Polaroid

How much does a hipster weigh?
– an Instagram.

Well, now that we have smartphones, I have dipped my toes into various photo apps including Instagram. On the one hand it’s kinda fun, but on the other hand, I feel dirty. I was downright angry when I read about someone photographing a wedding using an iPhone. Phones are not cameras! You can’t possibly get as decent print out of a phone image! They are not professional! *shakes fist*

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But then I remembered something one of my teachers said. “The best camera in the world is the one you have with you.” You can’t get the shot without one and these days phones with cameras are what most folks have with them. They’re not perfect, but I will admit they are much better than they used to be.

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It still gets my photographic hackles up and my professional panties in a bunch, but I am warming up to this camera phone thing. Dare I say it, it is making photography fun again. But I won’t be using it for any big events anytime soon.

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So, I still feel dirty by using these apps, but I’m trying to maintain a good attitude. It’s supposed to be fun! So far, the fun is in the filters. I love messing with images and would spend hours monkeying with them in Photoshop. It is painful to realize that I spent a ton of money on school and equipment only to find much of what I learned can be done with a device in my pocket while sitting in a doctors office. UGH.

I’m using a Samsung Galaxy 4 and I welcome your photo app suggestions. I am currently limiting myself to free ones while I get my feet wet, but I just downloaded the new Polematic by Polaroid which was only 99 cents.

I am using several different apps and haven’t settled on a favorite yet. Down the road I will make prints from phone images and see how they look. Here is a list of what apps I’ve been using:

– Snapseed
– Instagram
– Pixlr-o-matic
– Pixlr Express
– Polamatic by Polaroid

Snapseed – No filters, just sharpening.