Of course smartphones at this point take photos which are "good enough" for frat boys documenting their latest strip-club outing, or college girls making "duck lips" poses, or by people who think it's "cool" to have a photo shown from one's arm stretched seemingly from the moon and back--yes, for all that, it's fine.
For real art, though? Give me a break.
I don't care what the dictionary says, I don't care what the hipsters say, or the mass market, or the latest trend, it has always been the case, and still is the case, that there is a difference between the "snapshooters," which is probably like 97% of everybody, and people who call themselves "photographers" who are either working professionals or serious hobbyists/enthusiasts striving to get something of high quality.
Quality matters, and people who call themselves "photographers" don't go around shooting with a fruit phone, not when you have so much available that's of such high quality and, in the case of something like a Panasonic LX100 or Sony RX100, so small and portable. Why would you do that? "Because the phone is always with me." Please, is "lugging" a Panasonic LX100 is too much for you, and you call yourself a "photographer," you're lazy. Period.
Don't even start with those nimrods who were commissioned by National Geographic to travel to somewhere like Sedona or the Grand Canyon and actually used a phone instead of a real camera. Are you kidding me? What kind of moron does a thing like that? That's just stupid, and if I had my way not only would it be scolded, it would be forbidden LEGALLY. I'm serious.
Snapshooting being a wide-open endeavor, have at it, but artistic photography doesn't need to be "liberated," it needs to become more exclusionary, much like high-end golf courses. To that end, serious photography, I think, should become a licensed endeavor. If you call yourself a "photographer" but go around being all lazy and pathetic using a PHONE when you have so much available to you which gives better results, your license to practice photography will be revoked and you will be driven out of business. I'm totally serious.
Soccer moms, drunk college frat guys yelling "WHERE'S THE BEER!!!!!" at a strip club, teens making "duck lips" poses, people acting silly and taking selfies from their arm, fine, have at it, I have no problem with any of it, but there is still a place for taste and discrimination of quality and making an effort towards compelling results, and that is done with a CAMERA by people with a BRAIN in their head.
