As somebody who teaches high school English for a living, I have always strived to help my students notice the beauty of subtlety in both writing and life. And it is this beauty that I strive to focus on in my photography.
Photography is more than a just a way to document moments in my life, it’s a way to interpret them—to give them meaning.
As a result, many of the subjects I photograph are of the mundane variety—the things too often overlooked. My goal is to present them in an interesting way. And this is why the iPhone has become my go-to camera. It’s always with me. Always.
To me, the iPhone levels the playing field. Even though I enjoy shooting with my Nikon, there was always a feeling that my pictures could never measure up to the gorgeous photographs that fill magazines, books, and hang in galleries. To be blunt, I don’t have the money to invest in studio lighting, thousand dollar lenses and cameras. But now, for a few dollars in photo apps, everybody who uses an iPhone seems equal.
It comes down to composition and capturing the right moment. It comes down to treating the iPhone like the legitimate camera that it is. With this in mind, I tend to do very little post-processing of my photos. CrossProcess and ShakeItPhoto are, without a doubt, my favorite apps and often the only one I use to process a photo.
- JoinedMarch 2006
- Current cityGrand Rapids, MI
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Testimonials
I would suspect that Matt Burrows has been asked “you shot that with an iPhone?” more times than any other photographer I know. His images (yes, most often shot with an iPhone) are proof that it is the photographer’s way of seeing and not the equipment that makes a great photograph. And his eye is impeccable. He sim… Read more
I would suspect that Matt Burrows has been asked “you shot that with an iPhone?” more times than any other photographer I know. His images (yes, most often shot with an iPhone) are proof that it is the photographer’s way of seeing and not the equipment that makes a great photograph. And his eye is impeccable. He simply sees objects and subjects in ways that most people do not and captures them in ways that are stunning in their creativity and originality. Matt’s photographs are a master class in how to see what is sometimes right in front of us. Versatile and inventive, he at times approaches his subject directly, using the full frame to bring the viewer face to face with what he sees, and at other times his photos are playfully abstract and draw upon color, shape and composition in ways that force the viewer to reckon with what the image presents. Either way, the resulting images almost always feature Matt’s trademark style: a combination of striking color, simple composition, and inventive point of view. Perhaps the highest compliment I can give is that Matt's photographs elevate the mundane to the interesting, the simple to the special, and the commonplace to a place of uncommon regard. His images invite us to see what we might otherwise overlook. This is no small feat. His work inspires and pushes me (and I suspect a great many others who have encountered him and his kind, generous spirit) to see photography, its tools, and our subjects in a different way.
Read lesspure magic
Matts iphone-photography caught my eye, as he constantly uploaded amazing quality shots taken with his iphone 3GS. Matt is probably one of the most talented iphone-photographers here on flickr his retro-treatmens are always very creative and a source of inspiration. He is one great example for the saying: Cameras d… Read more
Matts iphone-photography caught my eye, as he constantly uploaded amazing quality shots taken with his iphone 3GS. Matt is probably one of the most talented iphone-photographers here on flickr his retro-treatmens are always very creative and a source of inspiration. He is one great example for the saying: Cameras don´t shoot pictures, people do! And last but not least: Matt is one of the few people on flickr who are able to make comments which are not mere spam, but constructive criticsim.
Read lessIt's great to see someone on flickr who has such a passion for iPhone photography. The thing I find with Matt's shots is not only is the raw image interesting to begin with, but he takes it to the next level with his smart use of iphone applications to enhance the image even further - but at the same time not over… Read more
It's great to see someone on flickr who has such a passion for iPhone photography. The thing I find with Matt's shots is not only is the raw image interesting to begin with, but he takes it to the next level with his smart use of iphone applications to enhance the image even further - but at the same time not overdoing it, a great skill to have. I really appreciated Matt's feedback on my work and he truly embraces the flickr community. I always look forward to Matt's latest shots. Keep up the fine work!
Read lessI'm constantly blown away by Matt's photostream! When I first stumbled upon his work I thought to myself "holy S - this is from an iPhone!?" Matt understands visually what he wants to represent and he is proof that the camera does not make the photographer... the eye does. I make a habit of stopping by his photos daily… Read more
I'm constantly blown away by Matt's photostream! When I first stumbled upon his work I thought to myself "holy S - this is from an iPhone!?" Matt understands visually what he wants to represent and he is proof that the camera does not make the photographer... the eye does. I make a habit of stopping by his photos daily.
Read less