Billboard's newest cover photo was taken with an iPhone 7 Plus

by Kaloyan C. / Feb 17, 2017, 9:12 AM

Billboard's newest cover photo was taken with an iPhone 7 Plus

It wasn't so long ago when people were claiming a camera-equipped phone was an unnecessary idea which could never replace the real thing, yet here we are – Billboard, one of the biggest music publications in the United States, has just released its latest issue, which features a cover photo taken on an iPhone. Take that, haters.

This is yet another major win for smartphone photography, which may still not be perfect, but is much more capable than what it's usually given credit for. Apple in particular, with its consistent high-quality of cameras, has been a major factor in driving forward the technology and, in the process, slowly changing the popular perception on the subject. This is why we believe Apple, the camera company, is here to stay.

As for the photo itself, it features ex-Fifth Harmony singer Camilla Cabello against a blurry Beverly Hills background, as achieved by the iPhone 7 Plus' exclusive Portrait Mode, which combines the input from the device's two rear-facing cameras. While the shot made use of special lighting and post-production editing, it still proves a mobile device can be more than enough even in a professional setting. This, however, isn't the first time someone has successfully utilized an iPhone for such an endeavor – for example, the 2015 feature film Tangerine, which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival to widespread acclaim, was shot entirely using an iPhone 5S.

Miller Mobley, the photographer behind the Billboard cover was enthusiastic about the iPhone 7 Plus' Portrait Mode, though he did encounter a few problems, like, for example, the way it handles hair, but still shared the following: “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.” If you still not sure how exactly the iPhone 7 Plus-exclusive feature works, be sure to check out our in-depth guide of Portrait Mode.

source: Billboard via BGR

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61 Comments

1. marorun

Posts: 5029; Member since: Mar 30, 2015

Not impressed result could been better.

posted on Feb 17, 2017, 9:20 AM 20

12. TechieXP1969

Posts: 14967; Member since: Sep 25, 2013

Sucks even after the "photoshopping".

posted on Feb 17, 2017, 10:19 AM 13

35. mikehunta727 unregistered

Translation: This actually looks great but I am such a Samsung sheep and despise anything Apple I will call it "sucks"

posted on Feb 17, 2017, 11:47 AM 13

38. Finalflash

Posts: 4063; Member since: Jul 23, 2013

Lol, the Kool aid is strong in this one. The picture looks okay but the hair is out of focus and Apple must have paid a lot of money to have this photo printed. If this is the best it could do then it really is tragic.

posted on Feb 17, 2017, 12:21 PM 18

43. mikehunta727 unregistered

It's a blown up magazine cover and I personally think it looks pretty good not incredible though, but the fact you guys take this so seriously anyway it is quite amusing lol!! Learn to be a all around technology lover and not a typical biased fandroid.

posted on Feb 17, 2017, 1:41 PM 5

44. Finalflash

Posts: 4063; Member since: Jul 23, 2013

Yea but it is being presented as if the magazine "chose" to take it with the iPhone 7 PLUS (they mention iPhone only trying to make it seem like either could be used) because they believed it to be as good as their regular equipment. In reality, Apple paid serious money to have it be so and if they presented it as such, this would be great.

posted on Feb 17, 2017, 1:50 PM 4

46. mikehunta727 unregistered

Marketing you don't say? Golly gee companies do that?

posted on Feb 17, 2017, 2:57 PM 1

67. sgtdisturbed47

Posts: 966; Member since: Feb 02, 2012

There are still a lot of limitations with smartphone cameras. Lenses are the best way to manipulate light and depth of field before it reaches the sensor, but there aren't interchangeable smartphone camera lenses (not counting those awful lenses that clip on), so smartphones rely heavily on software and processing to mimick what a lens does. Depth of field and bokeh produced by quality lenses are hard to replicate with Photoshop. I hope some day we start getting interchangeable lenses for smartphones for zoom, depth of field, and macro. Ones that replace the stock lens, not just put another lens over that one.

posted on Feb 18, 2017, 1:26 PM 0

34. mikehunta727 unregistered

If it was taken with a S7 you and the fandroids on this site would be raving all day about how good this looks LOL the hypocritical irony

posted on Feb 17, 2017, 11:47 AM 7

48. AlikMalix unregistered

It's a great photo! But you know what would be hilarious - if PA says it made a mistake and this photo is actually galaxy s7 or pixel. Mouths will be full of feet. Broken chains from back pedaling. Websters dictionary will add "apple hater" as another synonym for hypocrite. You know why, because this is a great photo - and they know it.

posted on Feb 17, 2017, 5:09 PM 3

63. sissy246

Posts: 7070; Member since: Mar 04, 2015

And I would say the same thing, It's a pretty good photo for a phone.

