Apple Vision Pro: A professional photographer's perspective

Even though the Apple Vision Pro was announced earlier this month, the general public will have to wait until early 2024 before they can get their hands (and faces) on them.

As for professional photographers and videographers, it's not too soon to imagine how this new technology might affect the way we work in the future. (Also, can someone please tell us what is so 'pro' about these goggles? Are they aimed at professionals?)

The new iPhone or just the next Google Glass?

When the iPhone debuted in 2007, no one really predicted it would make such a huge change in our day-to-day lives, or that it would impact photography the way it did. If a smartphone is a super computer and camera in our pocket – the Apple Vision Pros could be seen as a super computer and videocamera for our heads. They probably won't be as ubiquitous as the iPhone, but they will likely be a complete game changer in terms of total 'image immersion'.

So the question is – will the Apple Vision Pro have as much of an impact on the photography and film industry as smartphones did? My guess is no, and not yet.

In 10 years time, VR headsets will become 'headphones for our eyes'. They'll become lighter, cheaper and batteries will run longer. 

And, like headphones, we won't want to wear them all the time. That being said, we'll probably find some people becoming addicted to how they shut out the outside world. Messy bedroom? Just put on your headset and everything looks beautiful. Nagging worldly issues or finding life a bit dull? Just escape into the sensory overload fantasy world via VR.

For the cinema industry, improved and more accessible VR goggles could prove quite devastating. Watching even a 2D film with VR goggles will be incredible. Everyone will have a front row seat with Dolby sound and distractions dialled down to zero. With the initial cost of VR goggles being so high (US$3,499), perhaps cinemas will offer new-release screenings via VR goggles in the near future?

The re-birth of stereoscopic photography

Ironically, portable domestic stereoscopy has been around since 1849 (the Brewster stereoscope). You could also see cabinet-style stereoscopic photography and Mutoscopes in 'penny arcades' in major cities and fairgrounds. All these inventions are great, but like everything else we visually consume, it comes down to available content. 

So who is going to create content for VR? In the same way as many photographers have become hybrid video shooters, we'll probably find many of us adding VR content to our skills list. Already we have Canon's RF 5.2mm f/2.8 L Duel Fisheye lens that enables 180 degree 8K 30p VR shooting on the Canon R5. We'll probably find other camera manufacturers coming up with similar ecosystems in the near future.

More than likely, Apple probably have something in the pipeline for the iPhone 15 or 16 that will enable you to capture VR footage with a two-lens setup.

Shooting VR on a phone or stand-alone camera allows 'normal' interaction with your environment without seeming creepy. Of course, you'll also be able to shoot VR with the Apple Vision Pro. But you may want to recall the controversy around Google Glass from 10 years ago. Being able to take surreptitious photos and videos with your eyewear earned Glass users the moniker 'glassholes'. 

As for 360-degree footage and images, although a fad a few years ago, people don't really want to 'turn around' while viewing. Sitting or looking forward in 180 degrees is generally enough for proper immersion. It is also easier to shoot and do post production with a 180-degree outlook.

So what commercial applications will VR suit?

Real estate photography and video
A total no brainer is real estate photography. We already have 'walkthroughs', but being an overseas investor who can almost 'feel' the vibe of a property in 3D will be a boon to real estate marketing. Unfortunately, it will be so easy to shoot VR footage (just put on googles and walk through house looking at things) that real estate businesses will be less likely to hire videographers, and more likely to do it themselves. That being said, post-production can be difficult and time consuming for real estate workers, so VR walkthroughs might be another 'added value' package deal for real estate photographers.

Wedding and event videography
Thousands of weddings are shot on video every year and when people are prepared to spend big on 'the biggest day of their lives' we can expect them to consider shooting weddings in VR/180°. If you really want to relive your wedding day, what could be more romantic than both of you putting on your goggles, holding hands, and experiencing your big day as if you are really there.

For good measure, perhaps the one of the newlyweds could even wear the goggles themselves for a dance. Imagine watching that footage in the years to come – it would be as close as you get to time travel.

Or perhaps in the future, as a value added service, wedding photographers could attach a VR camera on top of their stills camera – just like some photographers now attach a GoPro.

