Camera Phone Photography

Has anyone else tried some of the new camera phone apps?  I never thought I would enjoy photography with my iPhone.  After all, I have a fancy DSLR, expensive lenses, and a bunch of other accessories. However, I must admit that I have had some fun with these apps.  And, best of all, most have been very inexpensive, or free!  There are camera apps that provide more features than the built-in camera.  Also, there are apps to edit images and add effects.

So, what is the appeal of camera phone photography?  While it will not replace my DSLR, it is a fun diversion from lugging around a lot of expensive gear.  Plus, you still need to use photographic techniques to get good images; you still have to understand composition and quality of light.  In fact, you probably need to consider technique more with a camera phone because you have less controls than a DSLR.  Another bonus is the ability to capture an image and share it quickly to social media sites or blogs.

Of course, there are some downsides.  The camera phones are not great quality and are not high resolution.  I am still using an iPhone 3G which has a 2 mp camera.  The iPhone 4G camera is 5 mp.  So, while the images will be fine for web purposes, print quality will suffer greatly for anything larger than 4x6.  In addition, these apps will definitely drain the phone battery quicker.

The camera apps I tried were Camera+, Instagram, and Hipstamatic.  With Instagram and Hipstamatic, you can take a photo, apply effects, and then post to various social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter.  I particularly enjoy Hipstamatic.  It gives you virtual lenses, films, and flashes to provide differing effects that resemble analog photos.  You can purchase additional combinations of virtual gear, called Hipstapaks.  For editing, I am using PerfectPhoto.  I also use Impression to add a watermark.

To test the apps, I took some self-portraits.   The top left photo was shot with the Lucifer VI lens, Claunch 72 Monochrome film, no flash.  The photo above right was shot with the Helga Viking lens, Float film, no flash.  The photo to the left was shot with the Roboto Glitter lens, AO DLX film, no flash.  Overall, I thought the images were successful.  (Of course, it would help if I had a better looking subject!)

Let me know if you are using other photography apps.