From snapshot to fine art: How smartphones are changing photography
· Citizen
Discussions around the growing role of mobile photography in contemporary visual storytelling took centre stage in Paris this week as Huawei opened the tenth edition of its XMage Awards alongside the prestigious Paris Photo fair.
Held at the Grand Palais on Wednesday, the milestone event drew more than 150 photographers, imaging specialists and media representatives to reflect on how smartphone cameras have reshaped photography over the past decade.
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Paris Photo
Founded in 1997, Paris Photo is one of the world’s leading photography events, attracting more than 100,000 professionals and enthusiasts each year.
The accompanying exhibition, A Heartwarming World, featured images captured on Huawei devices and explored the growing role of smartphones in contemporary photography.
The exhibition reflected the broader evolution of mobile photography, which has become an increasingly prominent part of contemporary visual culture.
XMage
The XMage 100 exhibition featured photographs shot on a range of smartphones, from older models such as the Mate 20 Pro and P30 Pro to newer flagship devices including the Pura 80 Ultra, Mate 80 Pro Max and Pura 90 Pro Max.
From more than 820,000 submissions, a professional judging panel selected 100 standout photographs before naming three Grand Prize winners: Ali Abdul Hamid Alarbash, Mai Shunxi and Wan Ben.
Speaking at the event, Huawei Consumer Business Group chief marketing officer Alex Huang He said the company had spent the past decade building a global community of creators connected through photography and visual storytelling.
Smartphone imaging
Advances in smartphone imaging technology have dramatically expanded what users can achieve with a device that fits in a pocket.
Apple, Samsung, Honor, Huawei and other smartphone manufacturers have invested heavily in mobile imaging technology, intensifying competition in the smartphone photography market.
Larger sensors, variable apertures, improved low-light capabilities, and advanced telephoto systems now let users capture detailed images in challenging conditions once reserved for dedicated camera equipment.
Smartphone photography offers convenience and accessibility, allowing users to quickly capture moments as they happen without carrying bulky camera equipment. With a smartphone always within reach, taking a photo is often as simple as pointing, clicking and shooting.
Photography
The exhibition reflected a broader shift in photography, with smartphones becoming increasingly important tools for capturing and sharing visual stories.
However, the growing influence of computational photography continues to spark debate within the imaging industry. Critics argue that technologies such as multi-frame image stacking, AI-assisted colour processing and software-based image enhancement blur the line between traditional photography and digitally generated imagery.
Questions about authenticity remain central to debates around modern photography, particularly as smartphones increasingly rely on artificial intelligence and advanced software processing to overcome the physical limitations of compact camera sensors.
Smartphone brands
The awards also highlight the growing role of smartphone manufacturers in shaping photographic culture through competitions and exhibitions that celebrate images created within their own ecosystems.
Despite the debate, the Paris exhibition demonstrated how far mobile photography has come.
Once viewed primarily as a convenient alternative to traditional cameras, smartphones are increasingly earning a place alongside professional equipment in galleries, competitions and contemporary visual storytelling.