always do final edits later at home on the real computer.

 

[saraspics]

Never, ever edit on my phone. Way too small for these old eyes.

On loger trips I take a tablet and import into Lightroom and when I have time (I mean, I'm on vacation!) I apply auto-correction or mark for culling out later.

 

[Yno]

I often crop on my phone, but that is it. I leave it on 'FULL' rather than choosing a different ratio each time. Then I crop to what I need. I don't use my phone for much serious photography.

 

[RDKirk]

Never, ever edit on my phone. Way too small for these old eyes.

On loger trips I take a tablet and import into Lightroom and when I have time (I mean, I'm on vacation!) I apply auto-correction or mark for culling out later.

In my case, my old and thick fingers.

 

[Skygod44]

Hello all you lovely folks who have responded.

As this is one of my "it just popped out of my weird brain" threads, I think I'll do a summary and response:

Most people say something like "I never edit on a smartphone...but I do crop".
Isn't cropping within the definition of editing?


Some say, the screen is too small.
I can completely appreciate this issue, so whoever fits in this group, yes, you're right to avoid small-screen editing.

Other comments include the odd conundrum of PC editing being spotted by someone who only views photos on a smartphone, and disliking the result.
I think this was quite remarkable, tbh. And shows how younger people will happily "pinch to zoom" all day long.

Also there's the issues about preset algorithms taking over editing, when the photographer was wanting something specific.
I see this as editing control at its extreme "best". If you are 100% sure you need to edit the image 100% in control, then that's quite impressive, imho.

I need to get on with my day soon, but because I'm not accepting paid work in photography these days (except for a tiny handful of special clients), I'll admit that 99% of my photos in general, and 99.9% of those uploaded to FoP are edited on my Sony Xperia smartphone, using free Snapseed or the built-in "Magic Eraser" tool.

I do have two, large, calibrated monitors used for editing video. And when I log in to FoP on my PC, and look through my images compared with those from other, much respected FoPpers, in my most humble opinion, all I'll say is that unless your eyesight is an issue, the benefits of smartphone editing (ie, anywhere-editing, ease, speed, free, uploading simplicity, and similar enough to full-sized editing suite software, etc) outweigh the drawbacks (ie, small screen and fiddly, not a fully controllable editing experience, not pixel-level, not "professional", etc).

Cheers for now,
Simon

 

[Nick5]

Simon.
Love “JPWB” threads. They make us think and reflect.
Keep them coming.
When using the iPhone for a quick pic, I’ll straighten, yes I’m anal, and crop if needed. That’s it.
However the “real stuff” is Recorded Separately” to both the CF and SD cards on my Mark III.
Images Imported into Lightroom through DATE, YYYY MM DD and Description. Once the “Duds” are tossed I then rename the ones that are left with DATE format applied-0001 - 0447 for example
If any HDR images need to be created go at it.
Once all done, then I will go into DEVELOP Module.
My iMac 27” is Calibrated Monthly with a SpyderX PRO to 6500K
My “Lightroom Lounge” Basement has 8 Canless LED Lights set at 6500K with dimmers.
A Bright White Sterile Surgiacal Lab with Gray walls. Floor trimming is pure white when all 8 Lights are on.
Switching to 5000K to 2800K and the trim gets warmer as expected.
When Developing, Room has LED Lights set at 3 ZONES so all 8, 4 or two lights at far end can be turned on too as needed. Zone at far end of room from iMac is dimmed at a fixed low amount to eliminate a Black room with only monitor light source.
My work space is illuminated with a BenQ Screen Bar Plus set as you guessed it, 6500 K and set to a specific brightness level to illuminate me, my desk but not my monitor as there is no glare from Light or any light source.
“Developing in the Lightroom Lounge” can now begin.
Starting with WB and all that is available in Lightroom Classic, I know my images will will be printed exactly as I see on Screen through the Lightroom “Print” Module as Canon PRO-300 and ICC Profiles are used accordingly.
Being able to Print confirms all of Brightness, color, WB etc are applied correctly…… yes I’m Anal…..
Soooooo when in Europe or soon to be near you in Japan. All of my Images are on both cards, yes multiples as well waiting the turn to capture, sit on the cards until arrival at home and Then the Import Process can begin correctly at that time.
For me flow, no reason to Jump the Gun, and upload in to an iPAD as its in not calibrated to multiple environments.
So for me, Patience allows me to start off right in my “Lightroom Lounge” knowing that the Output, the Print is SPOT ON!
Being ANAL has its advantages……
My family may disagree…….