Life Lesson: Mobile Phone

They are everywhere. The mobile phone. Your's is probably in your pocket right now, or maybe your reading this on your SmartPhone. The ubiquity of the mobile phone and its associated technology, namely the camera built into virtually everyone of them has taken the average person and made them the photojournalist of their life. This capability coupled with the technology to instantly transmit the images anywhere in the world with a cellular or Internet connection has transformed the snapshot into a tool of significant power. A paintbrush to amuse, titillate or even distress.

From the photographer prospective, and I'm talking about the people who identify themselves as such, the mobile phone is often overlooked as the tool that it is. Much of the photographer community is self absorbed and wanton of the latest new lens or camera body to help them, allegedly, be better photographers. I certainly engage in the practice of knowing what the latest camera megapixels are but I learned a valuable lesson in 2009 that will stay with me as a photographer for the rest of my life.

In January 2009 my father was diagnosed with esophageal cancer that had spread to several areas of his body. Though he seemed in good health the prognosis was death. The doctors from Stanford had given him possibly 6 months to live. My family and I were heartbroken to understate it by a million percent. Just a month and half after this devastating news I had to admit him to the hospital. There I was on a 24/7 vigil for nearly two weeks as my father slipped away. There was no time to think about photography. No time to contemplate gear choices or memory cards. No thoughts of subject placement for lighting. It was my family and I, and my iPhone 3G. A million thoughts go through your head when you are faced with emergency ICU visits, resuscitations and last wishes of a man you've known your whole life - none of them have to do with photography.

I was compelled. Inexplicably compelled to take photos of what I was witnessing. I wanted to document his last days. Selfishly for myself. I wanted to be able to relive the moments we had left. I wanted a history of the people that came. I wanted those tears and the laughs. I captured intense moments from the ICU to quiet times in the dark with my family. Just my heart, my eye and a dumb little phone. What I got was probably the most powerful images I have ever captured. 

Father and SonIn life's critical moments its not about the gear. Megapixels don't count. Depth of field is unimportant. It's all about these fragile, unrepeatable moments. This image of my hand and my fathers in the moment as we said goodbye. It's hard for me to look at directly, though I see it everyday in passing. For me it represents a gentleness and a connection I never want to forget. It has the immediacy that I doubt I could have easily, spontaneously captured with a 1D Mark IV. It's a life lesson: Don't take anything for granted - even your mobile phone camera. 

Link to My Dad's Final Days

My Mobile Phone Images