Users usually ask me how did I take a pic?

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Most of the time I give a basic explanation in my pics of “how I did it” but sometimes I don´t because I think information about the pic, title and tags are more important than techniques.

Here I talk about my 2 Favorites apps. Camera+ and HDR PRO.

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As probably 99% of Instagramers, I’m not an “App Freak” and I don’t download every single new pic app available in Applestore.

I use mostly these 2 ones and I wanted to talk about in this post. These two apps are Camera+ and PRO HDR.

You can bring your comments, opinions and tips of course!.

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Camera+

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Camera+ is definitely my “favorite” Editing Pictures Application.

It’s the one I use almost everyday for editing all my pics.

There is a “Free version” and a “Paying version” but I highly recommend you to download the paying version.

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Easy to use and highly understandable, it allows you to take a pic directly from the app or use one from your gallery pic.

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You will find 4 main sections on the App screen.

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“Scenes selection”

Allows you to select main contrasts and tones. When you choose a filter don’t forget to push “done” to save changes. If not, it won’t save changes.

“Adjust selection”

If you want to rotate  a pic for a special necessities.

“Crops”

Very important tool as you may use if you want to prepare your pic for “squared” Instagram uploading system. It’s the first thing I do in fact and I recommend to do so. Crop the picture and then work on the scene!

This process allows you to focus on the most important part of the picture for the following steps of edition.

“Fx effects”

In this tool bar you will find 4 main items. “Color effects” with 9 different colors, “Retro” with 9 oldies styles effects, “Special Effects” with 9 variants giving astonishing results and finally “Analogic effects” you may buy if finally interested.

“Borders” or frames

An interesting and complete section with different kind of borders to do the fine tuning of your pics.

Remember that like most of Artworks,  paintings, borders and frames can take your pics to the top or ruin them with a bad borders selection.

Please do think a little bit about the best frame color, white or black, thin or large… The final result and graphic impact will depend on it.

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Tips for Camera+

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As I told you before. I recommend you to follow the different steps and do first, scenes, cropping and then look for special effects. And finally borders that it’s like the sherry on the cake.

I recommend you to try different kind of filters before to choose the definitive one. So take your time!

If you want to use many filters options in the same item, for example “colors” you may save first the pic to your IPhone Gallery and then pick it up again to make the second change.

Addenda : You can save pics faster without leaving the app. After doing the first Filter choice you press “done”  and then in the “up corner” there is a square with an arrow. Then save in bar and “edit comment” . Thaat allows you to keep on working on the same pic avoiding from saving many steps of the same pics in your Iphone roll.

It you don’t do so Camera+ app will only applicate one of the changes in the same “effects category”.

And why not use many time same filter!

If you do want to exaggerate an effect, please applicate it twice!!

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Recommended for:

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Almosteverything! You can Pic everything and then edit it with Camera+

But just do think editing pics with Camera+ is a 5 to 10 minutes duty. This app is a good way to give an artistic aspect to all your works. Highly recommended!

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PRO HDR

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This second application is a paying application too and really worth it as well. It’s a very simple camera and editing app. When you open the app, you have 3 main options.

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Auto PRO HDR.

Your PRO HDR App decides itself to optimize the lights and contrasts. This option is quite interesting when you don´t have the possibilty to use both of your hands!

You will find here enclosed a picture of a Building in Madrid taken with powerful sunlight and a strong shadow area. As you will see, shadow area should be very dark and it’s not!

PRO HDR optimized the two areas of the pic. PRO HDR allows you to take very defined pictures that will be a good base for posterior editing processes.

Manual PRO HDR.

You can take yourself a pic by defining manually the different light zones. For example, in a complicate light situation, this tool allows you to select first a bright area and then a dark one and then optimize the results of the pic by merging them.

This allows you to make impressive pics even if you are not a professional!

When pic is finally ok, you have possibility to change colors, tones, contrasts, saturation, warmth and to give a very different results depending of changes you will do in the different balances.

LIBRARY PRO HDR.

You may take directly an existing pic from your Iphone Film.

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Tips for PRO HDR.

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I recommended to use PRO HDR for all kind of situations except those one that means lot of movement.

It may be use in a quiet moments as it takes you at least one minute to focus. You have to decide first the picture scene and then adjust the different balance levels.

You may need to use both hands too so…

After taking the pic, you will have the possibility to select tones, contrasts, warmth.. It’s the most important thing to me as you can get impressive results very far from original picture. So once again. Take your time!

Be Risky and try different effects, tones, colors, contrasts, warmth..

Finally, remember that you can edit these pics with another editing app if needed.

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Recommended for:

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Everything is possible as the pics get an high definition quality.

But you definitely may use this app if you are not in hurry.

The process is long. You will need some time to select different area in the screen when focusing and you will need your two hands free.

I think it´s not adapted at all for sports and parties pictures or movements unless you want to break the rules!

I let you herewith my first “Most Pop”! (thanks to @myriam40a that helped me)

As you will see, it’s a small town road in Lille, France with people walking.

As people are quite far from my Camera, their movements doesn’t affect really that much to the definition.

But you can see the high definition of road pavement. (This pic was edit with Camera+ with Special Effect, depth of field)

Very soon we will see here more camera apps, like CameraBag, Photo factory or special effects one like Impression, Diptic or Idrost.

So come on and enjoy life through your Photographer sight!

Don´t forget to follow our IG user: @IGERS !

It will keep you inform Instagram!

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Sorry for my english once again! Hope it will be helpful

@philgonzalez