Billboard's February 17 issue has a cover shot on iPhone 7 Plus using Portrait Mode, the feature that provides a depth-of-field-like effect usually only obtainable with fancy lenses. Shot by Miller Mobley and featuring Camila Cabello, it shows once again just how far Apple is pushing photography on iPhone.
From Billboard
"It's amazing as a photographer to see how technology has so rapidly changed now that the phone in your pocket can also be a high-end camera," the photographer Miller Mobley says."It was interesting to see Camila's response to shooting with the iPhone," Mobley says. "Because of her age and the generation she's grown up with, an iPhone has always been around and accessible. For a 50-plus year old it might have been a different vibe, but with Camila it was just another camera, not a phone."
Sure, iPhone photography doesn't yet have the range or flexibility of a DSLR or micro 4/3 armed with thousands of dollars of glass, but it's lighter, faster, and always connected. That, combined with its ever-increasing range and flexibility, can let you get photos you might otherwise miss, and instantly share them in ways not otherwise possible.
That's especially true of Portrait Mode, which really focuses attention and emotion on the subject, blurring out the world, for an almost old-world film feel.
And it's still a first generation feature. Imagine a year from now? Two? Ten? Yeah.
BILLBOARD DEBUTS COVER CAPTURED ON IPHONE 7 PLUS
Miller Mobley Photographed Camila Cabello for the Feb. 17 Issue Using the World's Most Popular Camera
NEW YORK – February 16, 2017 – Billboard, the leading global destination for charts, news, business, lifestyle and innovations in music, today unveiled its February 17 magazine issue cover shot on iPhone 7 Plus using Portrait mode. Renowned photographer Miller Mobley used the new iPhone 7 Plus feature, which applies a depth-of-field effect to make the foreground subject sharp while creating a beautifully blurred background, to shoot pop superstar Camila Cabello for the February 17 issue of the magazine, on newsstands now.
"Music fans today are increasingly turning to their phones for minute-by-minute coverage about the music they love," said John Amato, President of The Hollywood Reporter-Billboard Media Group. "As our mobile audience continues to grow, we wanted to utilize technology available to our readers and fans to create a stunning cover demonstrating how our audience can use their own device to stay engaged and in touch with the world of music that plays such an important role in their lives."
Each day, more photos are taken with iPhone than any other camera in the world. With a surging mobile audience committed to engaging with Billboard's unparalleled news content on the go, Billboard decided to utilize technology available to millions to create a one-of-a-kind cover. Armed with an iPhone 7 Plus and a set of lights, Mobley took advantage of the new iPhone features to capture gorgeous images for the cover.
The new cover rolls out on the heels of the The Hollywood Reporter-Billboard Media Group's acquisition of SpinMedia's storied music assets Spin, Vibe and Stereogum, which established the world's largest music brand by digital traffic, social reach and audience share. With an online audience of 45 million readers a month, the decision to shoot a cover on an iPhone felt like a natural extension of the brand and emphasizes a commitment to using technology to deliver unparalleled content to a worldwide audience.