With events, instead of lugging camera gear around, a VR videographer could just 'wear' the camera which is great for hands-free work. They could just participate with people for a real life experience of the event. The selling point of the videographer would be more 'personality based' in that clients would hire a VR photographer who was charismatic, witty and outgoing so they would have interesting and fun (and therefore more watchable) interactions with guests. 

Fashion and products
One thing that is a huge sinkhole for profits for online fashion shopping businesses is 'returns' – which can be as high as 25%. Part of the problem is when looking at images of clothes or products online, either as a flat lay or or on a model, it's harder to judge shape and texture, the weight and 'fall' of the material, or what a jacket looks like unbuttoned or done up, or how it sits while seated. Some websites already have short animations of models wearing the clothes. Being able to see clothes in VR may give consumers a better idea of the whole product. Anything that allows customers to have better judgment will cut down on returns and increase profits.

Of course, fashion campaign video clips could be far more phantasmagorical and immersive in VR, so luxury brands will probably be early adopters for this type of media and likely to spend big in this department. 

Product photography will also include VR/AR, so that consumers will for example, be able to see how big that toaster is and what colour suits your colour palette in your kitchen. All of these concepts could be value added service to normal fashion / product photography.

Landscape Photography
One thing that always looks disappointing on a phone is landscape photography. Even a 27-inch monitor sometimes doesn't do a landscape image justice. Landscapes will look totally incredible and immersive with goggles. Who knows, perhaps photographers will sell NFTs as landscape packages? Imagine being able to do your daily yoga routine in different beautiful locations virtually around the world.

Enhancing workflow and the editing process
One extreme difference between DSLR and mirrorless cameras is the viewfinder. While we are shooting and then reviewing our work 'in camera', it is far superior to use the digital viewfinder to see extreme detail instantaneously to check focus, composure, expressions, depth of field, and exposure. It is so much better using the digital viewfinder to review work as there are no problems with ambient light, reflections and you don't have issues if you are short or long sighted. Imagine the next level of 'viewfinder' detail as you go from a camera to editing with widescreen goggles.

In post production software like Lightroom or Capture One, imagine effortlessly swiping through hundreds of images with your fingers (the Vision Pro responds to hand gestures and voice commands) and giving a thumbs up or voice command of 'yes' to your image selects. Or just have the images appear for half a second each and you just say yes to any one star images - then repeat the process again to boil the images down to get your selects or hero shots. It means you could edit from bed or lying on a couch. Then you could use voice activation to resize and send the images. This could easily be a reality in the next few years. 

Another big advantage of goggles is being able to have multiple AR/VR screens. For example, after getting used to using multiple monitors in an office, working with a 14 inch laptop on location really does slow your productivity. Using goggles and having VR/AR to have multiple large monitors could have a profound effect when it comes to multitasking. And best of all, you don't need to buy, install or carry these multiple monitors – they all reside virtually within the goggles.

The Future
If you think that A$5,000 is a lot of money for a product and that high price will limit it's appeal, it's good to recall that the first consumer grade Betamax VCR recorders in 1975 cost the equivalent of $15,000 in today's money. People are already prepared to pay over $2,000 for a phone these days as the hours of use per day can justify this. So the initial Apple Vision Pro Mark I may be expensive, but they will still shift millions of units and they will likely become more affordable over time. We can also expect more sharply priced Android-powered copy cats to follow soon after.

Also intriguing will be the myriad of new apps that will be made by third-party developers for the VisionOS ecosystem. Many developers will be hoping to create a killer app that will become the new Instagram.

For photographers, there will surely be opportunities to VR imaging either as a stand-alone service, or even as value add to be combined with more conventional photo and videos services.

Personally, I'm looking forward to being able to review, edit and process work in Lightroom or Capture One using the Vision Pro. I think it will make a laborious job into something that is faster, easier, more engaging and fun. 

So here we go, stepping bravely and almost blindly into a new VR world. Will VR change the way we consume media? Will it be the penultimate phase before we get chip implants in our heads? Personally, my scary thought is that instead of people reaching for their phone when they wake up, they'll instinctively reach for their goggles. Time will tell.