I've clicked through on many a blog post titled "how I edit my iPhone photos," or something along those lines, expecting to read about an app I hadn't tried before, only to be disappointed. I like playing with different tools to make a basic phone photo pop, but most of the posts I read offer the same handful of suggestions. I'm looking at you, VSCO.
I do use VSCO, but it's not my favorite. I don't have a favorite. I use a handful of different apps interchangeably. If Afterlight (another popular option that works well but will not appear on this list because it's popular) isn't setting the mood I'm looking for, I'll try the Photoshop app. If that's not working I'll play with Lightroom Mobile's editing tools, and so on and so forth. The list below is in no particular order. It is small, but it is mighty, and none are necessarily better than the other. They're just different. Oh, and they're all FREE (!).
I do use VSCO, but it's not my favorite. I don't have a favorite. I use a handful of different apps interchangeably. If Afterlight (another popular option that works well but will not appear on this list because it's popular) isn't setting the mood I'm looking for, I'll try the Photoshop app. If that's not working I'll play with Lightroom Mobile's editing tools, and so on and so forth. The list below is in no particular order. It is small, but it is mighty, and none are necessarily better than the other. They're just different. Oh, and they're all FREE (!).
Note: the snaps below are rough examples of the various editing options within each application. Heavy emphasis on the word rough. Even heavier emphasis on the word various. (direct links to the iTunes product pages are marked with an 'x')
Aviary x
I first discovered Aviary on Rebecca's blog a few months ago. The filters here are very distinct, and they can really transform the whole look of your picture. It doesn't always fit my personal editing style, but I love how you can revamp the atmosphere of a photo with a single tap.
EyeEm x
I've been using EyeEm for a few years. It's a social platform similar to Instagram, but you can edit photos without publishing to your feed. This is my favorite tool for really bright and vibrant edits. Once you've finished making your changes, all you do is hit "next," and it automatically saves to your camera roll.
RNI x
RNI stands for Really Nice Images, and this is probably my favorite editing app at the moment. I own their film presets for Lightroom, which are my some of my favorites for editing DSLR photos. Many online forums say their presets are comparable to the VSCO Film presets (they're also less expensive). When the RNI team sent an email about their new iPhone app, I downloaded it right away. Definitely give it a try. The filters are great for photos of people (especially darker skin tones).
(by tips I mean knowledge, but I don't turn down gratuity)
;)
iOS Native
The Photos app has pretty decent editing tools. I'm not a huge fan of the filters, but the light, color, and B&W options are solid. This is my top pick for a quick black and white transformation. Below are two examples.
*Sends kisses through the screen*
Thoughts? Suggestions? Feedback? GIVE ME ALL YOUR TIPS!*Sends kisses through the screen*
(by tips I mean knowledge, but I don't turn down gratuity)
;)
I use VSCO, PicTapGo, and Snapseed for editing my iPhone photos.
ReplyDeleteI think i tried snapseed a while back, but I can't remember. I'll have to look into it again.
DeleteOooh will definitely look into EyeEm. Right now, I use the Camera+ app to edit all my photos for Instagram and the blog. I'm a big fan of it's "backlight" filter that brightens up all my photos and then I follow up with a little of the clarity to make sure the brightening effect doesn't wash out the details. Sometimes I use VSCO but I find that their filters tend to mute all of the color and I'm all about vibrant color so it doesn't really work for me unless I specifically want my photos to have a moody vibe :)
ReplyDeleteYeah, EyeEm has my favorite filter for bright and vibrant photos, so definitely check it out. I've tried camera+ before, but it's no longer on my phone, so I guess that means I didn't fall in love with it. Didn't know it had a backlight option, so maybe I need to give it a second chance. Thanks, hun!
DeleteI'm a big fan of vsco. My theme right now is faded, so I've not done much but use vsco. I used to use pictapgo, but not much anymore. I also really like face tune to edit some lighting and maybe get rid of some blemishes.
ReplyDeleteHey, Darianne! You're the second person to mention pictapgo, so i'll be downloading it today lol. Never heard of that one until now!
DeleteOooo, thank you for this list. I'll admit that I am one of those avid VSCO users lol, or I'll go right into photoshop on the computer. Now I have some other apps to try! <3
ReplyDeleteNo prob! Let me know what you think :)
Deletei've never heard of these but they look cool, i pretty much just use vsco and afterlight :)
ReplyDeletedanielle | avec danielle
Those are great, but sometimes I like to mix it up. Thanks for reading!
DeleteTry Lightroom, I use native lightroom and VSCO
ReplyDeleteLove that pic!😘
ReplyDeleteHave you heard of Faded? Sometimes I use a little filter from Vsco and then brighten it up a bit more with Faded from the 'Clean' filters. I also love their b&w filters and the 'leaks' as well! It's fun trying out diif't looks:)
Oh and I'm still in town, let's try to meet up this time!
Downloading faded now! And texting you...
Delete