Day 12/365: Lottery Winner – When Your Main Camera Fails, Your Phone Saves the Day
7-Eleven, Kaohsiung | Apple iPhone SE2
Day 12 is about the oldest rule in photography: the best camera is the one you have with you.
I went to 7-Eleven to cash in my Taiwan receipt lottery winnings. I planned to shoot this moment with the Leica D-Lux 8—clean, sharp, professional. But when I got to the store, I realized I'd left the battery at home in the charger. Because I'm a fool.
So I used the iPhone SE2 instead.
The Taiwan Receipt Lottery
For those unfamiliar: in Taiwan, every receipt is a lottery ticket. Every two months, the government draws winning numbers. Match enough digits, and you win anywhere from 200 NT to millions. It's a small incentive to ask for receipts, which helps the government track tax revenue.
I won. You'll have to watch the video to see how much.
The Shot
This image shows the receipt, the 100 NT bill, and my fingers holding them against a wooden table. Simple composition, direct documentation. The kind of shot that doesn't need a high-end camera—it just needs to exist.
The iPhone SE2 handled it fine. Good dynamic range, sharp enough detail, and the ability to edit directly in Lightroom Mobile on the iPad. The video walks through the full editing process, showing how to turn a basic phone shot into a finished image.
The Lesson
A 365 Project doesn't care about your gear. It cares about consistency. Some days you'll have your main camera ready. Other days you'll forget the battery, or the memory card, or the entire camera bag. The project continues regardless.
The iPhone SE2 isn't my first choice for street photography, but it's always in my pocket. That makes it more reliable than the Leica sitting at home with a dead battery.
Mobile Editing Workflow
The video includes a full breakdown of my Lightroom Mobile editing process on the iPad:
- Exposure and contrast adjustments
- Black and white conversion
- Highlight and shadow recovery
- Sharpening and noise reduction
Mobile editing isn't a compromise—it's a legitimate workflow. The tools are powerful, the interface is intuitive, and the results are professional.
Technical Details
Camera: Apple iPhone SE2
Editing: Lightroom Mobile for iPad
Approach: Documentary, direct composition
Lesson: Always have a backup. Or just use your phone.
Gear: Apple iPhone SE2
Location: 7-Eleven, Kaohsiung
Project: 012/365