Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that we are living in a visual world, especially since the launch of social platforms like Instagram and Pinterest. Because we are social beings, most of us are utilizing social media to stay connected almost 24/7. We love to share what we ate, what our kids are doing, what we are doing, what we ate again, where we went (and what we ate when we went there), and so on.
As photographers, most of us strive to take great photos no matter what camera we are using, but there is very little creative control when using our phone cameras. Or is there? I’m going to share my three favorite ways to beef up your phone to turn it into your mini-DSLR.
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No.01Mobile Lenses
Yes, it’s a thing! And more importantly, you have options. You don’t have to spend $100 on a fancy phone lens, but you can if you want to. My favorite two places to get lenses are from Photojojo and Olloclip.
Personally, I prefer the magnetic lens kit from Photojojo. For $49, you can have a telephoto lens, a fisheye lens, a macro lens, and a wide angle lens. These lenses alone will take your mobile photography to the next level. Check out the examples below to see the different effects from the lenses.
Read more: 4 Reasons To Travel with the Lensbaby Creative Mobile Kit
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No.02ColorStory App
This app is incredibly resourceful, for a number of reasons. To start, it comes with a nice selection of pre-made filters, with the option to purchase even more. You can also purchase fun effects like light leaks and colorful bokeh.
But my favorite feature is the ability to adjust the image by hand, with powerful tools like exposure adjustment and CURVES. It’s useful to have tools similar to Photoshop and Lightroom on your phone. This helps you edit your phone images in a way that is consistent with your DSLR photos.
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No.03Manual App
With this genius app, you can choose your ISO, shutter speed, and separate your focal and exposure points. This is yet another way for photographers to utilize their skills when taking photos on their phones.
I especially love the shutter speed function, since I am often taking photos of my crazy boys running/jumping/moving/grooving. With the option to lock my shutter speed, I can avoid missing a shot due to blurriness. But speaking of blurriness, if you happened to yearn for the option to take an out-of-focus shot on purpose, look no further than the Mobile App!
With these three cheap or FREE add-ons, you can now take your mobile photography up a notch (get it?), and utilize your best photography skills without taking your fancy camera everywhere you go.
Now that you know my favorite ways to beef up a phone, I want to hear yours! What are your favorite iphoneography gadgets and apps? Let me know in the comments.
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