1. Brushstroke App

The Brushstroke app ($3.99) converts your photo into a painting with just one tap.

It offers more than 50 different presets in a wide variety of painting styles.

These include watercolor, acrylic, oil, lead pencil, gloss, and abstract.

The Brushstroke app makes it very easy to turn a photo into a painting.

To apply a paint effect, simply select the style you want to use. You can adjust the paint intensity to achieve just the look you want.

After painting the photo, you can edit settings such as contrast, saturation, exposure, and sharpness.

You can also adjust the colors or change the background texture.

Do you want to see your masterpiece framed on your wall? It’s easy with Brushstroke!

You can order prints directly from the app and get them shipped straight to your doorstep.

If you want to create beautiful paintings using a wide range of styles, Brushstroke is the app for you!

2. Glaze App

Glaze is a free photo to painting app that converts your pictures into textured paintings.

With the free version of Glaze, there are 36 painting styles to choose from.

But you can unlock more styles for an additional $2.99.

The app also allows you to create your own presets by stacking different styles together.

Another great feature of the Glaze app is the mask tool. This lets you apply the paint effect to only certain parts of your photo.

However, to use this feature, you’ll need to pay an extra $2.99 to unlock the transparency pack.

Many of the Glaze painting presets are strongly textured. And some of the effects will create interesting abstract images.

You can use the Glaze paint effects on any photo. But I find it works best on pictures that have strong shapes and contrasting colors.

If you want to create paintings with a strong texture, Glaze is the perfect photo art app.

3. Waterlogue App

The Waterlogue app ($4.99) turns your iPhone photos into beautiful watercolor paintings.

This watercolor app is incredibly simple to use.

As soon as you open a photo, the app automatically turns it into a stunning watercolor.

There are 14 gorgeous watercolor styles to choose from. Each style varies in wetness, outline, and color.

After applying your chosen paint style, you can change the brush size and image brightness. You can also add a white border if you wish.

I find this app works best on landscapes, street scenes, and still life photos.

It works particularly well on landscape photos that have a blue sky with white fluffy clouds.

If you want to turn your photos into watercolor paintings, you can’t go wrong with Waterlogue.

It just a few seconds, this picture to painting app turns your photos into incredible works of art!

4. Portrait Painter App

The Portrait Painter app ($2.99) is designed for turning your portrait photos into stylized paintings.

But it’s actually ideal for any type of photo.

It does a terrific job of bringing out color and contrast, as you can see in the flower picture below.

There are over 25 different painting styles to choose from.

Styles are divided into two categories: Portrait Painter and Bright & Colorful.

The Portrait Painter styles retain the image’s natural colors. And the Bright & Colorful styles use bold, colorful brushstrokes.

You can customize your painting using a range of settings. These include brush size, skin smoothing, color enhancement, and canvas style.

If you want to create bold, colorful paintings on a textured canvas background, Portrait Painter is a great choice.

Remember, you don’t need to limit yourself to portraits of people and pets. This painting style can work on many different kinds of photo.

5. Tangled FX App

The Tangled FX app ($2.99) creates a truly distinctive look.

It turns your photos into paintings using “tangled” effects such as fibers, swirls, webs, and etching.

Tangled FX has 16 painting styles to choose from.

And you can fine-tune each style using a range of color and contrast settings.

You can also adjust the intensity of the effect to achieve the exact look you want.

If you want to add a unique, abstract style to your photos, try Tangled FX. You’ll be amazed at what you can create!

How To Turn A Picture Into A Drawing

Do you enjoy using iPhone photo painting apps? If so, you’ll probably enjoy turning your photos into drawings and sketches too!

Check out our comparison of the 6 best apps that turn photos into drawings.

The post 5 Best Painting Apps That Turn Your iPhone Photos Into Paintings appeared first on iPhone Photography School.

1. Diptic App

The Diptic app ($2.99) is a photo collage app offering a wide range of grid layouts for creating collages, including Classic, Bordered and Fancy Designs:

There are even animated grids that highlight each photo from the grid in turn. This is a great way to show each photo in your collage up close while still presenting them in a group.

After adding photos into your chosen collage layout, you then have the option to edit borders, frames, aspect ratio and add text. You can access these options from the bottom of the screen.

The Borders option allows you to change the size, color, texture and canvas style of each border. To use a canvas cover, you must first enable square padding or apply outer rounding in the Size section:

The Frames option lets you drag the joints or lines between the images in order to change the size and shape of each frame:

The Aspect option lets you create non-square collages, however, this feature is only available as an extra in-app purchase.

