Snapseed update

Snapseed recently updated to version 2.7 on the iPhone. It is generally my 'go to' application for quickly adding some pop to photographs on the iPhone. It has a nice clean minimalist interface thats intuitive and can easily share photographs to other applications on the phone (think Instagram). The update came with a really nice new feature though, it has added a section called "Insights".

The insights feature provides short tutorials on how to add different effects using the application. It also has photographer interviews, which are really good for finding out about how they got into the business. The insights feature is a nice addition if you need some inspiration.

The photograph I have added shows the "Detailed Black and White" insight, added onto a photograph I recently took of Edinburgh Castle. It's a bit more 'effect' than I would apply, depending on my mood of course.

 

 

Falkirk Trinity Church

Vote day for the UK remaining or leaving Europe gave me chance to go home. As it was a sunny day I got a few photographs of from Falkirk's Trinity Church - Faw Kirk. The church stands on the historic site of Faw Kirk and was probably the first Christian structure in Falkirk. It is believed that Faw Kirk gave rise to the town's name, Falkirk. The church is also the burial ground and resting place of William Wallace’s finest knight, Sir John de Graham, whose body is said to have been carried from the battlefield and laid to rest in the kirkyard by William Wallace himself.

Depth of Field

A really good, in depth, explanation regarding Depth Of Field when using your camera. The post is a few weeks old on the Petapixel blog and is well worth a read if you like photography. The post explains all the basics and some of the more advanced features that will help you take better photographs, even if you are using a smartphone.

The basic camera app that comes with your phone probably won't have depth of field settings that are adjustable as it is usually a point and shoot (with the camera deciding the right settings for the scene). I recommend the use of the Camera+ application that can be found over at campl.us and has been a staple on my iPhone since the app launched. Even better it costs less than your morning latte from Starbucks, even with the add on packs. Lisa Bettany one of the developers has a great instagram account of which most of her photographs are taken with an iPhone using her app.

 

Lightroom Tutorial

Discovered a great Adobe Lightroom tutorial for turning bad photographs into slightly better arty photographs. :-) It's a good tutorial on some of the features of Lightroom though so definitely worth watching if you are a Lightroom newbie.