On a long drive this summer, I was getting kind of bored, so I started fooling around with my phone. I decided to download some different photo apps and take some pictures of the scenery. A few of the apps were a very pleasant surprise and I got some outstanding photos. What started as a time waster turned into a fun record of the trip.
These photo apps can make taking photos with your iPhone more fun. Expand your creativity with the ability to use different light, interesting effects, mimic other types of cameras and play with the photos after you take them. I like taking several pictures of the same scene or person using different apps and different settings. Here’s a rundown of a few of my favorites:
Hipstamatic this app sets the iPhone camera so it mimics other types of cameras. my favorite selection is the setting that takes pictures that look like the Kodak Instamatic, a camera popular in the sixties. the small bordered pictures tend to have a yellowish tinge that enhances brighter colors that occur in the centre of the frame. it has a flash setting that enhances light in darker conditions. One problem with the iPhone camera is that it does not do well in low light. I was in a club recently that was quite dark but was able to snap some photos of friends using the Hipstamatic app.
Toy Camera the name of this app misleads the user. it is fun, but it is more sophisticated than the name implies. the app adds a filtering effect and different film types that work together to create different light and color effects. I found it particularly good for taking pictures of landscapes to bring out the effects of sunlight on objects, sunset and twilight glows and misty conditions. on a long drive through the mountains recently, I took about forty pictures with using this app. Some of my favorite pictures from tha trip were among those I took with this app.
Cartoon Studio there are many times when adding a caption to a photo would help to tell the story. this app allows you to edit photos by adding cartoon type text balloons. it also allows you to add characters and settings to your photos to create unique mashups. the cartoon balloons don’t have to be funny. it can be a quick and easy way to add text comments to help remind you of the time and place where the photo was taken.
Jackson Pollock the free wheeling splatters of paint made Jackson Pollock famous. the app makes it look like you are splattering paint on a blank canvas when you touch the screen of the iPhone. you can also load photos and add abstract effects on your photos. this app is fun therapy and can make time go by fast when you are waiting in line.
There are probably thousands of other apps that take and make photos, but out of the ones I have tried so far, these are my favorite. the cost is reasonable.