It’s official. That little camera lens on the back of your smart phone can capture way more than your Vegas trip or Saturday brunch. The results of this year’s\u00a0<\/span><\/span>iPhone Photography Awards<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>(IPPAWARDS) are in and, as usual, they’re absolutely mesmerizing.<\/span><\/p>\n Julio Lucas, Bradenton, FL United States 1st Place – 2014 Photographer of the Year<\/p>\n <\/center><\/p>\n The competition, which dates back to 2007, the year of the iPhone’s debut, is the first and longest photo contest focused on the powers of your favorite portable photography device. Thousands of artists from all over the world contributed their best images captured via iPhone, iPod or iPad, submitting them to 17 categories including sunsets, travel and architecture. The photos can be manipulated on phone apps like Instagram, but Photoshop and other desktop post-processing methods are prohibited. As you’ll see, most photographers don’t even need to manipulate their stunning images with faux vintage filters.<\/p>\n This year 54 photographers took home prizes, hailing from 17 countries overall. The winning images range from adorable animals to breathtaking landscapes to aesthetically intriguing architectural forms. We’ve included a small fraction of the victors below. Take a look and perhaps you’ll be inspired by the vast artistic potential just waiting in your humble iOS. Check out the\u00a0<\/span>IPPA website<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>to learn about how you can be a part of next year’s competition.<\/p>\n