A conversation kicked off on Twitter the other night about the use of the word 'iPhoneography', meaning the taking of photographs with an iPhone. The term is specific to Apple products and there is no equivalent term for Android or Windows phones, neither is there an accepted generic term for mobile phone photography regardless of the hardware and software used. There are iPhoneography groups on Flickr and a vibrant online community. This is lacking for users of other phones. iPhoneographers have a word which brings them together. It is concise, snappy, memorable. The popularity of websites such as Instagram highlights this. People can say, "I'm into iPhoneography" and they are understood. "I take megapixel photos with my Android 2.2 powered HTC Desire phone", is less useful.

While photographs taken with a mobile phone will be lower quality, resolution wise, than those taken with an SLR camera, they have several unique features that set them apart from other forms of photography and therefore the practise deserves it's own word:

• Immediate, catching the moment
• Shared instantly
• Geotagging support
• Intended for viewing on a screen
• Images processed immediately by photo apps

Maybe because the hardware, software and ecosystem of each phone operating system are so different, then each one should have it's own photographically based word. Keep iPhoneography exclusively for iPhone users. However, it would be very useful if there was a general term that we could all use. A word that would identify the smartphone user with an eye for a photo. The photographs they take are of value. They can be simple snaps uploaded to Twitpic, but, in the right hands, iPhoneography, mobileography, phoneography, whatever you call it, can become a unique art form all of it's own.

I have put the core of the Twitter conversation together below thanks to the wonders of Storify which means the tweets can be retweeted and replied to so feel free to join in the conversation: