The benefit of a SmartPhone for a photography business

dugrant153 · 05-10-2010, 08:39 PM

So I'm really thinking of going free-lance for my photography and taking it up to a business level

My current cell phone (LG Muziq) is starting to bite the dust after my constant use and abuse (reception losing out, battery life dwindling) and so I started to think abou t getting a smart phone.

I already have the ipod touch... so I was thinking Blackberry or even an iphone!

My question is: is there any real benefit of a smart phone (data plan, internet connectivity) to a photography business? Or should I just get my calling + texting and just leave it at that - and put the savings elsewhere?

Adam · 05-10-2010, 09:12 PM

I don't know what I would do without my blackberry, and it makes me wonder why I got mine so late (last year). Prior to that, I was just using a standard motorola v3.

I think it's more of a question of personal preference in your case, in addition to the following two considerations:

-Do you primarily communicate with clients via e-mail? If so, a blackberry would be ideal, as its e-mail push technology allows for quick on-the-go replies
-Will you be going in the field for 2+ days at a time to a locations with no internet access? If so, the tethering that most smartphones have to offer might come in handy. I know that it has for me

lithos · 05-10-2010, 09:24 PM

It will impress more idiots than your camera rig.

Sad but true.

Gaelen · 05-10-2010, 09:57 PM

I like having my iphone for work like this, it really makes things easy for me. I usually end up doing a fair bit of web based browsing and blackberries only allow one window

Also, having a flickr app...is really handy to have on hand when trying to set up a specific look in a shot, it's a handy reference to have on hand.

I also keep my latest batch of pictures on my phone, it really is nice to be able to show people my work

Mechan1k · 05-13-2010, 01:15 PM

I recently got myself an iPhone ... and I was amongst the myriad of people who didn't like them at first ... thinking they were just a gimmick.

But I asked a heap of questions from owners at work ... and handled one for a bit and it got me interested.

I am very happy i got mine ... and it's not just a gimmick at all ... some of the applications available have been very handy indeed when on a move. Literally a PC in your pocket with connection to anything.

I say it is worth it for sure. I came from a Nokia 6110 Navigator and it was a decent "standard phone" for what it was ... but the iPhone is just so much more. Dunno what I'd do without it now ... seriously.

legacyb4 · 05-13-2010, 07:45 PM

Wait until mid-June after the new iPhone is released then make a choice.

johnmflores · 05-13-2010, 11:26 PM

There's the obvious photo-related stuff of course - always have samples of work on you, accessing Flickr and other photo sites, apps to calculate DOF, etc... But there's also the business side. Here are some of the things I do with my iPhone for my advertising/marketing biz...

- I manage projects with 37 Signals' Basecamp - a simple, online Project Management system. I use an iPhone app - Groundwork (there are others) - to read project message threads, review to-do lists, etc...

- I use Evernote on my desktop, laptop, netbook, and iPhone for note-taking. Evernote is a brilliant little note-taking system. Best of all, Evernote is constantly syncing your data so that the notes on all of your devices are synchronized. Better still, you can even take notes when you don't have web access - Evernote is smart enough to sync the next time you do have access.

Just this morning I was early for a meeting, so I went through my message threads on Basecamp and reviewed pre-meeting notes on Evernote. In the car. On the iPhone.

The Intertubes are a beautiful thing..

05-10-2010, 08:39 PM	#1
dugrant153 Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Vancouver, BC Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,059	The benefit of a SmartPhone for a photography business So I'm really thinking of going free-lance for my photography and taking it up to a business level My current cell phone (LG Muziq) is starting to bite the dust after my constant use and abuse (reception losing out, battery life dwindling) and so I started to think abou t getting a smart phone. I already have the ipod touch... so I was thinking Blackberry or even an iphone! My question is: is there any real benefit of a smart phone (data plan, internet connectivity) to a photography business? Or should I just get my calling + texting and just leave it at that - and put the savings elsewhere?

05-10-2010, 09:12 PM	#2
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,595	I don't know what I would do without my blackberry, and it makes me wonder why I got mine so late (last year). Prior to that, I was just using a standard motorola v3. I think it's more of a question of personal preference in your case, in addition to the following two considerations: -Do you primarily communicate with clients via e-mail? If so, a blackberry would be ideal, as its e-mail push technology allows for quick on-the-go replies -Will you be going in the field for 2+ days at a time to a locations with no internet access? If so, the tethering that most smartphones have to offer might come in handy. I know that it has for me Adam PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide \| Site Help \| My Photography) PentaxForums.com server and development costs are user-supported. You can help cover these costs by donating or purchasing one of our Pentax eBooks. Or, buy your photo gear from our affiliates, Adorama, B&H Photo, KEH, or Topaz Labs, and get FREE Marketplace access - click here to see how! Trusted Pentax retailers:

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05-10-2010, 09:24 PM	#3
lithos Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Brisbane, QLD, AUS Posts: 3,261	It will impress more idiots than your camera rig. Sad but true.

05-10-2010, 09:57 PM	#4
Gaelen Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Coquitlam, BC, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 749	I like having my iphone for work like this, it really makes things easy for me. I usually end up doing a fair bit of web based browsing and blackberries only allow one window Also, having a flickr app...is really handy to have on hand when trying to set up a specific look in a shot, it's a handy reference to have on hand. I also keep my latest batch of pictures on my phone, it really is nice to be able to show people my work

05-13-2010, 01:15 PM	#5
Mechan1k Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 2,891	I recently got myself an iPhone ... and I was amongst the myriad of people who didn't like them at first ... thinking they were just a gimmick. But I asked a heap of questions from owners at work ... and handled one for a bit and it got me interested. I am very happy i got mine ... and it's not just a gimmick at all ... some of the applications available have been very handy indeed when on a move. Literally a PC in your pocket with connection to anything. I say it is worth it for sure. I came from a Nokia 6110 Navigator and it was a decent "standard phone" for what it was ... but the iPhone is just so much more. Dunno what I'd do without it now ... seriously.

05-13-2010, 07:45 PM	#6
legacyb4 Inactive Account Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Tri-Cities, British Columbia Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,784	Wait until mid-June after the new iPhone is released then make a choice.

05-13-2010, 11:26 PM	#7
johnmflores Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Somerville, NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,361	There's the obvious photo-related stuff of course - always have samples of work on you, accessing Flickr and other photo sites, apps to calculate DOF, etc... But there's also the business side. Here are some of the things I do with my iPhone for my advertising/marketing biz... - I manage projects with 37 Signals' Basecamp - a simple, online Project Management system. I use an iPhone app - Groundwork (there are others) - to read project message threads, review to-do lists, etc... - I use Evernote on my desktop, laptop, netbook, and iPhone for note-taking. Evernote is a brilliant little note-taking system. Best of all, Evernote is constantly syncing your data so that the notes on all of your devices are synchronized. Better still, you can even take notes when you don't have web access - Evernote is smart enough to sync the next time you do have access. Just this morning I was early for a meeting, so I went through my message threads on Basecamp and reviewed pre-meeting notes on Evernote. In the car. On the iPhone. The Intertubes are a beautiful thing..