A Day In The Life Of Richard Koci Hernandez – Simply, One Of The Worlds Greatest Mobile Photographers

Copyright Image – Richard Koci Hernandez – ‘We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves’ – Buddha – Apps Used – Hipstamatic, Filterstorm

JC – Let’s start at the beginning of the day, how does your day start?

RKH – Coffee! Strong coffee, 2 cups, lots of half-and-half then I un-dock my iPhone and immediately launch Instagram.  Normally, I post an image in the morning. Finally I  cruise my feed for inspiration, which is never in short supply and I feel ready to take-on the day.

Copyright Image – Richard Koci Hernandez – ‘And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair- Kahlil Gibran – Apps Used – Hueless, Filterstorm

JC – Do you like to head out and take photographs early on?

RKH – I rarely purposely head out to make photographs. My photographs are a product of the natural rhythm of my life, so in this case to properly answer the question my first photograph of the day is generally a photograph of one of my dogs during our morning walk since that is the first thing I do in the morning. I like to think that I’m purposefully aimless in my approach to photography. I love that my photographs are a product of my daily routine. It takes off the pressure of feeling like I have to do something special to make images.

Copyright Image – Richard Koci Hernandez – “With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts” – Eleanor Roosevelt – Apps Used Hiipstamatic, Filterstorm

JC – How did the transition from traditional photographer to iPhoneographer develop? (pardon the pun).

RKH – My transition from “traditional photographer” to iPhone photographer started in late 2007 during my work as a photojournalist. I was sent to the scene of a police action and was pressured to send a photograph back ASAP so that we could post something to the website. Instead of trudging back to my car and taking out my laptop and firing up the Wi-Fi card, I realized that there was a faster way to get the job done. There was this new device in my camera bag called an iPhone and it actually had a camera. I immediately shot a picture of the scene and attached it to an e-mail and it was immediately sent back to the picture desk. So for me, it started as the realization that the iPhone was a fantastic photojournalistic tool for immediacy not particularly photography. After that incident it was then that I began to play around with the camera and apps and really started to think about the device as a potential for serious photography on my part.

Copyright Image – Richard Koci Hernandez – “Without deep reflection one knows from daily life that one exists for other people” – Albert Einstein Apps Used – Hipstamatic, Lo-mob, Filterstorm

JC – Do you like to download new iPhoneography apps regularly?

RKH – Yes and it’s a bit of a sickness, not only do I download tons of apps regularly, I scan the photography category and sort by release date to see if there is anything new in the pipeline. I am notorious for impulse buying of photography apps. App developers must love me.

Copyright Image – Richard Koci Hernandez – ‘From within or from behind, a light shines through us upon things, and makes us aware that we are nothing, but the light is all’ – Ralph Waldo Emerson – Apps Used – Hipstamatic, Lo-mob, Filterstorm

JC – How often do you update your existing apps?

RKH – That little red icon that notifies you of updates really freaks me out so every time I see it I tap on it and update immediately. Just so I don’t have to see it.

Copyright Image – Richard Koci Hernandez – ‘Searching is half the fun: life is much more manageable when thought of as a scavenger hunt as opposed to a surprise party’ – Jimmy Buffett – Apps Used – Hipstamatic, Lo-mob, Filterstorm

JC – Where’s your favorite place in the world for a shoot?

RKH – That’s an easy one, the busiest area of any downtown metropolitan city.

Copyright Image – Richard Koci Hernandez – ‘There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in’ – Leonard Cohen – Apps Used – Hipstamatic, Lo-mob, Filterstorm

JC – Do you also use iPhone photography tool apps, such as The Photographer’s Ephemeris and if so do you use it to plan your shoots?

RKH – No, I’m not much of a planner. I just happened to like photographing where I happened to be at the moment, so there’s no planning involved on my part.

Copyright Image – Richard Koci Hernandez – “The timeless in you is aware of Life’s Timelessness. And knows that yesterday is But Today’s memory. And Tomorrow is Today’s Dream” ― Khalil Gibran – Apps Used – Hipstamatic, Lo-mob, Filterstorm

JC – Where do you like to upload your photographs? Flickr, Instagram?

RKH – I upload to Instagram and turn-on the wonderful feature of having it automatically post to my Flickr and Tumbler so those are my three outlets. I love that I can do it in one post via Instagram.

Copyright Image – Richard Koci Hernandez – ‘Surrealism is destructive, but it destroys only what it considers to be shackles limiting our vision’ -Dali – Apps Used – Hipstamatic, CameraAwesome, Filterstorm

JC – What are your favorite, at the moment, iPhone photography apps?

RKH – I can’t seem to shake the love of Hipstamatic, also absolutely love Filterstorm, Hueless is a new one I’m liking a lot for it’s controls, and this great little app called Instablast, while not particularly photo-related, it goes hand-in-hand with Instagram. It lets you choose certain people that you follow and alerts you when they post. It’s my new favorite way to make sure I don’t miss a post from one of my favorite Instagrammers. I would also add Lo-mob and Scratchcam apps.

Copyright Image – Richard Koci Hernandez – ‘Simplicity, clarity and singleness’ – Apps Used – Hipstamatic, Lo-mob

JC – Do you take photographs with your iPhone everyday?

RKH – YES!

