Path of Water – Shot on a Smartphone - with Don Komarechka

Words by Don Komarechka - A Platypod Pro
Edited by Eryka Bagwell

"I love creating water droplet images, this one attempting to depict the flow of water down across flower petals. Each droplet refracting the image of an orange Gerbera daisy in the background. The most fun part of this image isn’t the subject, but rather the equipment; this image was photographed using my smartphone."

"Since the @apple iPhone 14 Pro was released, Apple has allowed the capture of 48MP raw image data off the main camera. This was photographed using the iPhone 15 Pro Max with the same feature, as well as a new lens that can allow for macro magnifications on the main camera (normally relegated to the wide-angle camera). The @moment 75mm macro lens is a simple attachment that pushes capabilities of the iPhone to the extreme. I’ve used an older Moment macro lens on an older iPhone, but the results were nothing quite like this."

"Let’s take a look at the rest of the gear involved. You’ll need a Moment phone case to mount the lens and everything needs to be as sturdy as possible. I'm lucky to be testing the new Platypod Grip which is the most robust phone holder I have ever handled. It’s everything you want it to be for integrating your phone into a photographic workflow and more. I employed the use of a bunch of other Platypod gear too – Mini Super Clamps, Elbows, Goosenecks, Handle (to name a few) – and the lighting is coming from two @lumecube 2.0 units. These work very well in tight places and BONUS… they're waterproof!"

"You’ll need a good camera app to handle all of this, including being able to record that 48MP raw file, as well as manual controls for focus and exposure. @halideapp has been on the cutting edge of this for a while now, and they’re usually the first out with major improvements and innovations. The company behind Halide, Lux, is always pushing the limits of functionality of mobile photography."

"Mobile Phone Photography has reached a level that I didn’t expect it to. Sure, you need the proper skills to get the most out it – but creations such as this have just become much more approachable to a wider audience."

You can view more of Don's work by visiting his website and/or his Instagram page.

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