iPhone: Photography Apps

Below are some of my favourite apps for taking and editting photographs on the iPhone.

Camera

This is the camera app that comes with the iPhone and is a powerful, free, tool. The app now has a lot more functionality and can be accessed quickly from the Locked screen. The top toolbar shows you the flash and HDR settings, as well as letting you switch between the two cameras. iOS8 has added a timer too, which takes 10 photographs in a burst. Just below the picture you get to decide which setting you wish to use, both video and camera. Though I have become a huge fan of the Pano option. Below those options is quick access to your Photo Stream and the button to take the photograph, though you can now use the volume buttons too. Finally the three circles icon lets you instantly add a filter to your photographs. Best to add a filter to a photograph after though, as that way you can view how it looks with different filters.

The Pano option stands for panorama and this wonderful setting lets you get some spectacular photographs. Best to use this option on quite a static subject, as moving objects can come out strange.

SnapSeed

This free app comes to us from Google and is great for image adjustments. You can use the + in the top left to import, paste or take photographs, which can then be put through the apps many options. Holding the iPhone landscape moves the options to the left and makes it easier to see what is happening. Once you select a filter you swipe up and down to select from the options, and right and left to change that setting. The new photograph can then be saved or exported using the box with an upward arrow.

Below is one of my favourite photographs I took and the used Snapseed on. As you can see it is the Palace of Westminster in London and I used the Pano option in the Camera app. I then zoomed in on the area I wanted and used Snapseed's HDR Scape filter. In the photograph the sun was behind the tower on the left, this made for a dark looking picture. I think the filter makes for a dramatic shot with the powerful River Thames rushing by.

Camera+

App to add bells and whistles to your camera options, one app I was happy to pay for. Clarity within Edit automatically adjusts your pictures, and can really improve dull photos. As well as that though you can add the Stabiliser option, I find iPhone photographs can easily be ruined by small moment. The app also lets you control exposure, which can be key to some photographs.

You can also import photographs and use many adjustment tool and filters.

Sketch Me

Great little app to alter your image to give the style of hand-drawings, as well as other filters. Photographs do not always have to be serious and this app lets you put some fun in your photographs. Again you can import or take a photograph from the app, and you then get to choose the size of the picture you want to produce. Using the green tick you then move forward to view the different filters available to you. Adding a filter is as simple as tapping it, though some allow for more detailed settings. I have not paid for this app, so the odd pop-up advert does appear.

The photograph below was taken at the Nordkapp in Norway. I decided to use this filter to add to the excitement of exploring somewhere I had never been before.

Pic Stitch

Thanks to Team America everyone knows how important a montage is, and a photo montage can be a great way to show off a few of your master pieces. Pic Stitch is a great app to allow you to combine photographs into one graphic. There are around hundred free formats for you to pick from, allowing from one to six photographs to be imported. Once the format is selected you can then get your picture from a number of places, including your photo library, dropbox or straight from camera. You then get to edit or add a filter to the picture before it is imported. Once you have completed all the photographs you wish to add you export the montage to where you want it.

The version comes with upgrade options which you can select if you want to pay for them. As it is a free app there are a few adverts. Nothing that would put you off using the app though. Here's a beer montage I created using Pic Stitch: