I can't believe these photos were taken on an iPhone

iPhone 13 Pro Max
(Image credit: Apple)

Back in January, Apple announced a 'Shot on iPhone' contest designed to show off the photography prowess of the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max. The only iPhones to offer macro mode, these models offer the best camera available on iPhone – a fact only emphasised by the stunning winners of the contest.

Apple has unveiled the 10 winning photos, covering everything from flowers to fruit. As Apple days, they all make "even the smallest details seem epic" – and I'd believe you if you told me these were taken by a DSLR. (Want to experience the game-changing iPhone camera for yourself? Check out the best iPhone 13 Pro deals.)

Macro photo shot on iPhone 13 Pro

“Volcanic Lava” (sunflower) by Abhik Mondal (Image credit: Apple)

The winners include entrants from China, Hungary, India, Italy, Spain, Thailand, and the US, and were all shot on iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max. "The winning images demonstrate that the beauty of macro photography is its ability to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary, and capture the little things in a big way," says Apple. "Photos include incredible nature shots that might be overlooked by the naked eye, like dewdrops on a spiderweb, snowflakes on a dog’s hair, a cavernous hibiscus flower, and a strawberry engulfed in tiny soda water bubbles."

Macro photo shot on iPhone 13 Pro

“Honeycomb” (snowflakes on dog hair) by Tom Reeves (Image credit: Apple)

Macro photo shot on iPhone 13 Pro

“The Cave” (hibiscus) by Marco Colletta (Image credit: Apple)

Apple has also shared some tips for getting the most out of macro mode, including getting as close as 2 centimetres to your subject, and placing the primary point of focus near the centre of the frame (as that’s where the sharpest focus is when shooting in macro on iPhone). 

Head to Apple's website to view all 10 winning images. And if you want to get in on the macro photography action, take a look at today's best iPhone 13 deals below and see our iPhone 13 Pro camera tips and our guide to how to take pro photos with iPhone.

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Daniel Piper
Senior News Editor

Daniel Piper is Creative Bloq’s Senior News Editor. As the brand’s Apple authority, he covers all things Mac, iPhone, iPad and the rest. He also reports on the worlds of design, branding and tech. Daniel joined Future in 2020 (an eventful year, to say the least) after working in copywriting and digital marketing with brands including ITV, NBC, Channel 4 and more. Outside of Future, Daniel is a global poetry slam champion and has performed at festivals including Latitude, Bestival and more. He is the author of Arbitrary and Unnecessary: The Selected Works of Daniel Piper (Selected by Daniel Piper).