F
or the past couple of years, Apple has been giving us more control over the look of our photographs through Photographic Styles. However, they’re not just filters or presets. They influence how the phone processes an image, giving us a little more say in the final result. It’s almost like a light film recipe.
But can Photographic Styles soften that washed-out smartphone look? Can they bring back the contrast and tonal depth that make a photograph feel like a photograph?When there is a balance between light and shadow?
Furthermore, can they compete with something released fifteen years ago? Something smaller. Something a little bit more iconic such as the iPhone 4S.
A few years ago, I made a whole video about the 4S, and about the way its images sometimes felt timeless in a way I wasn’t getting from a modern iPhone when shooting in JPEG or HEIC. But perhaps things have changed.
To find out, I took the 4S and the iPhone 17 Pro out for an autumn stroll on Vancouver Island, and I invite you to come along.
PHOTOGRAPHS FEATURED IN THIS POST
