iPhone Photography - if you can dream it, you can create it!

Times Square one year ago - discovering the possibilities

Remember the days when you had to spend $99 to update Photoshop? and then you had to spend another $99 to update each 'plug in' that you used with it? Well that has all changed, at least for those of us who use applications to process our images. In the last few weeks an amazing number of apps have had incredible updates, free of charge. It truly feels like Christmas and the true spirit of giving.

I remember a short year ago dreaming of the possibility to process my images with opacity brushes, thinking how great it would be to brush and blend this way. Now many applications have that option. Before I even imagined it, I discovered an application that could remove unwanted items similar to the Photoshop's content aware ability for a mere 99 cents. Also a short time ago, I hoped for the possibility of masking with a magic wand and the ability to use layers. Today even that is possible.

Of course there are a few things I still wish for that aren't possible - yet! More ways to make selections would be one of them. I still don't see any marching ants...lol!

I am so excited that the developers have worked hard to create applications that allow us to capture and process amazing images. The possibilities are incredible, inspiring and limitless. I would like to thank them all for helping me become a better artist because of the tools I now can carry in my pocket and will soon be traveling to far and exotic places with. I will continue to dream big, knowing that there is someone hard at work and with the ability to make my dreams come true.

Many thanks to the Photography Application developers - Happy Holidays to you!



The Last Pixel Show is now putting together their 2012 iPhone Photography workshop list and calendar. Please vote on the destinations you are most interested in, found on the side bar to the left.


The next iPhoneography Classes Available February 13th 2012! I will be out of the country and unavailable for most of January 2012. upon my return I will have fascinating images from many Asian countries.

A Walk Through Roslyn

I have been working on a project called 'A Walk Through Roslyn' for several years. Roslyn is a small town famous for its coal mining, cemetery and that Northern Exposure was filmed there. I have several images, non iPhone ones, posted on my website, take a look if you like.
No matter how often I visit there is always something interesting to capture. This door that has no outside access is a favorite of mine. I have never liked capturing it at this time of the year before because I found it to be colorless and boring. However as I walked past it yesterday I knew I would be able to create a beautiful image with my newly acquired processing skills on the iPhone. Within the last 7 months I have not only discovered the power of blending and masking but I have learned how and when to apply those skills.
In the years past I just couldn't get my self excited to process my images on my computer while sitting at my desk. Furthermore, it always seemed that another plug in was needed to accomplish the latest techniques and they each cost $99 or more. I always felt that I was behind the technology curve and was discouraged by that somehow. Also, if I did have the plug in I knew that shortly I would have to spend another $99 for an upgrade to keep up. It was a continuous money pit game.
However with the iPhone and all the photographic apps available, I am creating the art I have always dreamed of, actually I have reached beyond my dreams. I am stretching myself beyond the limits that I knew were possible. I am able to achieve this because the apps are affordable and powerful. Now when I spend my $1.99 I invest in a longterm relationship of creativity and possibilities, and the updates are free, go figure.
So if you feel as I did about expense and confinement of software holding you back from becoming the artist you were meant to be, I hope that I am inspiring and motivating you to play and experiment with the photographic apps available to you.
"Lose your dreams and you might lose your mind." Mick Jagger

ProCamera

PhotoStudio

Iris

Filterstorm

Dynamic Light

Impression

iPhoneography 101 starts again next Monday, May 9th. During this course you will learn to use the apps of the iPhone to create photographs beyond a basic snapshot. With my vast knowledge of relevant applications and how to use them in the most interesting ways, in four weeks and with real-life guidance you will increase your photographic creativity dramatically. My goal is to inspire and motivate you to discover your artistic vision through experimentation, fun and play. Ask for an outline of the course at teri@terilou.com.

Dreamy

 Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!"  ~Robin Williams


The camera was faithfully used and then processed with BlurFX, Filterstorm, Iris, PhotoStudio and Impression.  That is it. No painting apps whatsoever. I was thrilled!

Creative Tulips - the abstract way

Tulip in Skagit Valley

As I mentioned yesterday, I spent the last two days with extend family at a small family get together. I  hadn't planned on being given this opportunity and was grateful for the time with them all as they also made me feel very welcome and loved. 

