There’s this idea floating around that you can’t be a “real” photographer unless you’re carrying a heavy camera bag full of expensive lenses.I used to believe that, too. I thought I needed the fancy gear — the full-frame body, the tripod, the lenses with names that sound like spacecraft. But here’s the thing: chronic pain doesn’t care about brand names, and neither does art. On flare-up days, when my arthritis or fibro makes lifting a camera painful, I reach for my phone. It’s light, easy to hold, and lets me capture beauty without pushing my body past its limits. And you know what? Some of my favorite photos — the ones that still make me pause — were taken that way.—

✨ The Night I Captured the Milky Way

One quiet night, the sky was clear enough that I could see the Milky Way stretching across the horizon like spilled sugar. I propped my phone on a light weight tripod, waited for the star button to pop up for astrophotography, and held my breath. When I looked at the result later, I couldn’t stop smiling. The shot wasn’t perfect, and I can’t blow it up to couch size — but it was mine. It was perfect for me.

🌈 The Night the Sky Danced

And then there was the night the sky decided to dance.The northern lights appeared — soft purples, greens, and reds weaving like ribbons above the trees. We were along the north shore of Lake Superior, when my Aurora alert apps were going crazy! I was having an “I’m so cool” moment with my phone in one hand, and my camera in the other. I’m so glad I had my phone with me — because guess who forgot to focus properly on their “big fancy” camera? 🤦‍♀️Yep. My best shots of the purple aurora came from the phone. It’s funny, in a way — all that expensive gear sitting there, and the photo that captured the moment best was the one taken with the device I use to check the weather. That night reminded me that creativity isn’t about the perfect setup. It’s about showing up when the sky starts to glow, and using whatever you’ve got to hold onto the magic.

💚 Accessibility Is Not a Limitation

It drives me a little crazy when people say you need an expensive, heavy camera to make “real” art. Because for many of us — disabled, chronically ill, neurodivergent — accessibility is creativity. “Accessibility isn’t about lowering the bar — it’s about widening the gate.” I can’t hike miles with a backpack of lenses anymore. But I can take quiet, intentional photos from a scooter or wheelchair, or propping myself up with my crutches, or in my front yard. I can use my phone’s RAW mode and edit my shots the same way I would from a DSLR. Art doesn’t care what camera you use. What matters is the eye behind the lens.

🌿 For My Fellow Disabled Photographers

If you’re out there with a phone in your hand, thinking it’s not enough — I promise, it is. Your photos count. Your vision counts. The best camera will always be the one you can hold. And the best artist will always be the one who keeps noticing the light, no matter where they’re standing. So keep taking the shot. Even if it’s just with your phone. Especially if it’s just with your phone.