The Text option allows you to add text to your collage, as well as the option of changing the font, size, color and style:

To perform some basic adjustments to your collage, you have to know a few touch gestures. For example, to swap the position of two images within the grid, tap both photos (with two fingers) at the same time. To clear all images from the grid and reset settings, simply shake your iPhone.

When you’re happy with the collage that you’ve created, you can save it by tapping Publish at the top right of the screen. Ensure you choose to save it in the Large size to ensure the image is high resolution.

For more information on using Diptic, check out our in-depth tutorial: How To Create iPhone Photo Collages Using Diptic App.

2. Layout App

Layout from Instagram (free to download) is a simple photo collage app that allows you to add up to nine photos to your grid.

When you open the app, you’ll see your photos in the Photo Booth section:

Tap the photos you’d like to include in your collage. You’ll see them instantly laid out in various combinations in the Choose Layout section at the top of the screen. Scroll through this section to pick a layout you like:

Once you select a layout, you’ll be able to make some simple edits to it if you wish. You can move each photo within the layout by simply sliding it up or down, side to side, or pinching in or out. You can resize the frames using the handles around the edge of the image:

You can also swap one photo for another by doing a long hold and then sliding to the place you wish to switch photos:

The Mirror option at the bottom of the screen allows you to mirror your image horizontally. The Flip option flips the photo upside down:

To replace a photo in your collage, tap Replace at the bottom of the screen, then select the new photo you’d like to use.

The Layout app doesn’t have fancy border options like Diptic, but you can use the Borders option at the bottom of the screen to either remove or display borders between each image:

When you’re done, tap Save in the top right corner and the photo collage will be saved to your iPhone’s photo library.

3. Moldiv App

The Moldiv app (free to download) is a photo collage app which offers professional photo editing filters and design tools, as well as a collage option and magazine-style layouts.

Tapping the Collage option gives you access to 312 layouts, including “Free Style” which allows you to add photos to a pin board and “Stitch” which produces a filmstrip layout.

The collage layouts allow you to add up to 16 photos. Select a grid based on the number of photos you wish to add, then tap the Tap Here icon and select Albums to select your photos:

After adding your images to the grid, you can then make some adjustments to the collage if you wish. Tapping Frame Adjust at the bottom of the screen lets you change the aspect ratio of the frames, the shape of the photo, and the size of the inner and outer frames.

When you tap on a photo, a pop up menu appears giving you access to a variety of adjustments, including switching photos, rotating, changing the filter on the photo, and removing it from the collage:

The Background option at the bottom of the screen lets you change the style and color of the background frames.

If you’d prefer to create a more unique kind of collage, it’s worth trying out the Magazine option accessible from the home screen of the Moldiv app. This section of the app allows you to create popular magazine layouts using the 135 templates available:

To create a magazine layout, select a template, then add your photos using the Tap Here icon. To change the text, tap the Text icon, then double-tap the text headers to replace the wording.

4. Photo Grid App

The Photo Grid app (free to download) is a photo collage app with a wide range of collage layouts, from simple grids to customizable scrapbook pages. If you like to embellish your collages, you can add text as well as a fun selection of stickers and filters.

Choosing one of the basic grids from the Layout section at the bottom of the screen allows you to quickly combine multiple photos into a beautiful collage. You can add up to 15 photos in a grid. With this app, you can create non-square collages by choosing from a range of different aspect ratios.

Once you’ve added your photos, you can select the Layout and Ratio that best fits your photos:

Other options along the bottom of the screen allow you to edit your photos using Text, Filters and Stickers. You can also use the Border option to customize the size and color of the collage frames:

The scrapbook layouts (located at the far right of the grid options in the Layouts section) allow you to pin your photos to a customized background. You can then add text, stickers and other interesting effects such as curling the edges of an image:

To curl the edge of a photo, simply tap on the photo you want to curl, then tap Curl at the bottom of the screen. Use the slider to determine the amount of curl you’d like:

The Photo Grid app also lets you cut out a photo in a specific shape and add it to the scrapbook or grid. You can draw your own shape or use one of the shape templates:

Another display option in the Photo Grid app is Slideshow which turns your photos into a mini video story. Slideshows can hold up to 15 photos and can be up to one minute in length.

The Filmstrip option is perfect for telling a visual story via a long picture, combining multiple photos with text and stickers. And the Poster option lets you transform your photos into stylish posters.

