Taking Better Phone Pictures | Typical Edits

Posted on by GmasPhoto 10 Comments
Taking Better Phone Pictures | Typical Edits

Taking Better Phone Pictures | Typical Edits

Hi, Many people when starting photography get very lost when it comes to editing. When looking at a picture you just took on a nice camera, it’s really easy to look at it and think “wow, that looks great! what is there to fix?” Or maybe “I’ve got a nice camera that I figured out how to use, but I can NOT get my pictures to look like everybody else’s!” Well don’t stress it, because I’ve got some good ways to help you get started.

The 2 main things that photographers look at with each image is the tone and the exposure.  Many cameras shoot pictures where the skin tone ends up looking too orange, too red or even too blue. Fixing the image so that the skin tones look natural and like the color of the actual skin can make a dramatic difference. The other major fix is the exposure.  Is the picture too light?  Is the picture too dark?  Even with professional cameras, pictures can come out with the exposure off.  The best way to judge if the exposure is correct is to look at the skin again.  It’s very important to adjust the image until the exposure is correct. Even if it means making the sky extra bright, it’s more important to have the skin be the correct amount of exposure over everything else in the image.

The example photo I am using was taken just this weekend, not of people rather of the Autumn leaves. My preferred editing app for phone photography images is PicTapGo.

taking better phone pictures | typical edits
Picture of the autumn leaves straight from the phone.
The leaves on the drive caught my eye. I just really liked them. This is a good picture. Some would find it nice, color and all. However, I adjusted the exposure and tone. Here is my edited version.

autumn leaves
Exposure and tone adjustments.

What I like about the PicTapGo, it’s simple and has many filters available that is included with the app. After picking an image to edit, click filters and apply the desired one. I chose the Warm It Up and Lights On.

basic edits
Working in PicTapGo

Each filter has a slider to adjust the strength to the amount you prefer.

adjusting edits
Adjusting the amount applied
before and after edits
Before and After

PicTapGo is available for iPhone. There are many different apps for editing as well. Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom and Snapseed can be used with either iOS or Android. I have personally used all of these and found PicTapGo to be the most user-friendly.

WW Update:
Since Start Date; -24.8lbs

Take Care. Best wishes, Debra
Gma’s photo

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Yesterday, today’s memory

Posted on by GmasPhoto 15 Comments
yesterday todays memory

Today’s image was inspired by the autumn leaves that had fallen onto the driveway. While at my daughter’s home, she was blowing the leaves off the pavement. Stating she did not like the stains the leaves make. The stained pavement picture.

yesterday todays memory
Yesterday, today’s memory

Take Care. Best wishes, Debra
Gma’s photo

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Cameras Then & Now

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How many of you know the history of photography? Below are 10 fun facts*  about photography…can you imagine what the inventor of the camera would think of today’s variety of cameras?!?

  • An Arab physicist, Ibn al-Haytham, published his Book of Optics in 1021 AD. He created the first pinhole camera after observing how light traveled through a window shutter
  • The earliest cameras were room-sized, with space for one or more people inside
  • The first camera that was small and portable enough to be practical for photography was envisioned by Johann Zahn in 1685, however The first photograph was clicked by Joseph Nicephore Niepce in the year 1814. Sadly,  there was no way to save the image.
  • The first partially successful photograph of a camera image was made in approximately 1816 by Nicéphore Niépce, using a very small camera of his own making and a piece of paper coated with silver chloride, which darkened where it was exposed to light. This too would eventually darken and the picture would be lost.
  • View from the Window at Le Gras is a heliographic image and the oldest surviving camera photograph. It was created by Nicéphore Niépce in 1826 or 1827 at Saint-Loup-de-Varennes, France, and shows parts of the buildings and surrounding countryside of his estate, Le Gras, as seen from a high window.
  • The use of photographic film was pioneered by George Eastman, who started manufacturing paper film in 1885 before switching to celluloid in 1889. His first camera, which he called the “Kodak,” was first offered for sale in 1888.
  • A number of manufacturers started to use 35mm film for still photography between 1905 and 1913. The first 35mm cameras available to the public, and reaching significant numbers in sales was in 1913.
  • The first TLR camera came out in 1928.  The first SLR camera debuted in 1933 and instant cameras hit the market in 1944.
  • The first digital camera ever sold was in 1987.
  • In 1991, Kodak brought to market the Kodak DCS (Kodak Digital Camera System), the beginning of a long line of professional Kodak DCS SLR cameras that were based in part on film bodies, often Nikons. It used a 1.3 megapixel sensor, had a bulky external digital storage system and was priced at $13,000.

