The iPhone Camera as Art Tool

The iPhone has a really good camera, and I always have my iPhone with me. So I use it freely whenever I see anything that might make a good subject for a painting, an unusual texture or pattern, or anything else I might be able to use in a painting. 

During a walk in my neighborhood last year, I spotted these large, colorful palm leaves.  I loved the colors, the textures and the position of the leaves, and I was able to get in close and compose the photo the way I wanted it: 

It turned into two paintings, one emphasizing the bolder colors and with a dark background, the other with more pastel colors:

This has turned into a wonderful tool for capturing fleeting moments, even scenes out of my car (when the car is stopped, of course)! I have quite a few of these photos that will eventually make their way into my painting.