Muhammad Faris Danial says the photo was taken with an iPhone XR on July 13. — Photos: MUHAMMAD FARIS DANIAL MOHD FAIZAL
Apple highlighted a photo taken by a Malaysian student on its official Instagram page in a recent post on Sept 28.
The photo showcasing a paddy field during sunset was taken by 19-year-old Muhammad Faris Danial Mohd Faizal during a family trip to Sabak Bernam, Selangor.
In an interview with LifestyleTech, Muhammad Faris Danial shared that his photo was taken with an iPhone XR on July 13.
"I got an email from Apple on Sept 15 informing me that it is considering the possibility of featuring my photo on its official Instagram page. I had to answer some questions which included providing descriptions for the photo," he shared.
Muhammad Faris Danial explained that even though he received an email from Apple, he did not expect the photo to be featured on its Instagram account which has over 23 million followers. He explained that a friend had received a similar email but the photo was never featured.
"So I was really surprised when I saw it was featured. I'm also grateful for the opportunity," he said, adding that the photo now has over 200,000 likes, and the number of people following his account jumped from 1,500 to almost 2,000 in just a day.
According to Muhammad Faris Danial, this is the second time Apple has reached out to him about his photos.
This shot was taken at Maktab Rendah Sains Mara Pekan, Pahang back in 2018.
"In 2018, a jump shot I took was featured in a compilation post along with photos taken by others. So I would say this is the first I got a solo feature for my photo on the Apple Instagram page," he said.
As for others who want their photos featured by Apple, Faris said: "You just need to keep trying and improving based on feedback. I think the company is looking for images that are not heavily edited. Some of the photos that Apple features may look simple but there's a always meaningful story behind it."
Apple seems to have an affinity for photos featuring the natural wonders of Malaysia. Last January, it highlighted a Terengganu beach shot by a local policeman. In 2019, it showcased a photo of a paddy field in Perlis taken by a student.