Copyright Image – Richard Koci Hernandez – ‘kisses are a better fate than wisdom’ ~ e.e. cummings – Apps Used – Hipstamatic

JC – What are your favorite subjects?

RKH – Street photography in general, but specifically, men in hats!

Copyright Image – Richard Koci Hernandez – ‘To dance is to be out of yourself. Larger, more beautiful, more powerful’ ~ Agnes De Mille – Apps Used – Hipstamatic

JC – What are your top five tips for iPhone photography?

RKH –

1.STUDY light!

2.Find the proper exposure for your image, then LOCK it down. One of the real keys to good-looking mobile photography is proper exposure.

3. Practice EVERYDAY, It’s the only way to get better.

4. Learn from others, be part of a community of image-makers and ask the the ones you admire to give you advice.

5.Follow YOUR passion.

Copyright Image – Richard Koci Hernandez – ‘PAST and PRESENT’ – Apps Used – ProCamera, Camera+, ScratchCam, FilterStorm

JC – How did the teaching side come along?

RKH – Quite by accident. It wasn’t something that I planned, but an opportunity that started with a few guest lecturers at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. I guess they liked me because the lectures turned into a fellowship and now a faculty position. I do have to say that I never saw myself as a teacher but having recently been put into this position, I’ve discovered a wonderful sense of sharing, community and enthusiasm. The inspiration and enthusiasm I receive from students is infectious and heart-warming. I’m just feeding off of all of this knowledge and energy here at the school so I’m absolutely in love with teaching.

Copyright Image – Richard Koci Hernandez – ‘After you’ve done it for so many years, you have to find a new direction. You have to find something in your soul that’s going to push you towards – to find your inspiration’ – Elvis Stojko – Apps Used – Hipstamatic, ScratchCam, Lo-mob

JC – Do you edit images on your iPhone or do you prefer to do that on a desktop/laptop?

RKH – I do all my editing on the phone.

Copyright Image – Richard Koci Hernandez – ‘To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring’ ~ George Santayana – Apps Used – SlowShutter+ Lo-mob, Filterstorm

JC – Do you enjoy videography with your iPhone?

RKH – Absolutely! For journalistic stories you can’t beat Filmic Pro, with its audio meters and for fun I’m in love with 8mm.

Copyright Image – Richard Koci Hernandez – “There are dark shadows on the earth, but its lights are stronger in the contrast” – Charles Dickens – Apps Used – Hipstamatic, ScratchCam, Lo-mob

JC – Where do you see the future of iPhone photography?

RKH – I feel very strongly that very soon we will drop the segregating title of iPhoneography. I think the future of iPhoneography is just plain photography. I think our fascination over the fact that an image was taken on a small mobile device is waining, at least I hope so. A more direct answer, I see Apple devoting more resources to the device as a camera.

Copyright Image – Richard Koci Hernandez – ‘Uncertainty is the only certainty there is, and knowing how to live with insecurity is the only security’ – John Allen Paulos – Apps Used – Hipstamatic

JC – What do you think is the most popular area of iPhone photography?

RKH – I think that the most popular area of modern photography (iPhoneography) is the social aspect of the device. The immediacy and share-ability is uber popular! It’s about the device as a form of instant visual communication. You can shoot and share with the world instantly.

Copyright Image – Richard Koci Hernandez – “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan “press on” has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race” – Calvin Coolidge – Apps Used – Hipstamatic

JC – Do you think it’s country specific, are some nations more clued up?

RKH – Yes I see varying levels of excitement and engagement all over the world.

Copyright Image – Richard Koci Hernandez – ‘Action and reaction, ebb and flow, trial and error, change – this is the rhythm of living. Out of our over-confidence, fear; out of our fear, clearer vision, fresh hope. And out of hope, progress’ – Bruce Barton – Apps Used – Hipstamatic, ScratchCam, Lo-mob, King Camera

JC – What do you hope for in the iPhone 5?

RKH – Boy that’s a hard one. The natural response from any photographer would be a better camera , more megapixels, etc, but I have to be honest I’m pretty damn happy with the way it is now. From here on out, I will always see any new upgrade to the iPhone is just icing on the cake.

Copyright Image – Richard Koci Hernandez – ‘Everything that we see is a shadow cast by that which we do not see’ – Martin Luther King Jr. – Apps Used – Hipstamatic, King Camera, Scratchcam Filterstorm

JC – What do you think of Joanne and theappwhisperer.com?

RKH – A damn fine resource! Great, all I needed was another new addiction. Damn you! ,:)

JC – So pleased to hear that Richard, thank you!

Copyright Image – Richard Koci Hernandez – ‘Harmony makes small things grow, lack of it makes great things decay’ – Sallust – Apps Used – Hipstamatic, Lo-mob, Filterstorm

Camera Awesome

Filmic Pro

Filterstorm

Hipstamatic

Hueless

Instablast

Instagram

King Camera

Lo-mob

Procamera

ScratchCam

Showshutter+

If you would like to contact Richard, here are his contact details:

Professional: www.journalism.berkeley.edu/faculty/richard_hernandez/

Web site: www.richardkocihernandez.com

Lofimode: www.lofimode.com

Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/koci/

Twitter: @koci

Instagram: koci

Richard has also written a book titled ‘Multimedia Journal’ – You can learn more about it here