The first day of the Macworld Expo featured iPhone photography as artists and photojournalists discussing a variety of related subjects. Some tried to dispel the notion that iPhone cameras do not have good resolution (they argued that everything is online anyway, and how high-resolution scanners can help create larger images), while others discussed how to use multiple editing applications to create artwork that is not the product of any one editing platform.

“This is the Woodstock of iPhonography,” said event organizer Dan Marcolina. “It’s like the time when rock and roll went to mass media.”

When discussing street photography, Richard Koci Hernandez said he likes to take pictures first and ask subjects for their permission later. This touches on the subject of privacy and integrity when engaging in iPhone photography.

“Before you just stick a photo up, think about the image you are portraying and try to create some context to what you are saying,” suggests Stephanie Roberts, an iPhone photographer whose image of her niece stirred up some controversy because of the caption “take me.”

Professional photographers stress that while apps like Instagram may make photography easier, it does not necessarily make the role of professional photographer easier. “There is a misconception that art is created on an iPhone by pressing a button and using some magic app,” notes Cindy Patrick, emphasizing the fact that professional photographers use multiple applications to improve their images and can spend days on single shots.

Today’s iPhones have made significant improvements, as the earliest models didn’t even have focus on the camera. Now iPhones have many different editing and picture-taking applications. The professionals stress the importance of using a variety of these applications together to make true art.

“The first Macworld/iWorld iPhonography summit was ambitious,” reports Digital Photography Review. “The event ran from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. — stopping only for lunch when organizers canceled the video talk (to much chagrin). Attendees, bleary-eyed and overwhelmed, were less and less vocal as the day wore on. Speakers were sometimes interrupted as the Expo performed sound tests in adjacent rooms. We look forward to a better organized effort in what will hopefully become a long-running annual event.”