This morning it was raining and blowing so I thought I had missed my opportunity to capture the tulips this year, so I went to the Lynden Pioneer Museum with the group until mid afternoon before I headed south to Skagit Valley again.

I was pleasantly surprised when the clouds began to break and the sun started shining. I spent about 4 hours capturing the tulips with many different camera apps and using many different techniques.This is one of my many favorites, so I expect that you will be seeing many more in the next few weeks as I wait for spring to arrive in my home town.

SlowShutter

AutoPainter

Iris

Filterstorm

Impression

Guest Blogger Gaston Graf

Please welcome guest blogger, Gaston Graf, who in a very short time has became a "Hipstaddict". His work stood out to me because of the post processing he was doing to his Hipsta images. I am finding that more and more people who take photos with their iPhones are becoming interested in learning more about the artist possibilities. 

My name is Gaston Graf. I live in the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg in Europe. Married to my German wife Fanny and a dad of two daughters, 18 and 11 years old. I'm a professional locomotive engineer (some just call it a train driver), working for the National Railroad Company SNCFL. Altough I bought my first camera in 1983, a handy little Minox 35PE I got really hooked to photography after I bought m first SLR in 1992, shortly before our first daughter was to be born, our child then being my main subject for photos. It's a Canon EOS100 that I still use today. The digital photography changed a lot for me because there had been no costs anymore to get the film rolls developed and picture editing opened a whole new and exiting world to me. I love my Canon EOS40Dslr but since I discovered the incredibly great App "Hipstamatic" I became a true Hipstaddicted. I soon realized what great creativity the Hipstamatic offers. The term "iPhoneArt" came to my mind and I was amazed to discover that the community of iPhoneographs is growing more and more. Thanks to people like Teri Lou Dantzler and Cara Gallardo I discovered a bunch of very good apps that I now use to create my own iPhone Art. This my first "oil picture" that I made with the iPhone and various apps. It's a Daffodil currently in bloom at our terrace.

Hipstamatic

Lens: Chunky

Film: Alfred Infrared

Additional Apps used: 

ArtistaHaiku - for the ink. Style: Abstract #5, Paper: the last one on the grid, Settings: all sliders to the full right except but for the ink outline slider set at about 75%.

Paint it! Now - for the first oil. This was just a test to see how the ink picture would look like if overpainted with oil. The result didn't satisfy me completely but I kept it nevertheless.

Iris Photo Suite - to blend the ink layer with the oil layer as well as to adjust the size of the ink layer which was limited to 1000x1000 by Paint it! Now. Method used: Overlay. 

ArtistaOil - for the second oil, Paint Style: Oil Landscape #2, Canvas #5, Texture 0%. I set the texture at 0% because I wanted to apply the burlap texture provided by Pic Grunger.

Pic Grunger - to add the burlap texture. Effect settings at 0%, Canvas at 100%, Style: Block Party, Only with the Block Party style there is no color influence on the rest of the picture, especially the white border.

Filter Storm - to enhance colors and to add two frames, one thin black frame and one larger white frame.

To add my own handwritten signature I used Adobe PhotoShop CS5 because I think it looks better than an ordinary watermark made with Impression.

If you are interested in becoming a guest blogger please contact me at teri@terilou.com

Reviewing AutoPainter HD a great app for blending

Hipstamatic Camera App

Being introduced to a new app can sometimes be overwhelming. I have so many apps, in so many full to capacity folders already, that my home screen is completely covered with iPhoneography stuff. So the problem is, if I don't like the app then I have to find a space for it in the basement, per se, and if I do like the app I have to demote an app out of my favorites, or 2nd favorites. It is a problem I run into often.
So when I saw what effect AutoPainter was creating for my fellow iPhoneographers, I had a feeling that a demotion was in order. AutoPainter is the type of app I needed right now, simple and to the point. Not many options and no bells and whistles, just a straight forward painter. It offers 4 different painting styles, in a 3 step process. The unusual part is that you can stop the process early if you like the effect it has created before it is done.
In the case of this image I liked Benson the most and let the process go to completion. And for those of you who know me well I didn't stop there. I also processed the original in ArtistaSketch and blend those results with the AutoPainter version in Iris. Next I added two layers of frames with PSExpress and two layers of picGrunger. My final step was completed in Filterstorm by sharpening and darkened the cross and steeple a bit. Oh yeah I used Impression for my copyright.
I would recommend the app for those of you who like a painterly look and yes it is now in one of my favorite folders!