posted on Feb 18, 2017, 7:44 AM 1

64. sissy246

Posts: 7070; Member since: Mar 04, 2015

Opps, sorry posted again. Still need my coffee lol

posted on Feb 18, 2017, 7:45 AM 1

49. sissy246

Posts: 7070; Member since: Mar 04, 2015

Well you can leave me out on that. I would have said the same thing if it would have been Samsung. It's is a ok photo, there is a little noise but not bad.

posted on Feb 17, 2017, 5:36 PM 2

50. AlikMalix unregistered

Sissy, it's cool. You know who I'm actually talking about. I'm hoping to see this magazine in news stands just to form my opinion in real life - but it's probably a slim chance. My point is, the colors are awesome, the composure is perfect, the. Our effect is just right. For a smartphone camera (not just Apple - in general) that quite an accomplishment. I have been subscribing magazines forever - and it wasn't that long ago that photos worse than these showed on front pages.

posted on Feb 17, 2017, 5:38 PM 0

65. sissy246

Posts: 7070; Member since: Mar 04, 2015

It would be good to see it in person. I see some noise in the photo and I do kind of think her skin color might be off, but without knowing her skin tone in person I can't say , yes her tone is off.

posted on Feb 18, 2017, 7:51 AM 2

55. funky013

Posts: 17; Member since: Jun 30, 2016

and you on the other hand are backing up apple like a typical fanboy. sigh

posted on Feb 17, 2017, 7:34 PM 0

58. AlikMalix unregistered

I like this photo, I like the iPhone. I've tried android - it doesn't work like I need my tools to work. I will stand behind a product that works as designed year after year. It is predictable experience - and that's what I expect from my tools. I don't like android - why is that an issue with you people?

posted on Feb 17, 2017, 9:17 PM 1

60. RoboticEngi

Posts: 1251; Member since: Dec 03, 2014

Why is it an issue that we find androids better than your iPhone? They fit our needs better. Why can it not be like that?

posted on Feb 18, 2017, 2:15 AM 2

61. AlikMalix unregistered

Where or when did I ever argued otherwise?

posted on Feb 18, 2017, 2:45 AM 1

70. dazed1

Posts: 793; Member since: Jul 28, 2015

stfu iFanatic

posted on Feb 19, 2017, 8:17 AM 0

42. Unordinary unregistered

Lmao a true idiot

posted on Feb 17, 2017, 1:11 PM 1

47. audibot

Posts: 600; Member since: Jan 26, 2017

so thats why its so grainy, they spent all that time getting her dressed up and lighting just right with white boards as you can see in her eyes and yet they still couldnt get a better shot wow, how far the apple has fallen from the tree branch

posted on Feb 17, 2017, 4:15 PM 2

2. Joms_US

Posts: 200; Member since: Oct 02, 2016

And of course any flagship Android phone out there will take better if not the same quality of photo. Just another look-ma-I-can-use-my-iCrap to shoot a picture.

posted on Feb 17, 2017, 9:22 AM 14

6. JC557

Posts: 1918; Member since: Dec 07, 2011

Yeah, especially if they needed larger prints. Anandtech has said that there are better still cameras out there than the iPhone 7, albeit it's still top notch and it still handles shooting video better than the best Android phones. Then you have some photogs actually liking the bokeh found on the Huawei P9 than those found on other phones.

posted on Feb 17, 2017, 9:38 AM 2

3. kiko007

Posts: 7493; Member since: Feb 17, 2016

^See these responses? This is what rappers are always talking about......haters.

posted on Feb 17, 2017, 9:27 AM 11

4. Quicksword_Phantom

Posts: 180; Member since: Jun 15, 2015

No it is truth. You have an apple shoved so far up your azzz you can't see anything else. This article is crap. No one cares what iphone or android takes magazine cover photos because in the end they are all retouched to hell.

posted on Feb 17, 2017, 9:35 AM 21

10. SupermanayrB

Posts: 1188; Member since: Mar 20, 2012

You mean the same type of hating you do in Samsung articles? Hello pot, I'm kettle. You're black.

posted on Feb 17, 2017, 10:04 AM 9

15. TechieXP1969

Posts: 14967; Member since: Sep 25, 2013

Good Bless You!

posted on Feb 17, 2017, 10:22 AM 3

22. kiko007

Posts: 7493; Member since: Feb 17, 2016

I hate on Samsung? Doubtful, considering I hold little to no interest in any of the products they make. And I certainly don't make comments like "Haha S-tards" or "Screw Sam-sheep" or any of the other autistic/childish insults you're comrades can come up with. Samsung makes excellent products, no question. However, their fans can be, overbearing.