101 Reasons to #love #Instagram

Ok. Now before I get into the bulk of this entry, I’m going to say:
1- fear not, I am NOT abandoning Hipstamatic. It is still a much loved and frequently used app. (for further proof, see my photography time-space continuum post)
2 – I lied. I doubt I’ll list 101 reasons here. But it sounded catchy. And I will really try to come up with that many, but it’s not looking good.

So why do I love Instagram? So many reasons.

1. It’s a great way to share photos to the masses. (the “masses” being your friends, family, strangers, Big Brother, and the aliens, of course.)

2. When people “like” your photos, you’ll feel popular and socially accepted. Let’s face it. Who doesn’t want more social kudos?

3. Having “followers” might make you feel like a cult leader or an emperor, but in a socially acceptable and not creepy way.

4. Who doesn’t #love #hashtags? In al honesty – I ADORE hashtags now. I always made fun of them before, but you know what? Those little buggers are HANDY. Not only do they make you look super modern (or overly teenage), they also serve as a great way for sharing your photos to others who have similar interests. Plus they let you search and find others whose photos you may like as well. Enjoy photos of Fluffy Kitties in cute positions? There’s a hashtag for that:

. Myself? I’ve found a lot of supportive people who are art teachers, fellow artists, and others training for half marathons. It’s so great to be able to share a photo of your passions and hobbies and have others comment and appreciate them, too!

Apparently I’m 107 reasons short. Hmm. #backtothedrawingboard!

Another Hipstamatic update

Good news! Just in time for the holiday week here in the USA, Hipstmatic is 50% through the weekend. In addition, there is a new SnapPak available – the Portrait – which contains the Foxy lens and the Sugar film for creating awesome portrait shots. As an added bonus, you may find that a new film has conveniently appeared in your film case — Ina’s 1982.

None of these items create quite the splash of some of the other Hip offerings, like the Salvador lens or Dream Canvas film. however, they are great additions to an already fabulous (in my opinion) art tool.

 

Happy snapping!

Anatomy of a Photo

In this post, I am going to show the process I go through when I’m using my cell phone to take an artistic photo.

I use two apps to take my photos, if I know I’m going to be trying to take an artistic shot and if I have the luxury of time. (Some photos I’d like to capture are split-second, so I don’t use this full process.  But, if I have my druthers, this is what I do.)  The first app I use is the regular Camera app on my iPhone.  This lets me quickly take the picture, check the composition, do any tweaking with still lives / location if necessary, and basically arrange my photo.   The second app I use is, of course, Hipstamatic.

Today’s photo journey is sponsored by Happy Hour at my local martini bar, the beautiful early summer weather, and their outdoor patio.

First, here is where I was:

Just a plain shot of the location.

Then, I tried a few shots to get a more pleasing composition:

Composition attempt #1

Composition attempt #2

Now that I know I like playing with the angle of the fence and the reflection in the martini, I use Hipstamatic to fine to the shot:

Option 1 and 2 use the Adler 9009 lens, which creates lovely washed out photos. I tried two different films: Salvador and Ina’s 1969, but they still look too light to me.

Final Shot: Option 3.  Libatique 73 burns the shadows in the photo more strongly, which I like, and Ina’s 1969 film keeps the colors in a pleasing range. The fence forms a strong lead-line down to the other beer bottles and the hanging flower pot. Overall, it just feels the most balanced (to me) and has the color contrast I was going for.

The final shot – lights and darks have great contrast, the fence gives a nice lead line, the martini shines against the shadows. All in all, I’m pleased!