5. Pic Collage App

The Pic Collage app (free to download) allows you to make both grid-style collages and freestyle layouts. You can also choose from a variety of templates to create layouts for holidays and special events:

When you tap the Grids option, you’ll be taken to your photo album to select the images you want to use in your collage. You can choose from one of three aspect ratio sizes as shown below:

To edit a photo, double-tap on the image. You can edit the photo’s effects, clip the photo, duplicate it, set as background, collect it in a separate folder to use later, or remove it. To move photos around or swap frames, tap once and slide the photo into the frame you wish to fill:

If you want more control over where your images are positioned, select the Freestyle option on the home screen of the Pic Collage app. This lets you either use a preset background or import a photo to use as your background. You can then add additional photos, stickers, text, or drawings to your collage:

The third option available on the home screen of the app is Templates. Below you can see a sample of the templates available. Once you’ve selected the template you wish to use, you can add photos, text, stickers or drawings to the layout.

Are you looking to discover other apps that will help you produce stunning edits? Check out our article on the best photoshop apps for iPhone!

The post Compare The 5 Best Photo Collage Apps For iPhone appeared first on iPhone Photography School.

Serene images are simple, soft and balanced. A photo appears serene when it depicts an uncluttered scene and conveys a natural sense of harmony and balance to the viewer.

These eight techniques will help you create images that are calm, peaceful, and serene. Photos like these are guaranteed to evoke a sense of tranquility – something we can all use in our busy lives.

1. Photograph Nature & Landscapes

Natural elements such as flowers, trees and sunsets are soothing to most people. Many of us travel to lakes, oceans and rivers just to experience the tranquility of an afternoon on the water. Any of these locations make great subjects if you want to capture serenity.

To set the scene for a serene nature photo, choose a day when the light is soft, diffused and calm. Next, select a location that includes just a few elements. A simple, uncluttered composition can help tell the story and give a sense of place in your nature and landscape photography.

The photo above was taken on a day when clouds diffused the sun’s light. The simple composition features the calm waters of the lake and the mellow colors of the sky. The young couple gazing into the distance helps to create a sense of place and convey the peacefulness of the location.

Water is calming in itself. It’s also a wonderful source of beautiful effects and reflections. If possible, use a water source to mirror the landscape, doubling the effect of peace and calm.

Remember to consider the sky when you take landscape shots. A clear day with harsh sunshine will make your photo more intense and active, while soft clouds will enhance a feeling of calm.

Whether the clouds are rolling gently by or you’re able to capture the soft colors of a sunset, photographing a cloudy sky is a simple way to create serenity.

In the photo below, the clouds look so light and fluffy that they even lend a gentleness to this architectural photo.

2. Evoke Serenity With Simple Silhouettes

The simple composition of a silhouette creates visual calm. In this photograph, the trees are outlined against the morning sun to create a peaceful silhouette.

The basic rule for creating silhouettes is to place your subject in front of a light source, such as the sun. After tapping to set focus on your subject, swipe down on the screen to reduce exposure so that the subject appears as a dark silhouette.

To be effective, silhouettes must be photographed against a simple background. This allows the viewer to easily see the shape of your subject.

3. Surround Your Subject With Negative Space

Negative space is the area that surrounds your subject or focal point. It’s what we consider the background of the photo. Applying negative space is the art of consciously using the background to isolate and highlight the subject.

It gives your subject breathing room, creating an uncluttered photo with a minimalistic style. All of these elements make negative space a terrific tool for evoking a feeling of serenity.

The photo above combines negative space, simple composition, and mellow tones to elicit a sense of calm.

4. Make The Most Of Golden Hour

The golden hour magically creates a serene mood. The golden hour is the first hour of light after sunrise and the last hour of light before sunset.

Photos shot outdoors during this time have a naturally warm and peaceful glow. Shoot photos during the golden hour to create soft, dimensional photos without the need of a filter or post-processing edits.

This photo was taken at the beach right before sunset. Notice the gentle glow that the sun casts on the sand and catamarans.

5. Create A Shallow Depth Of Field

Depth of field refers to the range of sharp focus in a photograph. When you have a shallow depth of field, it means that your subject is in focus but everything around it is blurred and therefore softened.

Knowing how to blur background on iPhone allows you to simplify your image and thus adds to the serenity of your photo.

In the photo above, the flower is in sharp focus. The leaves and stems in the background are blurred. The resulting image allows the viewer to focus only on the subject, creating a calm, uncluttered composition.

To create a shallow depth of field, get nice and close to your subject, then tap to focus on the part of the subject you want sharp. The rest of the background will appear blurred.

