10 Cell Phone Photos That Make Me Feel Like a Professional Photographer

It's National Photography Day and Angel and I decided to celebrate on our morning radio show by asking our listeners and Facebook friends to share photos they've taken that look like they could be professional photos.  I don't know about you, but sometimes I take photos with my cell phone and I'm like, "Dang! That looks like it could be in a magazine."

So, I combed through the photos saved on my phone (there are thousands, by the way) and looked for some pics that I could share.  You know, pics that look like they could have been taken by a professional instead of my iPhone 8 Plus.

Here's what I came up with!  And, for the record, I have no delusions here and understand that there are some technical issues with a few of these photos.  But still. You have to admit that they're pretty darn good!

Here's one the best photos I have ever taken and I think I timed that beam of sunlight perfectly. I took this at the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

I travel a lot and that gives me the opportunity to whip my phone out and take some photos of some really cool things. Here's a lioness I photographed from my safari Jeep in Masai Mara, Kenya. I was literally close enough to her I could have reached out of the Jeep and touched her head.  Of course, she would have eaten my arm and face.

I love this pic too! I took this during the curtain call of King Kong: The Musical a few years ago in New York City. It's a little grainy because of where I was sitting in the Broadway Theatre, but I timed the taking of this photo perfectly.  Look at Kong's expression.  It was as ferocious as you would expect it to be.

Speaking of New York City, here's another one of my favorite photos I have ever taken. This is from a recent walk across the magnificent Brooklyn Bridge.  I love this vantage point and the architecture and engineering on full display in the pic.

I am kind of obsessed with this photo too. A couple of years ago, Kevin and I visited my cousin Shea and his wife Jen in South Carolina.  We went walking along the rugged shoreline at Hunting Island State Park. I took a bunch of photos that evening.  This one was my favorite.������ I love the contrast of the sun setting behind the erosion and decay of the beach.

Speaking of shorelines, have you ever seen a photo more inviting and delicious as this?  I took this cocktail photo on the Sunset Deck at the Holiday Inn Resort in Panama City Beach, Florida.

Now how about this?!  A couple of years ago, I was on my way home and was driving down Venetian on the west side of Owensboro. The sky looked like this. I have zero idea what caused this formation in the sky, but I thought it was breathtaking. While I don't think the photo is perfect, I do think it captures the phenomenon pretty well. I think this pic is totally bad ass.

And speaking of the sky, it can be just as stunning in Africa as it can here.  I took this photo while boating across Lake Naivasha. The sky was mesmerizing.

And here's another great shot from Africa. This was Amboseli National Park, which lies on the border of Kenya and Tanzania. This pic looks like it could have been ripped right out the animation in The Lion King.  I took hundreds of pictures in Africa.  This one, for me, embodies the pure essence of that continent.

And, finally, I love love love this photo too. This was taken at Copacabana Beach in Rio. This is a statue of famed Brazilian poet Carlos Drummond de Andrade.

Have you taken photos with your cell that make you feel like a professional photographer?