17³Ô¹ÏÔÚÏß

In December 2024 we retired the Stockimo app, but we’re still accepting Smartphone photos. You can read the latest update here. If you’re looking to upload your mobile phone photos to 17³Ô¹ÏÔÚÏß you can sign up here.

This blog article from 2020 has been kept live for archival purposes.

Explore a selection of creative smartphone photography

Did you know there are over 3 billion smartphones in the world? There are few things more ubiquitous and omnipresent than these thin slabs of glass that ding and sing. But before it became kitted out with all its bells and whistles, it only took on one name after its humble beginnings as a basic mobile phone: the camera-phone.

Even since taking on its new responsibilities, the camera function still gets people’s attention when thinking about getting a new phone. The result? Hundreds of billions of photos every year from a completely different userbase to what you’d expect from traditional stock photography.

So let’s delve into what makes smartphone photography different and how brands are making the most it?

A new, unique look

While formal education can provide a great foundation to develop skills, it isn’t for everybody. When it comes to creative pursuits, formality and convention can stifle innovation. Many great artists such as Frida Kahlo and Vincent van Gogh may not have found their unique style if they hadn’t rejected formal education.

While many smartphone photographers may not profess to be the next Frida Kahlo, many of them are self-taught or not classically trained which means you can get access to images with a new, unique look unshackled by composition rules.

But the great thing with smartphone photography is you’ll get a mix of formally trained photographers and amateurs. This means you can find an eclectic range of photography; some that follow convention, and others that don’t.

Authenticity that can’t be faked

Authenticity has been the defining look that everyone’s been drawn to in recent years. Brands want to feel and look human. And while professional photographers are extremely successful at conveying authenticity in their images, it can be difficult to replicate that truly candid tone you see in smartphone photography.

Some may argue that it goes too far and can look a bit unprofessional. And that’s right, there’s nothing professional about those spontaneous moments where our souls reveal themselves – that’s the point! To be in the moment is to break from our usual pretences about looking good or presenting ourselves in a certain way. It’s just us, in our plainest, realest form. To be truly human. It’s something that everyone can resonate with.

Connect with a new audience

For some, smartphone photography is all they know. It permeates throughout social media, and even videos shot on a phone have a particular tone and style. Many argue that to reach this audience, your content will need to echo this super-authentic look that reflects our imperfect reality or risk coming off as superficial.

Brands have been constantly experimenting to see what can cut through the noise and reach new audiences. Perhaps the answer is the undoubtedly authentic imagery of smartphone photography?

Phones have given users a plethora of tools and possibilities when it comes to photography. Whether it’s on-the-fly research on the weather or powerful editing tools that speed up creativity, smartphone photography has had an irresistible influence on the way images look. Remember when everything had that faux-vintage look thanks to Instagram filters?

But it can be difficult finding such imagery and securing the correct image rights for them. On 17³Ô¹ÏÔÚÏß, you can find smartphone photography that reflects the flavour of the month while getting the same, seamless licensing experience you’re used to. Just select the ‘social’ option in the search drop-down menu as shown below.