To blur the background even more, use the Tilt-Shift function in an editing app such as Snapseed or Instagram. This function allows you to select an area of focus and intensify the blur in other parts of the photo.

6. Capture Similar Colors

Some colors and color combinations can be intense and harsh. Bright reds and clashing colors evoke strong emotions. But there are several harmonious color schemes that will help create a serene photo.

One way to create color harmony is to photograph subjects that are similar in hue. These are called analogous colors and they’re often found in nature.

Think of the different shades of autumn leaves or a sunset. Because each color in an analogous color scheme is so similar, they blend well together. This minimal contrast and smooth transition gives the viewer a sense of comfort and balance.

On the color wheel, green and blue are next to each other so this photo featuring green grass with blue water and sky presents a peaceful combination of analogous colors.

7.  Create Cool Colored Compositions

Colors can also be classified as warm or cool. Warm colors are those like red, orange and yellow, while cool colors are green, blue and purple. This photo of ducks on the lake showcases several cool shades of blue.

Warm and cool tones convey different emotions and perceptions to the viewer. Warm colors are energizing, whereas cool colors tend to be soothing and calming.

If you’re unable to find cool colors in nature, you can easily add a filter to your photo to make a temperature adjustment. In this case, a bright summer sunset was made cooler with the use of a photo editing filter.

8. Experiment With Soft Black & White Filters

One color scheme that you may not have considered for serene photos is black and white.

There are two main black and white photography styles that iPhone photographers tend to gravitate toward.

There’s the style that’s dark and deep, conveying a stronger mood and relying more on contrasts between white and black, as shown in the image below.

And there’s a lighter style which includes more gray tones with fewer highlights and shadows, as shown in the photo below. This style works well for conveying a peaceful, tranquil atmosphere.

To create this softer black and white edit, the image was processed using more gray tones and less contrast.

Conclusion

Now that you’ve learned some ways to capture serenity in your iPhone photos, try putting some of these elements into action.

Choose subjects that evoke a sense of calm, such as water, natural elements or soft clouds. Keep your composition simple and uncluttered. Choose mellow, analogous or cool colors.

And remember that editing tools such as filters, black and white, and tilt-shift, can help you enhance the feeling of serenity you’re working to create.

The post 8 Ways To Capture Wonderful Serenity In Your iPhone Photos appeared first on iPhone Photography School.

The three composition rules that we’re going to explore are:

• Simplicity
• Rule of thirds
• Negative space

Before you can break a rule of composition effectively, you first need to know how to use the rule. Once you know how to apply the rule in your photography, you can break it with intent for creative purpose.

So for each rule of composition we’ll first look at how to use the rule and when it works well. And then you’ll learn how to break the rule in certain situations.

Remember that photo composition is all about getting the viewer to see what you want them to see, and in the way that you want them to see it.

So before you even look through the iPhone’s viewfinder, always take a moment to ask yourself: What is it about this subject or scene that I want to emphasize to the viewer, and what story do I want to tell?

You can then make better composition choices to help you to capture the scene in the best possible way.

Rule 1: Keep The Photo Simple

The best way to get the viewer to see what you want them to see is to keep your photo simple. This means identifying your focal point, and then eliminating clutter or background distractions that might take attention away from your focal point or subject.

Sometimes, when you find a great scene, you’ll want to photograph everything in it. When you look at the scene with your own eyes, everything looks interesting and worthy of capturing in your photo.

But when you simplify the scene, like I did in the photo below by moving closer to hats, the viewer knows exactly where to look. Keeping your photo as simple as possible adds impact and helps to focus the story on a particular aspect of the scene.

Without a point of interest, the photo won’t hold the viewer’s attention. Once you find your focal point, you’ll know what elements need to be diminished or eliminated from the scene.

In the photo below, there are several elements: a bouquet of flowers, several bouquets behind it, and several crates on a table. The scene is too crowded and we don’t know where to focus our attention.

By focusing on just one flower in the bouquet, we create much more impact in our image. The orange flower is now our subject and the surrounding flowers frame it.

When To Break The Rule Of Simplicity

As with any rule, it’s important to know when to break it. Sometimes, the details of the background are just as important as the subject when they provide context for the photo.

The background or surrounding elements may help to tell the story of the photo. Without them, the subject might lose its purpose.

Sometimes, a busy scene can actually be more powerful than a simple one. The trick is to identify whether the surroundings are going to help you tell a story or not.

Below is a photo I took of a bench in a nature park. At first glance it might seem that I left in too much of the surrounding trees and foliage, taking attention away from the bench.

But remember that photo composition is about getting the viewer to see what you want them to see.

In this case, I wanted the viewer to see how this old bench had become completely integrated with its surroundings and was now another part of the forest.

If I’d moved in closer to the bench to eliminate the surrounding forest, I wouldn’t have been able to tell this story through my photo.

So whenever you’re taking a photo, take a moment to consider whether the scene would look better if it was simplified to remove all distractions, or whether you might be able to tell a more compelling story by including more of the surrounding elements.

Rule 2: Use The Rule Of Thirds

One of the most well known principles of photo composition is the rule of thirds. The rule of thirds relates to where you place the subject or focal point within the frame.

This principle tells us that instead of always placing your subject in the center of the frame, you can create a more natural balance by placing it off center.

But first, you may be wondering why would we use the rule of thirds in the first place? After all, it’s natural to think that placing your focal point dead center will make the most engaging photo.

But center placement is static. When your subject is equal distance from all sides, your photo can appear too balanced and predictable, making it less compelling to the viewer.

The rule of thirds is based on the theory that a slight imbalance creates a more dynamic photo that feels more natural and engages the viewer. So how do we go about applying the rule of thirds?

Imagine dividing your photo frame into three sections horizontally and vertically so that you have nine areas and four intersecting points.

Actually, you don’t have to imagine this because you have a grid setting right in the camera app on your iPhone. Just go to Settings > Photos & Camera > Grid.

When you turn on this grid in the Settings, and then open the camera app, you’ll see a grid that can be used to help you compose your photo according to the rule of thirds.

Simply position your main subject or focal point, such as the eye in the portrait below, on one of the intersections where the gridlines meet.

When To Break The Rule Of Thirds

While the grid is a great tool to use when composing your iPhone photos, remember that it’s only there as a guideline.

You don’t need to use the grid too precisely. Over time you’ll start to use the rule of thirds naturally without the need for the grid.

Sometimes placing your subject or focal point just slightly off-center or very near the edge of the photo might make more sense for the particular scene that you’re photographing.

Placing your main subject near the edge of the frame can be a great way of creating tension in a photo, especially if it’s a person looking or walking out of the frame.

It can add an extra element of mystery or drama, either because you don’t know what they’re looking or because they’re about to walk out of the photo.

So what about placing your main subject directly in the center of the frame? The rule of thirds would indicate that this wouldn’t look good, however, in certain situations it can actually have a very powerful impact.

Consider central subject placement when you wish to make a strong, bold statement. Remember that central composition is relatively static as it draws your eye straight to the center of the frame, but you can use this to your advantage.

This is a good placement option when you want to convey a sense of structure and stability.

There are also some subjects that may photograph better with a center placement, for example portraits of people as well as flower portraits.

If you want to create symmetry in your photo, central composition is essential. This is especially useful when photographing buildings and architecture which often have symmetry built into their design.

Knowing when to use or break the rule of thirds will become easier with practice. A good technique is to take lots of photos of the same subject with it positioned in different areas of the frame.

You should then analyze these images to get an idea of how the overall balance of the composition is affected, and whether the different subject placements change the visual impact and story of the photo.

Rule 3. Incorporate Negative Space

Another important aspect of photo composition is negative space. This refers to the empty space that surrounds your subject.

If we look at the subject as positive space, then negative space would be everything else. Negative space is the area that’s largely devoid of any subject matter – it appears empty.

For instance, it may be a blank wall or floor, or it could be a large expanse of sky.

The area doesn’t necessarily have to be completely blank, but there shouldn’t be anything distinctive in this area that takes attention away from the subject.

Negative space emphasizes your subject and brings attention to it. After all, there’s nothing else in the shot competing for attention with your subject. The viewer’s eye isn’t confused or distracted.

Negative space also works well for creating a certain mood or atmosphere in your photos, often creating a sense of calm.

Using negative space can add an emotional tone to the photo, helping the viewer to FEEL something rather than just SEE something.

Another reason to include negative space is that it allows space for movement in a scene. This works well for moving objects such as cars or people walking through a space.

It also works well if you have a portrait of someone who is gazing towards one side of the frame. Leaving space for them to look into helps you to follow their gaze.

When To Break The Rule Of Negative Space

Sometimes, it makes more sense to fill up the entire frame with detail and leave little to no negative or empty space.

Filling the frame with close-up subjects such as these flowers is a great way of capturing their texture, color and fine detail.

