Ayup! In my six years contributing to Unsplash, I’ve submitted images taken with Fuji, iPhone, Pixel and Sony. Here’s a quick rundown of how mobile shots perform compared to those captured on a mirrorless camera.
For a concise answer, the subject and edit matter more than what you capture the photo with. Yes, maybe they take you slightly more seriously with a camera (especially when it comes to the awards). At the end of the day, though, a shot that serves their audience is always the primary concern.
Mobile vs Camera Stats
Looking at my top ten most viewed and downloaded images:
- Seven of the most viewed were taken on mobile.
- Five of the most downloaded were taken on mobile.
- The top four downloads are all mobile shots.
Proof that the end user really doesn’t care whether it was taken on a mobile or not. If it fits their project requirements, they’ll use it. I very much doubt they even check which camera it was captured with.
Features
Features on the home and category pages are always beneficial. They provide your photo with an instant boost in views and downloads. Additionally, it usually means an ongoing increase in visibility. Will iPhone shots be accepted? Absolutely!
That said, you’ll find way fewer mobile photos on these pages. I just flicked through around 20 images on the homepage. Only 2 were taken on a mobile, although a few didn’t have any EXIF data.
Again, it primarily boils down to your subject and edit. Take a look through the various categories and see what’s already there. This will give you a good idea of the sort of photos that are likely to be featured. Currently, the available categories you can submit to are:
- Summer
- Wallpapers
- 3D Renders
- Nature
- Textures
- Film
- Architecture
- Street Photography
- Experimental
- Travel
- People
Awards
Now then, let’s talk about the yearly Unsplash awards. In 2025, I was a runner-up in the Architecture & Interiors category. This was with an image taken with my (now sold) Sony a7C II.
None of the winning photos were shot on a mobile. Nor were any of the nominees in my category. Definitely something to keep in mind here. I didn’t go back any further than last year, but I wonder if there have ever been any mobile shots shortlisted? Maybe this could be an entire category of its own?
My iPhone Shots on Unsplash
My most popular iPhone shots are high-contrast, modern architecture. Clean lines, minimalist forms and creative compositions. Anything like this is pretty much guaranteed to go down well.
More recently, it’s been a little hit-and-miss. Understandable, as I’ve been experimenting with different ideas and subjects. I’ve uploaded 24 photos since returning to iPhone photography. Only three were featured. Certainly no complaints there. The standards are high, which continually pushes you to strive for excellence.
- Feature 1 – A blue monochrome edit of palm leaves inside a botanical garden.
- Feature 2 – A blue monochrome edit looking directly up at the ceiling inside The Fitzwilliam Museum.
- Feature 3 – The same ceiling/dome but from a side angle, showcasing its natural colours.
Final Tips
- Use the 1x camera whenever possible for the highest quality.
- Landscape ratio is more in-demand than portrait.
- Shoot Apple ProRAW (or whatever the equivalent is on your mobile).
- Paid work is also available via Unsplash+.
- Don’t be put off if you don’t get any features for a while.
- Get experimental (Unsplash love to see something different).
- The film-look is extremely popular at the moment.
- Research current trends to help guide your content.