Rediscovering the Joy of iPhone Photography

Halide, a camera app launched in 2017 by the company Lux, offers photographers more control over their images, mimicking the functionality of digital SLRs and providing an alternative to the automatic editing of smartphone cameras. The app recently introduced a new feature called Process Zero, which minimizes the processing typically done by phone cameras. This mode avoids the heavy artificial-intelligence-driven adjustments that are standard on most smartphones, allowing photographers to capture images that retain more of their original contrast, texture, and imperfection.

Unlike Apple’s iPhone camera, which merges several images into one and uses aggressive image processing to smooth out imperfections, Halide gives photographers a single image that more accurately represents what they see in front of them. Shadows and highlights are preserved in their natural state, and grainy details, often removed by automatic processing, are kept intact. While Apple’s software tends to brighten dark areas and soften bright spots, Halide ensures that the image retains the rawness of the original scene, even if this means that some highlights might be blown out or some shadows remain dark.

The feature has gained significant popularity, with more than 200,000 downloads and hundreds of thousands of active users. The success of Process Zero, alongside trends like the resurgence of “dumbphones” and retro-style digital cameras such as the Fujifilm X100, reflects a growing desire for technology that allows users more control, resisting the dominance of AI in everyday tools.

Ben Sandofsky, Halide’s co-creator, explained that the goal behind the app was to strip away unnecessary digital enhancements, letting users explore their preferences without interference. Sandofsky, who previously worked at Twitter, teamed up with Sebastiaan de With, a former Apple designer, to create an app that restores the photographer’s role in defining what makes a good image. Sandofsky describes Apple’s computational photography as hyperrealistic, often emphasizing every element in a photo equally, which can make it difficult for viewers to know where to focus. Halide, on the other hand, embraces imperfection, letting the natural variability of light and shadow shape the final image.

In a world where digital perfection is often the norm, Process Zero has resonated with users who seek a more authentic photographic experience. The app’s minimal interference in image creation offers a refreshing alternative to the polished, AI-enhanced images typical of most smartphones. As Sandofsky puts it, sometimes the imperfections in a photo are what give it its most compelling qualities.