    • **Facts and Pictures provided by wikipedia**

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    What to Wear | November

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    what to wear November 23

    What to Wear | November

    What to Wear will feature different palettes providing ideas when you plan the wardrobe for individual pictures or your family images during the holiday gatherings.

    What to Wear | November features ideas for all family members: mom; dad; big brother; big sister and little brother and little sister. Have fun preparing your stylish look for family pictures!

    It is not necessary to purchase new clothing for better images. When planning the wardrobe, do wash and dry the clothing. Immediately after drying, hang the clothes on a hanger. Or iron, if you like. The main goal is wrinkle free clothing.

    Shoes do not need to be new either. New shoe laces is an inexpensive purchase to spruce up the look. Polishing leather or washing canvas shoes is another solution to brighten their appearance.

    Have the socks match either the pants or shoes. This is important for anyone who may be sitting or squatting in the group. Imagine if the pants are navy blue, shoes white and you see bright green socks. Very distracting. Your eyes will go straight to the green socks and not the person’s face! However, if the socks were either white (matching shoes) or navy blue (matching pants), your eyes will flow over the person and land on the face/eyes of the person in the picture.

    Take Care. Best wishes, Debra
    Gma’s photo

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    Practicing Gratitude 28 of 31 | 101 in 1001

    Posted on by GmasPhoto 4 Comments
    Practicing Gratitude 28 of 31

    Practicing Gratitude 28 of 31 | 101 in 1001

    Hi, today I am grateful for getting new tires on my car. This ties into my grateful for work I posted yesterday. I’ve known for a while that my tires were needing replaced. Just spending so much money is hard to part with. Today I bit the bullet.

    Kevin wanted me to get Michelin. I had gone to my local Big O Tires. The Michelin tires I had on the car, Big O’s did not have 4 in stock. It would have been next week and I wanted to get tires today. I ended up going with the Big O Tire brand. These are 75,000 mile tires. Michelin would have been 80,000.

    While waiting, I met a real nice lady. She was very patient with me while I told her about my Weight Watcher journey. I just came from my weekly meeting and I can officially say I have lost 25 lbs since my start date! Our visit was very pleasurable. I have gained a new friend. The Good Lord does work in mysterious ways. We knew many of the same people even though this was our first meeting.

    The Good Lord works in mysterious ways!

    WW Update:
    Since Start Date; -25.6lbs
    Take Care. Best wishes, Debra
    Gma’s photo

    .

    October in review:


    Gratitude 25 of 31 | 101 in 1001

    Posted on by GmasPhoto 2 Comments
    Gratitude 25 of 31

    Practicing Gratitude 25 of 31 | 101 in 1001

    Hi, today I am grateful for technology. I absolutely enjoy the pleasure my laptop, computer gear, cellphone and all the things that go with the techie stuff brings to me. I have been taking digital pictures for over 20 years now. Most of my saved files are on CDs and the newer laptops and PCs do not have the DVD/CD drives anymore. At least my newest laptop does not. My newest techie purchase was the external DVD/CD drive. I had so much fun looking thru my past images last evening and today!

    memories gratitude
    Just yesterday……..Wonderful Memories.
    practicing gratitude 25 of 31
    Erika’s 18th Birthday
    Practicing Gratitude 25 of 31
    My Adult Children

    Take Care. Best wishes, Debra
    Gma’s photo

    .

    October in review: