My Favorite iPhone photographs of 2012

My iPhone has taught me a few things about photography.   I’ve been a photographer most of my life, but I’ve never shot landscapes before.   As a photojournalist, I crave people and their emotion in my images.

Looking through my 2012 iPhone photographs, there are hardly any people.

I found I embraced the light, anywhere I could, and opened myself to taking a photograph of something I hadn’t focused on with my professional cameras.

A water fountain.  A sunset.  Barstools.  A duck!

I discovered I love shooting details with my iPhone.  Not worrying over emotional content and just documenting what I saw, relying on my own emotion to carry through to the photograph.

  I also didn’t take a million photographs of one thing, working the frame endlessly like I do on the job.   I tried to limit myself to three frames of something and then move on.

That didn’t last long.   I did, however, consciously try to not overshoot, or overthink, what I was documenting.

There’s a joke in Chicago, where I live, that you can spot the tourists downtown on Michigan Ave. as they’re the only ones who look up.

I realized that I looked up quite a bit with my iPhone.

And, I remembered something I learned while studying Photojournalism in college.

It’s not the camera you use.   It’s what you do with it.

Wishing you all a wonderful year.

And, hope you take a second to look up every once in a while.

(You can follow me on Instagram at http://instagram.com/cusicphoto)

5 comments
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  • Regina DiekerJanuary 14, 2013 - 7:49 pm

    Love them all. The duck makes me giggle.ReplyCancel

  • Nate BroshotJanuary 14, 2013 - 10:15 pm

    Love it Cusic! your an ANIMAL!ReplyCancel

  • Rebecca IckesJanuary 14, 2013 - 11:04 pm

    Still awed by that water fountain one. 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Heather DeCampJanuary 15, 2013 - 9:35 pm

    Beautiful!ReplyCancel

  • Candice C. CusicJanuary 14, 2013 - 10:38 pm

    You’re the sweetest, Nate! Thank you!! 🙂ReplyCancel

Chicago Pet Photographer

Avalanche wasn't interested in being the center of attention.
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He just wanted to be close.
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Dama arrived at the studio in a wheelchair.
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That was the first thing I noticed.
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It was also the least interesting thing about her.
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What I remember is her determination.
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I created The See Hear Love Project to help animals like Blanca.
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Painfully shy. Dumped on a road before the rain came. Nervous around strangers. Ears down. Tail tucked.
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For those new to the project, these are not carefree, well-adjusted animals. Many have experienced neglect, abandonment, fear, or loss.
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Sometimes we only get one photograph when they truly relax.
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One of the best things about photographing Ramona is watching everyone react to a pig in the building.

People stopped.

They smiled.

They took selfies.

One gentleman asked if I could wait so he could FaceTime his girlfriend because she loves pigs.

The hardest thing about photographing a pig is that pigs don't stop moving.

Ever.

This portrait worked because Ramona kept walking in circles, allowing us to see her body and face at the same time.

Not shown: Ramona chewed up the paper backdrop on set. Her pig squeal echoed through the studio—loud, proud, and impossible to ignore, just like Ramona herself.

"Thank you

for saving my life."

— Ramona

The See Hear Love Project combines professional photography and animal communication. Each portrait is paired with one of the most powerful messages the animal shared during their communication session.

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@chicagolandpigrescue

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Some dogs don’t just fit into a family — they become part of its heartbeat.
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Eddie was pure joy to photograph with his two favorite people. The connection between them was effortless, loving, and completely real.
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These are the moments worth remembering.
Meet Zeno.

After being surrendered by his owner, Zeno has spent more than a year waiting at Red Door Animal Shelter for someone to choose him.

And somehow, after all this time, he’s still soft. Still trusting. Still hopeful.

Cats like Zeno don’t need perfection. They just need someone willing to see them.

Seen. Heard. Loved.

📍 Red Door Animal Shelter

🐾 Available for adoption
Meet Zeno.

After being surrendered by his owner, Zeno has spent more than a year waiting at Red Door Animal Shelter for someone to choose him.

And somehow, after all this time, he’s still soft. Still trusting. Still hopeful.

Cats like Zeno don’t need perfection. They just need someone willing to see them.

Seen. Heard. Loved.

📍 Red Door Animal Shelter

🐾 Available for adoption

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