Next time you are at a social event, take a look around. You might see an artsy guy or gal with a Cannon or Nikon strapped around their shoulders. If they are a bouji hipster, they probably have a Leica. You might even catch a true hipster in the wild who still develops pictures in the basement from their old school Minolta...lolz. There seems to be something trendy about carrying a camera around and catching candid moments of friends, families and dogs. It's almost like some people make it part of their fashion accessory and wear it with the empowerment to catch priceless moments and attempt to do it well. Whether a genuine or wannabe camera geek, technology has made it possible for anyone to be a photographer! Or at least made it possible for anyone to look like they know what they're doing. Nonetheless, you are probably going to be jealous that their fisheyed DSLR pictures are going to turn out way better than your standard iPhone pix. The lifestyle of the photographer lives on as the fascination to take bad-ass, artsy photos continues speak to millions of people around the world. Pictures are truly worth a million words...
The EC Image case was a project approached to me as a partnership between Schneider Optics and Element Case. I thought it was a great idea - high-end camera optics paired with a high-end case. In retrospect, iPhones have been such a versatile consumer electronic and mobile device. Although it is a "phone", it has predominately become more popular as a camera...a damn good one too! It seems like the camera feature of the device continues to be enhanced with every new iPhone that is released. With the clarity of the iPhone 6s camera today, it's not hard to imagine how much better they'll get.
The iPhone camera is such a powerful tool that it has created a whole lifestyle around it. Do a search and you'll find countless accessories for it, not to mention all the apps that support it. From Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and all the other apps available to showcase your #hipstamatic #iphonography, seems like everyone is a photographer overnight...or should I say hipster #iphonographer...I'm sorry purists...don't be mad. Love it or hate it, let's embrace it because that's where the industry has headed. I believe that we should empower those who want to enhance the quality of their pictures and segway their picture-taking fascination into quality photography as an art form that all can appreciate. This was my mission of the Element Case Image project.
iPhone being able to take SLR quality pictures has reigned over the "point-and-shoot" industry. But one thing that restricts the iPhone from being a "true" camera is its inability to change lighting options and lenses. In addition, at the end of the day, the iPhone is simply a thin and fragile mini tablet made of aluminum and glass in its bare form - The body of the iPhone will never beat the ergonomics and durability of a true point-and-shoot or DSLR. In addition, cameras are a rugged device. It goes through many adventures to take bad ass scenic pictures. Within these adventures, they may encounter some bumps on the road and rocky trails that can cause some wear and tear. Cameras are designed to hold up against the rough rides. The iPhone is not.
The intent of the Image case was to respect the nature of the camera and like I mentioned, empower the user and allow them to take even better pictures than what is offered on both their hardware and apps. Aside from the cool modular lense options (macro, fisheye, wide angle and telephoto) the body offers profile contours and classic SLR/DSLR type textures not only for ergonomic grip but also for the ruggedness that it needs. In addition, It has 1/4-20 screw sockets to attach to your tripods and other camera/cam cording mounts to indulge is perfecto selfies and steady cams. The Image case is a product that encompasses the lifestyle of professional photographers and resonates the SLR and point-and-shoot for the classic camera nostalgia. #hipstagram level 9000 hasn't been stronger!
Sometimes, design calls for mimicking traits of another product. However, in my opinion there is a fine line between mimicry and imitation. Mimicry or simulation captures the core experiences and emotional value of another product, not only through tasteful aesthetic but also useful functions. It reminds the user that although the product is wholistic in itself, it allows you to appreciate where it's original idea came from. On the other hand, imitation, the way I see it, is a novelty of cheap thrills where design is placed and copied irresponsibly.