Canon EOS 7D
BERLIN: It wasn't too long ago that mobile phones only had postage stamp-sized displays for photos. But, thanks to advancing technology, the images have gotten larger and now, smartphones are armed with programmes that let people do their photo editing on the go.
Indeed, many of today's smart-phones are a credible alternative to compact cameras. After all, the best camera is one that you always have right with you, notes professional photographer Chase Jarvis.
Smart-phones offer hobby photographers options that never existed before. Photos can now be edited with multiple techniques on a single device and then promptly shared via the internet.
The key is the availability of the mobile programmes called apps. There are many of them out there, so customers will surely find one that suits their needs. Many are free. The ones that aren't generally cost between 0.79 and 1.59 euros (1.05 to 2.14 dollars), and even those usually offer slimmed-down free versions.
Here's an overview of what's out there.
Shooting
To take a picture, either use the phone's pre-installed camera, or make use of one of the variety of camera apps out there.
Some apps apply a colour filter while the photograph is being taken, like Hipstamatic (1.59 euros), which can give photos the appearance of being taken with a variety of old-fashioned colour films.
Others can shoot a series of pictures, with up to 24 images per second. Those include programmes like Burst Mode or Shutter Burst (1.59 euros each). Then there are apps that can take pictures on a timer, like a 'real' camera (for example, Self Timer, which ranges from a free version to one for 1.59 euros).
Anyone who wants to take a shot on the sly should try out the SneakyPix app (0.79 euros on the iPhone) or the Mobile Hidden Camera (free for Android phones), which makes the phone take pictures automatically at regular intervals, regardless of whether it's being held or set up on a shelf somewhere.
Editing
Adobe has a free Photoshop app that comes with the most important basics, like cropping or rotating, as well as settings for colour saturation or contrast. It's as simple as swiping your finger from left to right on the smartphone's touch-sensitive screen.
If making these changes manually is too difficult, there's also the option of using any of a variety of apps that provide filters. Those can be used to blend or enhance colours, edit pictures to make them look old, turn black-and-white images coloured, or even give them a fish-eye effect.
Such apps include Best Camera (2.39 euros), Camera Plus Pro (1.59 euros) or CameraBag (1.59 euros) for the iPhone, or Camera 360 (3.08 euro) and Retro Camera (2.31 euros) for Android telephones.
But be careful. Once a free app like Instagram becomes a trend, suddenly everyone's pictures posted online look the same. A paid app like Infinicam (1.59) provides more versatility, letting users take finished photos, while also trying out countless new filters.
Viewing
Sharing a finished photo with friends or relatives takes only a matter of seconds with a smartphone. Facebook allows smartphone photos to be uploaded directly with its app. Other apps offer direct access to Twitter and other social sites, or even have their own display pages.
Photo site Flickr also has its own app. There's also always the option of sending photos by email.
Have fun
A lot of apps are out there just to let people have fun with their pictures. Programmes like Color Splash (0.79 euros for the iPhone) or ColorUp (0.76 euros for Android) let users turn certain objects in a picture coloured while leaving everything else in black and white.
So-called TiltShift programmes let users make their pictures simulate a miniature scene.
Those who just want to have fun can look to Alien Booth (0.79 euros) to make all their subjects look like aliens, while programmes like FaceMan (0.79 euros on the iPhone) or Liquid Face (1.53 euros, Android) let people apply unusual effects to subject's faces.
Other apps focus on panorama pictures, stop-motion animation or time-lapse videos. A miniature tripod is recommended for these.
Inspiration
Ever since the iPhone 4, with its upgraded camera, came out, a network of smartphone photographers has developed online. Their sites are perfect for getting ideas.
On platforms like Flickr, people can search exclusively for mobile pictures. There are also multiple private projects out there. Jarvis displays his iPhone pictures at www.chasejarvis.com, while photographer Matt Bango has his iPhone as Art display at http://iphoneasart.com.
German web designer Martin Wolf also has an iPhone diary at http://daily.visuellegedanken.de.
Wolf has shot several thousand pictures with his iPhone in recent years. He said he had routinely longed for a camera that he could always have with him.
For editing, Wolf relies on apps like Camera Plus or Best Camera.
0 comments:
Post a Comment