Photography has changed dramatically since I started Banayote Photography in the 1980s.

I’ve photographed people, businesses, events, conventions, and important moments throughout Indianapolis and beyond for more than 40 years. I’ve watched photography move from film to digital, from early digital cameras to today’s professional mirrorless systems—and now to something almost everyone carries in their pocket.

The iPhone.

So, I’m doing something I’ve always believed is important in photography and in business:

I’m continuing to learn.

The camera in your pocket

Today’s iPhone is much more than a phone with a camera attached to it.

It is a sophisticated photographic and video tool capable of producing high-quality images, recording video and creating content that can immediately be used for websites, LinkedIn, social media and other digital communications.

But here’s what interests me most:

The technology isn’t the most important part.

After more than four decades as a professional photographer, I’ve learned that good photography still comes down to many of the same fundamentals:

• Understanding light
• Finding the right composition
• Knowing where to stand
• Choosing the right perspective
• Understanding people
• Anticipating a moment
• Telling a story
• Knowing when to take the picture

The equipment has changed.

The fundamentals haven’t.

Why I’m incorporating the iPhone into my business

I’m not replacing my professional cameras.

Instead, I’m adding another tool to my photography toolbox.

There are times when a professional camera is exactly what a client needs. There are also situations where the iPhone can provide something different—quick content, vertical images, behind-the-scenes photographs, short video clips and images that can be shared almost immediately.

For businesses, that can be extremely useful.

A company may need professional photographs for its website and marketing materials while also needing fresh content for LinkedIn and social media.

An event may require high-quality professional coverage while the marketing team also needs vertical photographs and short-form content during the event.

The iPhone gives me another way to help meet those needs.

Bringing professional experience to mobile photography

Anyone can take a picture with a phone.

The challenge is creating a photograph that communicates something.

That’s where my experience comes into play.

When I walk into a corporate meeting, convention, trade show or business environment, I’m not simply looking for something to photograph.

I’m looking for the story.

Who are the important people?

What is happening?

What does the client want people to remember?

Where is the best light?

What is happening in the background?

What photograph will be useful to the client six months from now?

Those questions don’t change because the camera does.

Learning, experimenting and sharing

One of the things I’ve enjoyed throughout my career is adapting to change.

I’m going to take that same approach with the iPhone.

I’ll be experimenting with different lenses, perspectives, lighting situations, portraits, events, architecture, business environments and video.

I’ll also be comparing what I can accomplish with the iPhone to what I can accomplish with my professional camera equipment.

Some experiments will work.

Some probably won’t.

And that’s okay.

That’s how photographers continue to learn.

I’ll be sharing some of those experiences through Banayote Photography, along with photographs and observations about what I’m discovering.

A new opportunity for businesses

As I continue developing this part of my business, I see an opportunity to help companies create more of the visual content they need every day.

That could include:

Corporate events
Professional event photography combined with immediate mobile content.

Business portraits
Professional portraits and additional social-media-ready images.

Behind-the-scenes content
Showing the people and processes behind a business.

LinkedIn and social media
Fresh photographs and short-form content that businesses can use throughout the year.

Business Content Sessions
A focused photography session designed to create a library of photographs and mobile content for a company’s ongoing marketing needs.

The goal isn’t simply to provide “iPhone photography.”

The goal is to provide better business content using the right photographic tool for the job.

Still learning after 40 years

I’ve never believed that being a professional photographer means you stop learning.

Technology will continue to change.

The way people communicate will continue to change.

The way businesses use photographs will continue to change.

And I’m looking forward to seeing where it goes next.

After more than 40 years behind the camera, I’m still curious about what the next photograph might look like.

The camera may change. The story still matters.

— Rob Banayote
Banayote Photography
Indianapolis, Indiana
Photography for business, events, conventions, portraits and the people who make Indianapolis special.