Roslyn Riders - For the Love of Horses

Today's post was captured while riding my bicycle. I processed it with many textures, from my own iPhone captured texture file, blended and masked. This is a handheld Hipstamatic stitch. The borders got too crazy in this one to keep them - bummer!

Hipstamatic
AutoStitch
Iris
Sketchmee
and opps I forgot the others.
Impression

Take your iPhone images to the next step with the power of blending, brushing and masking. Teri Lou is offering her first online advance course starts today! Ask for more information at teri@terilou.com

Blending and Brushing

There is so many artistic ways to use blending and brushing when creating. Tonights blog started with an image of a fisherman at a beach in Delaware. Such a simple moment. However I am not feeling that simple at the moment so I continued to add elements to the image until I came up with a composition of many elements I captured that day. I have been told that your best work comes when you put your emotions into it. I can't say the color in this image has anything to do with my mood but the concept of having lots going on right now is.

Hipstamatic

PhotoStudio

Juxaposter

Iris

Filterstorm

picGrunger

Iris

Impression

Take your iPhone images to the next step with the power of blending, brushing and masking. Teri Lou is offering her first online advance course starting April 18th. Ask for more information about the course at teri@terilou.com

Oz Barn

Oz Barn processed with many apps

Yesterdays post was all about taking many apps and blending them together to create an artistic view. I decided to use that same long list of apps and see how it would look on the Oz Barn in Redmond, WA. This combination of blending and brushing is long but actually doesn't take that much time once you become familiar with the apps and what they are capable of doing. This is just one example of what is possible. As you look at my blog posts you can see that the same app can have many different effects. If you are interested in learning more about increase your own photographic creativity I recommend that you become a student in my iCreativity course. Ask for more information at teri@terilou.com

The original 6 image ProHDR stitched Oz Barn

Take your iPhone images to the next step with the power of blending, brushing and masking. Teri Lou is offering her first online advance course starting April 18th. Ask for an outline of the course at teri@terilou.com

Roslyn Old House

I have captured this old house several times with my Nikon and was finally able to get a decent shot of it with my iPhone now that most of the snow is gone. I just love the colors on the roof and the colorful weeds too. I worked this image with many apps until I felt I was done. I had no direction when I started and it took me quite awhile to find my direction. One of the reasons it took me so long was that I am feeling the pressure to make my midnight deadline. I do really like the outcome however so I think the pressure was a bit helpful  :-0. I can't believe I remembered all the apps I used. Quite a bit more than usual.

ProHDR

PhotoForge

Blender

ArtistaHaiku

Iris

Filterstorm

PhotoShop Express

PhotoStudio

TouchRetouch

Impression

Take your iPhone images to the next step with the power of blending, brushing and masking. Teri Lou is offering her first online advance course starting April 18th. Ask for an outline of the course at teri@terilou.com

The Red

Boulder, Utah

So I am driving through this spectacular scenery and I come to the small town of Boulder, Utah where there is suppose to be the best restaurant in Utah. Sadly I never found out how good the food really was because it wasn't open for the season just yet (missed it by 5 days). So I will have to return.
I did though find this great photographic 'Country Corner' store that looked as if it had been closed for years. I love the red door and windows, the old snarly trees and the two gas pumps.

I LOVE this:
There is something magical about the iPhone, it’s unlike any other camera in the world! Perhaps it should come with a cautionary label: WARNING: iPhone photography is capable of igniting intense creative passion in users. Creative passion is life altering and irreversible.  ~Emily Bemily


I am in TOTAL agreement! thanks Emily!

ProHDR

Autostitch

Sketchmee

Iris

Filterstorm

ArtistaOil

Filterstorm

Impression

Let's Go Fly a Kite

Is it spring yet?

