Sunday, March 25, 2012

iPhone Photo Magic: Just Add Apps


I always knew the iPhone and its apps were pure magic. Still, some shots just don't make the grade no matter how you app them. Or so I thought until I took two positively dreadful ProHDR shots of a herd of buffalo straight into the sunset. Check them out.


I was about to jettison them to the virtual trash bin. But I stopped myself. Because I really, really wanted the photo that I saw in my mind. Not to mention that the memory was so special that the residue (aka photograph) was important to me. (Particularly given the state of my memory some days, sheesh.  Just sayin'...)

So I combined the images a couple of times, painting in areas in Filterstorm, added clarity from Camera +, and finally filter effects (graduated ND and Nude FX) in Tiffen's Photo FX. Touch Retouch removed the piles of dung in the foreground as well as a couple of distracting white outbuildings and poles. Denoise in Perfect Photo, a final sharpening in Snapseed, and voila - the experience I had at Zion Mountain Ranch to relive and savor. Yep, that confirms it. The iPhone and apps are MAGIC.





Thursday, March 8, 2012

Zion N.P.: The Perfect iPhoneography Locale


Yesterday afternoon along the Virgin River, surrounded by red rock cathedrals - the iPhone was up to the task and I ignored my big girl camera. Pro HDR, Tiffen Photo FX for enhancing, polarizing, and grad filters. A shout out to John Baker and wife Laurie who are leading a photo tour here - love your work! (See more of their photos and fab photo tours at travelimages.com).