Photography is happening more on smartphones than on dedicated sophisticated digital cameras thanks to ease of use, great camera capabilities and society's increasing need to share.
But every photographer can benefit from today's growing number of apps, especially the newbie shutterbug. Here are five photo apps worth checking out.
1. VSCO Cam
VSCO Cam is one of the most popular photography apps at the App Store, and with good reason. The app is very capable and the quality of editing is very high.
One of the reasons for its popularity is that it is extremely easy to use. For example, users simply have to double-tap the screen to lighten or darken the photo without changing the focus. It's ease of use is partly due to the well laid-out user interface, which looks great and is something that should be expected of any photography app. VCSO Cam is available on both iOS and Android.
2. Pixlr Express
This app is quite a powerful editing app as it lets users quickly and easily resize photos, crop, remove red eye and even whiten teeth.
It also includes a number of Photoshop-type effects, such as pencils, water color, sketch and more. This app offers a great introduction of these effects to beginners, and this is complemented by the fact that Pixlr offers a number of tutorials and tips on its website.
Pixlr Express is available for both iOS and Android.
3. Aviary Photo Editor
One of the great things about this app is that it is really well laid out, allowing users to easily navigate the app and apply effects all within a friendly user interface.
The app works on iOS 7 and above and includes a number of photo-enhancement options, effects and shades.
This app also boasts a number of fun effects and options, such as stickers and frames, allowing users to spice up photos a little before they post them to their social media accounts. This is perfect for the beginner photo editor who might just want to have some fun with their photos.
The app is available for both iOS and Android.
4. Instagram
When thinking of apps for "photography," the Instagram app is one that is often overlooked, and many Instagram fans likely don't even know it features tools for beginner photographers.
Instagram is best-known for its easy to use filters, which allow the user to create photos that look like they were edited by professional photographers. Simply swipe to go through the filters and see which one works best with that photo. Because of these filters, users don't really need to know too much about lighting and effects.
Instagram is available on both iOS and Android.
5. Pixlr-O-Matic
Created by the same company as Pixlr Express, Pixlr-O-Matic allows users to create vintage-looking photos using retro effects and borders. Boasting 2 million different combinations of effects, users can add effects in real time and preview those effects straight from their camera.
As the name suggests, the app is somewhat automatic, so users can choose between combinations of preprogrammed effects. The fact that they're preprogrammed makes them perfect for beginners. This app is also available on both iOS and Android.
