Gone are the days when the first photo tool I would pack was my trusty Canon camera and two heavy lenses.

When I’m on assignment taking images for print publications, I still carry a full camera kit, but now you’ll often just find me shooting with my iPhone 6 plus and loving the results.  The iPhone is so much lighter and easier to get the right angle, and that’s even before I’ve pulled out the selfie stick.

However it’s not all just about the iPhone, I have a stable of trusty apps that put the finishing touches on my images.

Here are 10 of my photo favourites and you’ll find them all at the app store.  Most of them are free although there are in-app purchases for additional features.

 

ProCamera for iPhone

PROCAMERA

While the native iPhone camera app is perfect for fast moving objects and I like the time lapse and slow motion features, it doesn’t take high-quality images.  That’s where ProCamera fills the void taking up to 8mg size images which can be used in print and cropped without losing detail.

Why bother?  When you need a bigger file and crisp image.

SNAPSEED takes your photo and gives it lots of love.

 

SNAPSEED

Takes your photo and gives it lots of love with variable filters and variable intensities.  Be careful not to overdo it, especially if there are people in the photos.  For any important images, always use the save a copy option. Check out the beach image above and top for a stronger filtered version.

Why bother? Amps up your images like magic.

 

RIPL

Ideal for adding words to images to get your message across but it does turn your images into a video.

Why bother? It’s a different way to present images.

Before Foodie

FOODIE

 

Foodie gives instant ‘lickability’ to almost any food picture.  It’s a bit tricky selecting which filter to use, and it doesn’t offer a ‘save as’ function which means your original image will be altered. See above and below image the photo has been given a little Foodie magic.

Why bother? If you want to have impact, your image needs to be highly edible.

Foodie gives instant 'lickability' to almost any food picture.

PRISMA

This app allows you to transform something ordinary into the extraordinary by making it arty. It’s great for an average image that you want to boost.  There are many different filters, and you can also adjust the filter effect depending on how much you want to alter the image.

Why bother?  Turns boring photos into gems and there’s plenty of fun just seeing the images transform before your eyes.

Prisma turns boring photos into gems.

FYUSE

When you want something different, Fyuse’s three-dimensional appeal may do the trick. Don’t you want to eat those dumplings?
Why bother?  Gives the viewer the feeling that they are right there.

BOOMERANG

It’s tricky to capture the right image to make this app shine, but if you can do it, it’s a gem.  Great for recording those funny moments, just keep your camera handy.

Why bother?  High recall factor when the image works.

Postcards

POSTCARDS

Remember the days when people used to send postcards?  Well, you can still do it without the fuss of buying and posting them by using an Australia Post app.  Pay $1.99 by Paypal for a local delivery and it will be there in six days.  Yes, there’s a reason why they call it snail mail.

Why bother?  Good for grannies and people who like to stick things on their fridge.

FRAME MAGIC Sometimes ten photos are better than one

FRAME MAGIC

Sometimes ten photos are better than one to tell the story and this app puts them all together into one image for easy sharing.  The images are quite small, but the viewer gets a good feeling for what you are sharing.

Why bother?  Just do it one.