WATCH: Mark Nicdao, BJ Pascual shoot an ad campaign using a smartphone

MANILA, Philippines – When shooting editorials, professional photographers will usually show up on set with a high-end camera and several lenses. But Samsung’s latest smartphone will make you rethink that scenario.  

The South Korean company has just released its latest flagship units: the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge. The 12-megapixel camera on both phones is the first to come with Dual Pixel technology for faster autofocus. It also has an F/1.7 lens aperture for shooting in low light and an IP68 rating, which means it is water-resistant up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes.

With the slogan “rethink what your phone can do,” the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge aim to change how users capture and share special moments, giving them the right mix of specs and features to shoot professional-quality photos using their phone.

Recently, two of the country’s leading photographers put the Galaxy S7 Edge to the ultimate test. Mark Nicdao dove deep with Solenn Heussaff for an ethereal underwater sequence, while BJ Pascual shot Georgina Wilson in a trippy, neon low-light set. The photos will be used for Samsung’s print ads.

We shot our behind-the-scenes videos using the Galaxy S7 Edge as well. Watch them all below.

An industry first

BJ and Mark are two of the most popular and successful photographers in the country today. Together they’re blazing a new path as the first local photographers to shoot for a print ad solely using a smartphone.

BJ was expecting a challenge from the usual low-quality output that comes from badly-lit scenes. “The problem with low light photography is the graininess. You have to amp up the ISO and the sharpness because you usually shoot in low shutter speeds,” he said. 

The results exceeded his expectations.

“The best thing about the Galaxy S7 Edge is the quality of the pictures. Given that most smartphones perform poorly in low light, it’s amazing how such a small phone could pack such features,” he said.  

For the underwater shoot, Mark pushed his physical and artistic boundaries.

“I’m very active [during shoots],” he explained. “I don’t just stick to one position and sometimes there are a lot of restrictions because of the camera I’m using. It’s big and sometimes sensitive. You can’t get it wet or use it in extreme weather.”

After the shoot, Mark said: “Using the phone in the pool with Solenn, there were so many angles that I did that I was surprised I could do. It’s small but at the same time it has the resolution that I want and that you can actually print.” 

Keeping up with the ‘besties’

Solenn Heussaff and Georgina Wilson are known as “it” girls on social media. While they’ve both appeared on their fair share of print ads, it was their first time to pose for a smartphone in the studio.

For Solenn, posing underwater with the Galaxy S7 Edge came naturally. 

“Shooting with the Galaxy S7 Edge was, for me, less intimidating because it’s just so simple,” she said. “I think the more difficult part was actually holding my breath underwater than shooting with the phone.”

For Georgina, the experience took a bit of getting used to.

She said: “[This shoot] felt different because I had never been shot by a phone before for an actual photo shoot. So I’m used to finding the lens, focusing on that, and using that as my reference point.”

In the end, she was surprised with the outcome. 

“When I saw the photos, I don’t think people are going to actually believe that this was shot on a phone,” Georgina said. “The shots in low light are something that I didn’t expect to be possible from a phone.”

A digital revolution

With high-quality cameras packed into phones like the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, what used to be exclusive to professionals is now available to everyone. Now anyone can take photo shoot-quality photos with their phone and share them online.

“I think [photography’s] shift to digital has really made the industry more competitive because of the easy access to whatever you need and everything is so cheap now. Literally anyone can be a photographer,” BJ said.

Not only do smartphones like these take professional-quality photos, but they’re also simple enough for the casual user to wield like a pro.

Mark explained: “The most amazing thing about the Galaxy S7 Edge is that it’s super handy. It’s like you’re holding nothing so you’re free to do whatever angles you want. And the resolution is perfect.”

“If a normal person were to [shoot underwater], it’s going to be so easy,” he pointed out. ”When you go out with your friends and you guys are at the beach, you can bring your phone and just click.” – Rappler.com

Into the Blue – The country’s first-ever professional underwater photoshoot taken with just a smartphone. Dare to go beyond with the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge.

Take the new Samsung Galaxy S7 edge into the blue with its IP68 water resistance rating. Rethink what a phone can do.