Hotel buys photo then refuses to display it because it’s shot on an iPhone – I'm completely baffled!

If you liked an image so much that you wanted to buy a print, would the revelation that it was shot on a camera phone prevent you from displaying it? That’s what happened to photographer Graham Smith, who has posted a rather mind-boggling revelation on his Instagram.

He was contacted by a five-star hotel in Madrid that wanted to buy a print of a black-and-white photograph that he captured in Marrakesh, for display in its lobby. Here’s where things took an odd turn.

“We had an agreement a few weeks ago,” he explains, “and it was all set to go. Then, at the last minute, it’s already been printed and framed, they have refused to hang it.” Why? Because Graham casually mentioned it was shot on an iPhone. He explains that the hotel is happy with the quality of the image and that when pressed further, it can’t really explain why the photo is unsuitable for hanging.

And you know what? I completely agree with the hotel. I flatly refuse to watch any movie that isn’t shot on film. I certainly won’t listen to any music that’s played on an electric guitar. And don’t you dare serve me a hot drink in a mug – tea cups only! Obviously, I’m being sarcastic. I simply cannot fathom this situation. A good photo is a good photo – it could be shot on a potato for all I care!

ABOVE: Watch Smith explain the bizarre situation

But what I find most baffling is that we’re splitting hairs over digital cameras here. Maybe, just maybe, I could understand the situation a little bit more if the hotel was under the impression that the image in question was shot on film, and digital photography just didn’t fit with the establishment’s hipster vibe. But as far as I’m concerned, a digital camera is a digital camera is a digital camera – and only the quality of the image matters.

If the quality of the image isn’t the issue, then, any reticence must be to do with the connotations of smartphone photography. And while I can’t comment on the hotel’s reasoning, specifically, smartphones are definitely treated differently than cameras.

When out and about, I’ve noticed that people are much more likely to react to a dedicated camera (positively or negatively) than a smartphone. I think that’s because the overwhelming majority of smartphone photographers are simply taking snapshots or selfies. And indeed, if you’re out and about with your phone, at most, you’ll be seen as a tourist or influencer, if people notice you at all.

My point is, most people don’t take smartphone photography seriously. And I don’t think your average iPhone user understands the imaging power that they hold in their hands. After all, there’s a common misconception among non-photographers (and some photographers, too) that photography is more about the camera than the person behind it.

Well, Graham’s excellent iPhone shot certainly suggests otherwise. Yes, this is a baffling situation, but before ‘iPhonegate’, the hotel approached him purely on the quality of the image itself. And that’s all that matters.

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