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iPhone apps for photography

What do you use your iPhone for? I rarely use mine for phone calls anymore. I run my business on it, play games on it and of course document all kinds of moments on it. That is why I need all kinds of photography apps! Here are some of my favorites.

Hipstamatic-  $1.99 - The hipstamatic brings back the look and feel of plastic toy cameras of the past.  It keeps the quirks that the old cameras had while still giving all the modern conveniences like being able to swap lenses, film, and flash settings.

Incredibooth- $.99 - Incredibooth is like having a photo booth right in your pocket!  It includes some fun effects and also gives you the option to buy more whenever you want.  You can share your photo strips on multiple different online sharing sites including Facebook and Twitter.  

Camera Sharp- $1.99 - CameraSharp is for taking the best photo possible.  It includes 6 modes that give you all the options you need for almost any situation.  It also has separate focus, exposure and white balance locks so that you have as much control as possible.

Fast Camera-  $1.99 - Fast camera is a great app for video.. You can edit your video right from your phone and add text to it.  For photos it is an extremely fast app and it gives you the option to set resolution and speed in its user preferences.

Group Shot- $.99 - Groupshot is the perfect app for group photos.  It allows you to take multiple photos and then combine them all to make one photo with the best qualities.  You pick the parts you like and then the app automatically puts them all together.

Cam Wow- FREE - Cam Wow is similar to the photo booth on a Mac.  It has all sorts of filters that you can apply and view before you take the photo.  You can then share your pictures on Facebook or through email.

Pro HDR- $1.99 - Pro HDR allows you to create full resolution HDR images easily.  It basically takes two pictures at different exposures so that everything in the photo is at the best exposure possible.  Then it merges the two pictures together to create one flawless picture.  You also have the option of using the app in the manual mode so that you can set all of the settings yourself.

Camera Awesome-  FREE - Camera Awesome takes your photos to the next level by shooting faster and taking sharper and better exposed shots.   It also gives you the option to focus in one spot but expose in another so that your picture looks its absolute best.

360 Panorama- $.99 - 360 Panorama helps you create the perfect panoramic photo.  It turns your camera in to a 360 degree panoramic camera.  It is extremely fast and tags each photo with built in GPS, complete with a compass heading.

Instagram-  FREE - Most widely know app. Instagram transforms your photos into works of art.  Instagram comes with custom designed filters and borders, as well as linear and radial tilt shift blur effects that give you an extra depth of field.

 So whether you get one, or all of them, go have fun! And take lots of images. But makes sure of one thing. Plug your phone in once and awhile to back these images up on your computer. I would hate for you to loose these precious memories.

Enjoy!

I read this article lately that had 8 cameras that were new and awesome. So I thought I would pass them along, just incase you got the chance to upgrade. And just a side note, these are not cheap point and shoot cameras. I will do a separate article on those. These are GOOD cameras for certain genres...

1. Portrait Power – Canon EOS 5D Mark III

2. Sports Shooter – Nikon D4

3. Small Wonder – Sony Alpha NEX-7

4. Happy Medium – Pentax 645D

5. 4K King – Red Scarlet-X

6. Pocket Rocket – Canon Powershot G1X

7. Tough Nut – Pentax Optio WG-2

8. Retro Cool – Fujifilm X-Pro1

Most of these are not cheap, but they are ultra cool and do what they do best! Check them out and see which you would like to add to your wish list. I have several on mine! Hey, if we are dreaming, why not dream big!

A lot of mom's are waiting for that perfect image. Where their child is perfectly dressed, smiling sweetly, sitting in the perfect location (clean house), great lighting, etc. Oh and did I mention they have a two and a three year old?

Well, this in turn never happens. So they have very few images of their beautiful children.

Children 99.9% of their lives just want to be kids. They want to have fun. So being your model for your perfect image on your wall is not on their list of things to do.

However, if you see the beauty in their everyday life, you can find some really fun and beautiful images.

Take for example, this image. Not award winning by any means, but it is my son doing what he loves to do. He so enjoys gymnastics. The trampoline is his favorite. So when you take those images of your child, here are some tips.

Lifestyle images should have:

• Cool angles
• Different perspectives (get high and low)
• Follow them for the whole day
• Stay back for a while and let them play (zoom in)
• Slowly come closer

Formal portraits have a place, but fun, introspective images also do. And the best part? The kids get to continue doing what they love to do! So they don't think it is a chore.