In the spirit of play I bought a kite at Costco earlier this week. I was hoping that Spring was just around the corner, however it poured for 4 days which is very unusual for around here.
Today the clouds parted and the wind picked up so as I was driving past a big open field in town I remembered the kite and my desire to add some color in my life. As I was opening the box a wind gust blew the directions out the window and down the parking lot. I quickly started chasing the piece of paper. It was classic, the minute that it was just out of reach the wind gusted. I chased it until a big gust blew it into and across the street. I hate littering like that but Mother Nature won that one.
Well most people would have taken the clue to not think about flying a kite that day but not me. I persistently put that kite together as the wind battered us. Costco sold the whole thing as a kit so it was pretty easy even without the instructions.
I walked the kite to the field as one wind gust after the other hit. At least I didn't have to run to lift the kite in the sky. No I had the opposite problem, the gusts would hit so hard the poor kite would fold and bend, but never break After several hard nose drives, even when the string was at the end of the line, I gave up. However not before I captured a few images of it flying Proudly!!!

PhotoForge

ArtistaOil

Iris - blending and masking

Filterstorm - sharpening

Impression

Ghosts among Ghosts

Another image from Rhyolite, a ghost town near Death Valley. This art piece is titled "The Last Supper".
I am back to playing! Playing hide and seek!

ProHDR

Autostitch

Grungetastic

Dynamic Light

Iris

Impression

Hall's Creek Overlook

Hall's Creek Overlook

I had an incredible last day among the red rocks yesterday. I want to thank my new friend David for all his advice and helpful hints that lead me to this incredible place. Utah is even more impressive then I imagined, which seemed impossible until yesterday. It is amazing how a simple 125 miles drive can show you so much diverse beauty. From sunrise to sunset I was busy capturing images. 

The exciting part of my day was the last 5 miles to this overlook. Keeping in mind that I am 50 miles from anything that represents civilization, I decided to drive down a four wheel drive dirt road. At times the sand was soft, the rocks were sharp and the difficultly was questionable. It wasn't until I became high centered trying to cross a rather deep dip in the road that there was a problem. It was a very strange feeling to have the car rock front left to back right as I lost traction. Luckily I popped right out of the dip when I put the car in reverse and gently pressed the gas pedal. 

So after I pulled the car off the road and moved it out of the way I continued the journey on foot to the viewpoint, another 1.5 miles. So glad I had this adventure. I will return to take the 2.5 mile hike to the canyon on the other side of the valley.

Single Image ProHDR
Filterstorm
ArtistaOil
PhotoForge
Iris
Filterstorm

Do you want to learn to use the apps of the iPhone to create photographs beyond a basic snapshot? Sign up for the iPhoneography 101 online course for easy to follow instruction. The course allows you to work at your own pace while having a professional standing by to provide assistance, answer questions and offer critiques. Contact instructor: Teri Lou at teri@terilou.com and ask for a course outline.

Many Faces of Bryce National Park

When I first arrived in the park, I noticed these contrasting blackened tree trucks  among the snow. I have always wanted to try and capture a slow shutter pan of this type of scene. I captured this photograph with the SlowShutter camera and processed it with Filterstorm and PhotoForge.

Bryce National Park, Utah - Sunset Viewpoint

This image was captured using the ProHDR camera. Stitched together with Autostitch and then iPainted in PhotoForge. The  iPainted version was blended with the original at 25% using Iris.

What an incredible National Park! So wonderful that the clouds came in. I went to all the viewpoint pull offs today in the park. What an amazing landscape. The hoodoos were crumbling as I walked the path into the canyon. Just had a wonderful day. 

Thor's Hammer

There was quite a bit of snow still on the trail to the canyon. It was also muddy and wet with a stream flowing down the center of it at times. Felt so good to be among the giants in complete silence.

Do you want to learn to use the apps of the iPhone to create photographs beyond a basic snapshot? Sign up for the iPhoneography 101 online course for easy to follow instruction. The course allows you to work at your own pace while having a professional standing by to provide assistance, answer questions and offer critiques.  Contact instructor: Teri Lou at teri@terilou.com and ask for a course outline.

Solitude Along the Coast

Oregon Coast, near Goldbar

On the trip down the Oregon coast, I attempted getting out of the car to do some shooting with my tripod. The minute I got out my hair whipped in my face and the rain soaked my pants. So I didn't venture far and I didn't capture anything worthwhile. I did however spend some time at turn outs jockeying my car into the right position as to capture the shot from out of the driver window. I would open the camera app, quickly roll down the window, take about 5 shots and roll up the window only to find that the wind blew the rain into the car soaking my lap. 

