:: iPHONOGRAPHY | tips and tricks ::

As I promised in my previous post, here are some of my iPhonography tips and tricks that you may find helpful.

COMPOSE

As with any point-and-shoot camera, the tendency for most people is quickly whip out the camera and shoot from where you’re standing. To tell a better visual story, one really need to slow down and think about the overall composition and point of view from which you are shooting. Of course this will take more time to get a shot, but I can guarantee the results will be eons more meaningful and interesting. Try off-centering the subject (rule-of-thirds). Try shooting in perspective (foreground, middle ground, background). Try getting down to the level of the subject instead of shooting from your normal vantage point. Try shooting the same subject from different angles.

EDIT

Part of the fun of iPhonography is editing your images with the various apps now available for download. I primarily use the Camera+ app to edit my images. The app is full of options but not complex enough to make it tedious. Also, no one says you have to use just one app to edit the same image. For instance, you could use Snapseed to fix the white balance, brightness, contrast and other basic adjustments. You could then import the adjusted image into Camera+ or Hipstamatic to get the “look” that you desire. From an overexposed vintage-y look to a high-contrast urban look, the range of possibilities is endless.  Ultimately, you want a look that highlights and complements the visual story you are telling. Another way to give your image a deeper meaning is captioning your image with words. Like a piece of art, sometimes a title or captioning not only gives more meaning to the image by asking the viewer to think more about the image and look at it from your point of view. Some apps will also allow you to put different borders on your images to further customize the look and feel.

SHARE

What good is an awesome image if you don’t share it, right? No worries, there are apps that will help us do that too. Obviously, the easiest way to share is to upload an edited image directly onto Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or a blog. But if you prefer physical prints of your beautiful images, there are also apps, such as Postalpix, Printi, Postagram and Instaprints, that will print out your iPhone images (which you upload directly from your phone) and send it directly to your home. You could even create an album/book of your mobile images – great for long-term projects such as the Project Life 365 or an “a-day-in-the-life-of” project.

Want more tips and tricks? Or would like more hands-on tutorial on how to use your iPhone camera to its fullest potential? No problem! Starting in June, I WILL BE OFFERING IPHONOGRAPHY CLASSES!!! The classes will be small, so as to encourage interaction between participants and give me a chance to give participants more personalized attention. After the class, you will also have a chance to join an FB group in which you could ask questions, post your images and ask for critiques from me and your fellow participants. It will not only be a lot of fun, it will be a great way for you to meet other folks with similar interests. Whether you are a parent looking to capture some genuine moments of childhood, or someone who is interested in capturing the beautiful built and natural environments around us, this class will hopefully help you see the world through your iPhone in a completely different way.

CHECK IN HERE TOMORROW for “when-where-what” details on the upcoming iPhonography classes and early-registration perks!