Some ideas to get you started:

• Your kids very early in the morning while they are still sleeping
• Kids at play
• Dinner time
• Outside activities
• Little moments you never think of (crossed feet under table, prayers at night, morning routine, etc)

Just a short post about Good Old Saint Nick.

I've seen a lot of Santa images popping up lately and after shooting 2000 Santa images myself, it most definitly is Santa time. So I thought I would pass on some of my Tips for Santa visits. 

I was thinking about the whole experience and it actually is frightening if you think about it. Being set on a strange man's lap, while mom and dad run behind a camera and act goofy and try to make you smile. The rest of the year we tell our kids to not talk to stranger's, but one day a year we let them sit on a stranger's lap? Strange.

So your goal should be to make Santa part of your child's life in December. The more he/she sees and hears about him, the better.

Here are some ideas.
    •    Start talking to them today about Santa
    •    Show them photos of him and tell them we are going to see him on Friday
    •    Talk about what you are going to "do" with Santa and Santa's job
    •    Read books about Santa or watch a movie about him
    •    Be positive about the experience and get excited about it!
    •    Bring props like their favorite toy, blanket, or a present for Santa to give your child
    •    Make ho, ho, ho noises when talking about Santa so they know what Santa says
    •    Sing Christmas carols so they know what the Santa area will probably sound like
    •    Come a little early and watch another child interact with Santa
    •    Of course make sure they are well fed, napped and happy!

 
Basically just prep your child as much as you can. If Santa isn't a stranger, then they are more apt to have a better experience! 

Obviously my suggestion would be to find a photographer that is have mini sessions with Santa if your child has had a bad experience with Santa. This will give them extra time to get used to the experience and the environment. But if that isn't available, go with the flow. If they aren't having it, skip it this year. Take a photo in front of the tree, far less traumatic!

 Good luck and ho, ho, ho!

So last time I told you I would tell you about my new obsession. And quite frankly millions of people’s obsession.

Pinterest is a fairly new website that is for the crafty, the chef, the home school teacher, the designer, and of course the photographer. Anyone can use it, you can actually look for anything. It is amazing. 

So here is how it works.

1. Get invited.
2. Start your account.
3. Build your boards according to your own interests – some suggestions are recipes, DIY, Holidays, Photos.
4. Follow your friends
5. Pin and repin photos and things that you like!

So if you aren’t used to pinning, this could be a little confusing. You “pin” things you like and then catagorize them into “boards.” So for example, I have different types of portrait genre boards – maternity, newborn, toddler, family, engagement, etc. Then when I see things on the Internet or on Pinterest that I like, I can repin them into one of my many boards so I can easily go back and find them.

I do this a lot to show my clients what to wear on family sessions or concepts for their next session. Photographers are loving this site for creative exploration as well as a great way to communicate to their base.

But as stated before it is not just for photographers. I have spent hours pinning recipes, room designs, holiday décor, things to occupy a toddler, etc. The sky is the limit. I have 30 boards with over 1300 pins. I go there frequently for gift ideas, dinner, gifts, home decor, stuff to do with my son on a rainy day, etc.

So if you are looking for some creative inspiration or just a way to waste an hour. Check out Pinterest. Once on, find me! I have a ton of pins you’ll love. Enjoy and don’t blame me if you never get anything done again!

So until next time. Keep clickin’ because sometimes it takes 1000 photos to get 1 good one.

Kara Powell

www.karapowellphotography.com

So school has started. Yeah!

Oh. Maybe I shouldn’t be so excited. J But I am!

And I know you all took those first day of school photos. We all do it. And most of you probably started early like I did with pre-school. Hopefully you do it in the same place every year. However, if you don’t (like me), don’t worry! I have a solution for you.

I personally can’t even remember from year to year where we did them. So when I saw this idea, I was thrilled. It was on Pinterest. It is my new obsession. If you haven’t checked it out, you will have to go on and look. My next article will be all about it and how you as a budding photographer can use it.

Anyway, someone “pinned” this idea one day. You can see an example with Caden’s school photo below.

