Here's how one photographer makes his iPhone photos so beautiful on Instagram

Justin Barbin, a popular photographer based in Chicago, is a master at capturing the local arts scene and sharing it online.

Unlike some pro photographers, Barbin doesn't overload his Instagram with slick, out-of-place-looking DSLR images. He also isn't devoting hours to teasing perfect shots out of limited equipment. 

Barbin's Instagram is a stream of consciousness — a collage of beautiful things he sees and happy moments from his life, mostly shot on the phone in his pocket.

What sets Barbin's smartphone photos apart is how good they look, even though he's only using an iPhone.

"I feel a lot of pressure when posting on IG since my career is in photography," Barbin told Tech Insider in an email. "I take a lot of photos on my phone that never see the light of day because I have to ask myself before posting 'So what? How does this photo contribute to an already congested feed of selfies, food, and sunsets?'"

Barbin has an eye for colors, patterns, and the unusual, and he uses his iPhone to great effect in capturing them. (A great Android camera might do just as good a job of course.) Here are some of his most gorgeous and interesting shots.

Barbin focuses on patterns and symmetry when he shoots, which the iPhone is great at capturing with its wide lens.

Instagram Embed:
http://instagram.com/p/BBOUEUukq-I/embed/
Width: 658px

Taken at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, this 'gram captures a rare moment when the buildings' facade is empty and the beautiful architecture emerges. "Having the iPhone out and ready to use quickly really helped in snapping this shot before more crowds arrived," Barbin said.

This shot is elevated by a great pattern that magically matches the dog.

Instagram Embed:
http://instagram.com/p/2SKb5aEq36/embed/
Width: 658px

This shot is all about texture.

Instagram Embed:
http://instagram.com/p/jfxwSxkqxu/embed/
Width: 658px