In the world of photographs, our phones have become the number one way most of us take pictures and videos. And while using our phones for taking pictures is incredibly convenient, the editing software that comes with phones is just not fabulous. So while I obviously recommend getting professional pictures taken on a regular basis, here are three of my favorite phone apps and how I use each one.
Lightroom Mobile – Ok… yes, Lightroom is typically thought of as a professional editing program. I actually edit a lot of the pictures I take with my DSLR in Lightroom on my computer. However, the mobile version is AH-MAZE-ING for editing photos that I take on my phone and post on social media. The Lightroom mobile app is FREE and is pretty user-friendly. I also use presets within the mobile version to cut down on editing time.
Presets are amazing because they do the bulk of the work for you. My preset collection includes two black and white presets and four color presets. Once you decide which preset works the best for your photo, you apply it and then can make a few small edits to perfect your photo if you wish (if it isn’t perfect already). The other typical edits I use are light (exposure, shadows, highlights, and contrast), and temperature (making an image more cool or warm).
Color Story – This app is fantastic for photo editing beginners. It has tons of built-in filters that you can use and you can buy more within the app for a low one-time cost. I also really love all of the black and white filters in that app, particularly. But the app also has a few cool effects that you can apply to give your photos a different look (think bokeh and light beams). If you want to just apply a filter and do one or two quick edits, this would be a great app to start with.
Unfold – This is the app I use for some of my Instagram Stories. It’s a fantastic app that just allows me to use a bit more creativity in my stories. I also like that I can add multiple photos on one page or write a description that I wouldn’t have been able to fit on a traditional stories page. The app itself is free, but there are a few different sets of fonts and page templates that you can use. Another nice feature is that you can create whole sets of stories (I go by date), so it’s easy to find something if you’re looking for it at a later point.
All in all, the type of editing that you do to your phone photos is entirely up to you. Just like with professional photographers, there’s no one way to edit. You can do something super crisp and clean, or you can do something very artsy and decorative. I love to work on the same photo and edit it in a few different ways just to see how it changes the overall feeling of the picture. I suggest giving it a try if you have some time. Happy Editing!
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