Not only do you get a cute photo out of the deal, but for busy moms like me, you get a quick summary all about what he is into at the time. Perfect for keeping track of the kiddos throughout the years. And all I had to do ask was him what he loved and write down what he told me. Easy as that. Then I went into Photoshop and did some text overlay in a layer. But if you don’t have Photoshop, you can do the same thing in Elements or Picassa. Many of the free photo manipulation tools will easily do text overlay. It is very simple.

Then you can flatten the image, save as a jpeg and print. Or send it to everyone.

I have also seen this for older children with three photos on the left side of the page and an in-depth interview on the right side. Usually done for birthdays but I think it would be super cute for the beginning of each school year. And so much more informative than a single photo that sits in a box. I think I’m going to print Caden’s and hang it in his room. Then switch it out at the beginning of every school year.

So what are you waiting for? You probably have the image. Just go make it fine art for your child’s memory and history books.

Until next time. Keep clickin’ because sometimes it takes 1000 photos to get 1 good one.

Kara Powell

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www.karapowellphotography.com
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You know that one thing they won’t put down. My son has Big Baby. For the last year and a half he has carried that thing around everywhere and I mean everywhere. We don’t leave home without it.

So what do I do as a photographer, when I’m asked about the security items such as Babies and Binkies. You might not like the answer.

I have two Education degrees and I am much more into making your child FEEL comfortable than getting a smiling image. And if you look at my images, I like the true expressions rather than happy, smiling kids. So, sometimes you maybe looking for a worried child or a nervous child. Or your child maybe a contemplative child and that is just how he is. My son has two modes, crazy wild man or quiet and reserved. So you get what you get. You can’t force him to be smiley.

Just like the image below. He was having a conversation with Big Baby about the train. Priceless. You can not capture emotion at this age that they do not want you to capture. They are open books.

So when parents ask me what to do with the security items, I choose to leave them in a few shots at the beginning of the session. It shows where they are at this certain time of life. You and they will always remember “Big Baby”. So why not showcase it. One day they will grow apart from it and will not need it anymore. It will hurt you more than them, so enjoy the toddler days. One day they will be a teenager and no longer need that security item.

I have done several sessions specifically surrounding the security item. So the child can know that Big Baby is special, but maybe is on his last leg, or needs to stay at home during the school day. These are special sessions as well, as it shows the child that the parent knows that they love the item and it also gives the child something to “play” with during the session, specifically something that they dearly love. You can ask the child all kinds of questions about their item and you will get all kinds of reactions that are photo worthy.

Main thing to keep in mind, the security items are not BAD. They can be really good things to have during photo sessions. They can bring security and fantastic quiet moments to children. These items are special to them and should be treated as such. Do not try to pull them away from them. Until next time. Keep clickin’ because sometimes it takes 1000 photos to get 1 good one.

Kara Powell

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www.karapowellphotography.com

www.facebook.com/karapowellphotography

• Do not hand a child something to play with, if you do not want it to be seen in a photo (they WILL fall in love with it)
• People and animals are props too
• Don’t be afraid to move. Backup and use lots of space with your props. Kids like to move. Dancing and singing especially.
• Kids really like props, so save these for last and have a lot of them, as they will go through them quickly.

Some ideas for props to have on hand for children’s portraits.

• Tea set
• Picnic basket
• Lots of hats
• Parasols or umbrellas
• Toy cameras
• Small suitcase
• Art kit including sidewalk chalk

We will talk more about prop and theme sessions next time! So to sum things up, anything you can do to get the kids “into” the session, is key. I always do a consult with the parents to get to know the kids before the session, however,  you guys don’t need to do that. You already know them. What do they love and focus on that! If they love it, it will show through their image. Until next time. Keep clickin’ because sometimes it takes 1000 photos to get 1 good one. And if you would like to learn more about composition and taking better photographs, see my KP University site.

Kara Powell

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www.karapowellphotography.com

www.facebook.com/karapowellphotography

 

Summer is upon us! So let’s talk about showcasing all of that color, heat, fun, vacations and most of all family in your photographs. I will talk about the eight things to keep in mind while shooting.

1. Color – Use the bright colors of summer to add “heat” to your photos; use the cool tones to bring a much-needed relief. A adjust the saturation in your camera or in post production (like Photoshop Elements). Capture those bright blue skies by shooting with the sun at your back.

2. Details – Capture little details that say “it’s summertime!” Things like bright blooming flowers, pools filled with cool blue water, sparkling spray of a garden sprinkler, and don’t forget to use that long zoom to get a tasty shot of the bar-be-que! Use the zoom so you don’t smoke up your camera. I particularly love to get detail shots of my son’s toes in his little shoes, fingers holding hands with important people and all those fun summer toys!

3. Avoid Overexposure – Both for yourself and your photos. Put on the sunscreen when you head out to keep from getting a nasty burn and increase the shutter speed to keep from overexposing your images. Some of the overexposure you may like, if you like that look. You can also fix overexposure in Elements, if it happens by accident.

4. Capture Your Vacation – Sure take lots of pictures of that family trip, but don’t forget to enjoy yourself too. Try limiting yourself to only a small number of shots at each location and be creative with them. Then shut off the camera and have a good time. Also remember to hand the camera to your hubby so that you are in some as well!

5. Travel Light – Don’t carry every lens you own if you are out in the heat. Limit your day trips to just one or two lenses. Who needs all that extra weight when the temperatures soar? Or take a point-and-shoot when you go to the beach. I would much rather have that stolen than my expensive DSLR.

6. Portraits – Don’t try to take portraits with the subject looking into the sun. No one looks good squinting. Have your subject stand with their back to the sun and meter for their faces to avoid getting silhouettes. It’s summertime, it’s OK to have that bright sunshine halo!

7. Avoid Mid-Day – Try to avoid that noonday sun if you can. It’s so harsh and doesn’t make for the best lighting. Do the bulk of your photography earlier or later in the day. Added bonus, you’re out when it’s a bit cooler!

8. Keep Dry – Not you; your camera. Keep the swimming pool splashes and sea sprays off your camera. Moisture, dust, and sand are all bad for your camera. As for yourself; stay hydrated. Drink plenty of cool water while you are out in the summer heat.

Bottom line – get out there and have fun! Document those fun summer moments. Until next time. Keep clickin’ because sometimes it takes 1000 photos to get 1 good one. And if you would like to learn more about composition and taking better photographs, see my KP University site.

Kara Powell

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www.karapowellphotography.com
www.facebook.com/karapowellphotography

So you all know IT when you see it. Whether it was taken by Anne Geddes or by you, you know when a photograph has all the components of great composition. But do you know what the rules of composition are? And how to duplicate it over and over again?
 

Let’s chat. Because once you know the “rules” you can break them!

I like to think of the top ten when learning about composition. See below for a brief description of each.

1. Rule of thirds – this is the most common composition rule. It is basically when you see a subject off to one side of the image or another. Here is an image with the Rule of Thirds segments superimposed over the top. Now once you learn this rule – feel free to “break” it when you feel like it!
   
    
2. Balancing Act – This is when there are two objects in the frame – one on each side of the photo – balancing out the photo. This is the opposite of the Rule of thirds.
3. Leading lines – This is used a lot. You see roads, fences, anything that can lead your eye to the subject. Many times the leading line is out of focus.
4. Symmetry and Patterns – You can find beautiful symmetry and patterns everywhere. My favorite thing to do is to break the line of perfect symmetry with something out of the ordinary. Broken symmetry is beautiful.
5. Viewpoint – Are you standing above the subject, below, far away or shooting extreme close-ups? Different viewpoints are a great way to vary your composition.
6. Background – Is your background simple and allowing your eye to focus on the subject. Or is your background busy and detracting from what you are trying to show?
7. Depth – A great way to show this is in landscapes. Having a foreground, middle ground and background. You can also do this at home in your backyard.
8. Framing – This is one of my favorites. I love to frame a subject with nature or other objects. You can do this by hiding in trees or buildings.
9. Cropping – A lot of times the subject gets lost in photos because the subject is small compared to the background. So by cropping the photograph to only show that subject, it will stand out more.
10. Experimentation – Just what it sounds like. Experiment. You don’t have to worry about film anymore. See what your imagination comes up with!

Once you practice some of these rules, you can start learning how to find your own style. Until next time. Keep clickin’ because sometimes it takes 1000 photos to get 1 good one. And if you would like to learn more about composition and taking better photographs, see my KP University site.

Kara Powell

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www.karapowellphotography.com