The 2014 iPhone Photography Awards Prove That The Camera Does Not Make The Photographer

It's no secret that you can take high-quality photos using your smart phone camera, but we sometimes forget just how stunning they can be! Some photographers even spend their careers using only their mobile phone devices, proving that it’s not the camera that makes a good photographer. Started back in 2007, the iPhone Photography Awards (IPPAWARDS) became the first and one of the biggest niches for smartphone photographers to get recognition and appreciation for their work.

Every year, the IPPAWARDS receive thousands of entries from photographers around the world in seventeen categories. All of the photographs must be taken with an iPhone, iPod or iPad and cannot be altered with desktop software, only with device-based apps. This year's winners have been announced, so here's handful of their most amazing shots. Get inspired!

More info: Website (h/t: mymodernmet) MICHAEL ONEAL, San Francisco, CA United States, 1st Place – Animals MELISA BARILLI, York, Ontario, Canada, 3rd Place – Children JULIO LUCAS, Bradenton, FL United States, 1st Place – 2014 Photographer of the Year JOSE LUIS BARCIA FERNANDEZ, Madrid, Spain, 2nd Place – 2014 Photographer of the Year MIHAI COLIBAN, Bucharest, Romania, 3rd Place – Lifestyle NAOMI WU, New Taipei City, Taiwan, 2nd Place – Animals YILANG PENG, Madison, WI United States, 1st Place – Architecture JUANA CHAVES, Madrid, Spain, 2nd Place – News/Events TEDDY COHEN, Tel Aviv, Israel, 3rd Place – Animals MARIKO KLUG, Erding, Germany, 3rd Place – Trees MONICA GANTER, Glenside, PA United States, 3rd Place – Flowers ELENA GRIMAILO, Moscow, Russia, 1st Place – Landscape ADRIENNE PITTS, London, United Kingdom, 1st Place – Travel DRAGOS BARDAC, Bucharest, Romania, 2nd Place – Seasons JILL MISSNER Ridgefield, CT United States, 3rd Place – 2014 Photographer of the Year EDWARD ADAMS, Pebworth, Warwickshire United Kingdom, 3rd Place – Sunset COCU LIU, Chicago, IL United States. 1st Place – Seasons BRANDON KIDWELL, Jacksonville, FL United States, 1st Place – Lifestyle COCU LIU, Chicago – IL United States, 2nd Place – Trees ALEXA SEIDL, Washington, DC United States, 1st Place – Food LAUREN SMITH, Pensacola, FL United States, 1st Place – People AARON PIKE, San Francisco, CA United States, 1st place – Trees JORDAN FRASER, Belfast, Ireland, 2nd Place – Travel