It was worth the effort however as I captured this image of rocks along the low tide beach. I wish I could share the sound of the wind and waves with you too. It was a true moody day.

Never made it to the Redwoods as I hoped since the weather was too gloomy, maybe on the trip home.

Looking forward to warmer drier weather as I head south. 

ProCamera
AutoStitch
PerfectPhoto
PhotoStudio
Iris
Filterstorm
Impression

Do you want to learn to use the apps of the iPhone to create photographs beyond a basic snapshot? Sign up for the iPhoneography 101 online course for easy to follow instruction. The course allows you to work at your own pace while having a professional standing by to provide assistance, answer questions and offer critiques. Starts March 12th - sign up now! Contact instructor: Teri Lou at teri@terilou.com and ask for a course outline.

Hot Rod Grill

Florence, Oregon

Using a new app this morning that I highly recommend, Grungetastic, there is a version for the iPad too, Grungetastic HD. So many choices to grunge your image. Roll the Dice and see what is possible.

3 ProHDR images
Autostitch
PerfectPhoto
Iris
Grungetastic
Iris
Impression

Do you want to learn to use the apps of the iPhone to create photographs beyond a basic snapshot? Sign up for the iPhoneography 101 online course for easy to follow instruction. The course allows you to work at your own pace while having a professional standing by to provide assistance, answer questions and offer critiques. Starts March 12th - sign up now! Contact instructor: Teri Lou at teri@terilou.com and ask for a course outline.

Gloomy

Lake Tahkenitch, Oregon Coast

It is raining, it is pouring, the car was rocking me to sleep last night as the wind gusted. I even dreamed the car was knocked over on its side. I am still wondering why I chose to take this route south. Originally, I was hoping to see Crater Lake but since that wasn't an option I chose the coastal route to get off of I-5. I do know I will appreciate the warmth when it arrives.
On a side note, my mom called me this morning thrilled with the beauty that the recent 20" of snow brought to my home town. So I will be missing out on the opportunity of capturing the snowing scene.
Today I am posting the view I had at an overlook along highway 101. My mood doesn't match the scene however. I am so happy being on the road and exploring.
I am hoping to reach the Redwoods around sunset.

ProCamera
Filterstorm
OldPhotoPro
Iris
Impression

Do you want to learn to use the apps of the iPhone to create photographs beyond a basic snapshot? Sign up for the iPhoneography 101 online course for easy to follow instruction. The course allows you to work at your own pace while having a professional standing by to provide assistance, answer questions and offer critiques. Starts March 12th - sign up now! Contact instructor: Teri Lou at teri@terilou.com and ask for a course outline.

Autumn Glow

Blue Ridge Parkway
October 2010

I drove from mile marker 1 to mile marker 469, the entire length of the Blue Ridge Parkway in autumn October 2010. Most of the drive unfortunately was very foggy or raining. It was a gorgeous journey that I would to repeat in the spring when the rhododendrons are blooming.

PhotoPerfect
ArtistaOil
PhotoForge
Filterstorm
Iris
Impression

Do you want to learn to use the apps of the iPhone to create photographs beyond a basic snapshot? Sign up for the iPhoneography 101 online course for easy to follow instruction. The course allows you to work at your own pace while having a professional standing by to provide assistance, answer questions and offer critiques. Starts March 12th - sign up now! Contact instructor: Teri Lou at teri@terilou.com and ask for a course outline.

Great Smoky Mountains

Layers of Blue

"There is no blue without yellow and without orange." Vincent van Gogh


ProHDR
ArtistaOil
PhotoForge
FilterStorm
Iris
PerfectPhoto

Do you want to learn to use the apps of the iPhone to create photographs beyond a basic snapshot? Sign up for the iPhoneography 101 online course for easy to follow instruction. The course allows you to work at your own pace while having a professional standing by to provide assistance, answer questions and offer critiques. Starts March 12th - sign up now! Contact instructor: Teri Lou at teri@terilou.com and ask for a course outline.