Ready, set, BLOG!
And what shall we discuss in this first real blog post? My latest shoot, the killer high-ISO performance of the new Nikon D3s, composition, or lighting perhaps? Nope. The…um… iPhone camera. I know, I know. I first eschewed it, disappointed with everything about it. But soon multiple apps came on the market for manipulating/processing the photos, and, using these, I began to explore the capabilities of this sexy little camera phone (phone camera? camera-ish phone?). Its best feature? Simply, the fact that it is ALWAYS in my pocket. The thing costs so much to replace that I never let it out of my sight. And that means, I always have a camera with me.
This is the basic premise behind the app developed by Chase Jarvis called BestCamera (The best camera is the one that’s with you). Forget megapixels and ISO. Forget motor-drives and radio triggers. If you don’t have a camera with you, you cannot capture any of what you encounter. Best Camera helps extend the capabilities of the iPhone camera in a way that can sometimes be heavy-handed and gimmicky, but which is almost always fun and interesting. It may not offer the more precise control of other apps, but it is fast, unique, and fun. Rather than using the Photoshop/Lightroom-style sliders of other apps, BestCamera imitates the use of filters. You can add filters for lightening, darkening, black-and-white, contrast, warming, cooling, vignettes, and frames. You can stack filters, and the re-arrange them to achieve different looks in the photo. The app also offers four pre-made filter combinations.
Once I discovered BestCamera, I became iPhone snap-happy. And it has been a blast. It also helped me think, work, and thrive within the limitations of the camera. I have focused more on detail shots, shadows, shapes, designs, as these simple things are easily captured by the iPhone camera. Enough talking, let’s see the results, starting with some shots of a second line parade I ran into on the streets of New Orleans.
I’m loving it so far. What about some detail shots?
It really opens up some options for many situations. Abandoned roads on the beach, interesting water fountains at the airport…
In short, I love this app, and it helped me get my nose out of the air about the “unacceptable” iPhone camera. If you see me around the city, don’t be surprised if I’m without my DSLR and I am snapping away with my iPhone. It’s so much easier on my shoulder…
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