Phone Photography and the Argument for Keeping a Digital Diary
Written By: Kael Johnston
Date: October 7th, 2026
Downtown fog, Boise, 2024, Photo Credit: Kael Johnston
Arms extending out a car, San Bernardino, 2026 Photo Credit: Kael Johnston
As I look back on my camera roll, I can’t help but see the ways in which my phone has seen the world. It has captured almost every part of my life, more so than what I have been able to write down. My graduation, my friends, my dog, my family, a random view from a mountain—there is no other place than my phone camera roll that captures my life as it occurs. Its ease of use, in the sense that it’s quick to maneuver and there’s little to no risk in taking a photo, makes it a more authentic way to snapshot your life in comparison to film and other digital methods.
Saying a final goodbye to my house, Orange, 2026 Photo Credit: Kael Johnston
Jumping for graduation fireworks, Orange, 2026 Photo Credit: Kael Johnston
It’s because of my phone that I’m able to naturally capture moments important to me. I don’t have to intentionally plan anything; moments simply happen, and my phone is there to see them.
Car cailing caving in, Tustin, 2025 Photo Credit: Kael Johnston
Neighbor’s dog saying hi, Tustin, 2026Photo Credit: Kael Johnston
The accessibility of the phone in taking photos is often undermined as not being a valid form of art. It is often seen as lowbrow art compared to other, more traditional ways of taking photos. However, with the way that photography is becoming increasingly less accessible due to the expenses, the increase in people using phone photography is a clear indicator of how regular people can document their lives. Nowadays, everyone can have a personal archive where they document their lives honestly and obtain an essential opportunity to craft a visual history without needing to produce a large amount of physical material or spending a large amount of money.
Princess wandering on the floor, Los Angeles, 2026 Photo Credit: Kael Johnston
It’s important to be able to document your own history. In an age where social media effectively dictates how we live our own lives, the ability to craft an archive of your own and understand the importance of it can romanticize your life in a way. It’s difficult to get online and see how other people live their lives, and this can become distracting from how you approach your own life. Looking back on the photos that I personally have obtained, I can see the places where my experiences are unique to my history. They seem random to an outsider, maybe even boring, but to me, these photos feel pivotal in helping me understand my individual identity and remember special moments.
Cole and Kael backbending at the Barnsdall Theatre, Los Angeles, 2026 Photo Credit: Kael Johnston
Phone photography ultimately provides an opportunity to consciously engage with your own life and what you have accomplished, ultimately adding a layer of depth to your individuality. Instead of scrolling, try using the device that has become essential to our lives as a tool—to document, to reflect, and most importantly, to remember.
It’s with us wherever we go—our phones. There’s an ongoing joke that phones often see things before we do: our food, our friends, a sunset, a view. In fact, we keep a diary of sorts directly on these personal devices. Although there’s a notion of getting off our phones and enjoying the moment, it’s almost impossible to navigate our lives in this day and age without a phone. Thus, our phones become the true diary of our daily lives and is an essential tool in being able to freely document in the digital age.
All the photos, notes, and messages that we send and receive become an identity that documents our routines. With this in mind, the phone can be seen as a practical documentary device. The accessibility of phone photography has transformed the way we document our lives, allowing ordinary moments to become part of our personal histories while offering a less materially intensive way of preserving those memories. Phone production is harmful to our environment; however, it’s less destructive in comparison to digital and film methods of photography, which tend to use a significant amount of water and chemical materials. Phones are also an inherently more portable way to document.
Couple walking down the freeway in the sunset, San Bernardino, 2026 Photo Credit: Kael Johnston
Rocky shooting on a 4x5 film camera, San Diego, 2026 Photo Credit: Kael Johnston
Written by: Kael Johnston
About the author description: Kael is an LA based writer and a current staff member at Necessary Behavior
Tags: Photoessay, Diary, Phone
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