If you spot a subject with an interesting or repetitive pattern, such as the building in the photo below, filling the frame with the pattern will result in a mesmerizing abstract image.

Below is another photo that works well without any negative space. The busy detail in this vendor’s booth adds context to the photo.

All of the elements included in this composition are necessary to tell the story. The busy scene adds a sense of energy and vibrancy to the photo.

A photo that has the entire frame filled with detail creates a very different mood to one that includes a lot of negative space.

Both techniques can result in visually powerful photos, but for different reasons. If you want to create a photo with a calm, serene or even melancholy atmosphere, negative space is the best option.

But for a high-impact and vibrant photo that’s full of energy, filling the entire frame with detail is a great choice.

Conclusion

As you can see from the photos in this tutorial, knowing when to break the rules of photo composition is as important as knowing when to use them.

Every time you look at a scene through your iPhone camera’s viewfinder, you’ll need to make a creative decision about how you compose the photo.

Think about the rules of composition, and then think about whether breaking them might have more impact.

As the photographer, you’re in charge of composing the shot. Take your time to try out different compositions until you capture the scene in a way that tells the story you want to convey.

And remember, there’s no right or wrong. With a bit of practice you’ll soon find that you’re using your photographic instincts to decide whether to apply or break a particular rule of composition.

The post How To Break Composition Rules For Powerful iPhone Photos appeared first on iPhone Photography School.

1. Place

If you wish to depict a specific mood or atmosphere, keep in mind that they’re naturally affected by your surroundings. So the mood and atmosphere of your photo is often determined by the location.

Since lighting plays a pivotal role in creating mood and atmosphere, you’ll achieve a different mood indoors than you will outdoors.

Places filled with people are great for conveying activity and community, while places with few people can appear solitary and lonely.

Familiar places project a universal emotional tone. For example, most people would associate the atmosphere of a church with quiet reverence.

To see for yourself how the shooting location affects the mood of a photo, try capturing three unique moods simply by photographing in different places.

Remember, a place can be any location – even three different places in and around your home.

Here are some photographic examples of three different locations that convey different moods.

The photo above shot at a hospital was edited in black and white to intensify the drab and sterile environment.

Some places have a personal connection to the photographer with their own emotional sentiments. For instance, the photo above is of a sewing table at my grandmother’s home.

Although this is a place that’s personal to me, the image may bring up shared memories. The scene was edited with warm colors because they convey feelings of contentment and nostalgia.

In contrast to the first two photos, this one was shot outdoors. There’s a wonderful juxtaposition between man and nature in this image, with the solitary bench appearing to be overtaken by the forest overgrowth.

2. Time of Day

You may have noticed that your photos have a different mood and atmosphere depending on the time of day you shoot them.

Photos taken during the golden hour – the first hour of light after sunrise and the last hour of light before sunset – produce a soft, diffused light with a lovely warm glow.

On the other hand, the strong midday sun in this photo creates harsh shadows. Photos taken at midday convey tension because of the sharp contrast between light and shadow.

Shooting after sunset tends to add a sense of drama and mystery to your photos because of the darkness in the shadows.

To get a better idea of how the time of day and type of light affects the mood of your photos, try to capture feelings of softness and hardness by shooting at different times of day.

Here are two examples:

In above photo of sunrise at the beach, the colors are soft pastels and the overall atmosphere of the photo is gentle and soothing.

In contrast, this photo of a crack in the wall was shot at midday. The sun streaming in from the top of the wall creates strong shadows which emphasize the crack and the texture of the wall.

3. Seasons

Another aspect of time is the seasons. Each season has a distinct atmosphere which is conveyed through changes in light, color and weather.

You can see this very clearly if you photograph trees during every season throughout the year.

In the spring, trees blossom with flowers and appear both vibrant and delicate. Signs of rebirth are everywhere.

Summer trees are abundant with green leaves reaching their branches up towards a cool blue sky.

Autumn imparts a comforting atmosphere through the warm hues of orange, yellow and brown foliage.

In the winter, the bare branches convey a somber mood and stillness. You can emphasize the starkness of winter trees with a black and white edit.

The best way to demonstrate how the seasons affect the atmosphere in your photos is to shoot the same location or same kind of subject throughout the year.

At the end of the year you can look back over your photo series and analyze what kind of emotions they evoke when you look at them.

4. Weather

People tend to associate weather patterns with specific emotions. So try to work with the weather to achieve different photographic moods.

For example, if you’re shooting on a bright, sunny day it may be difficult to capture a photo that appears moody and dark.

A sunny day conveys happiness and enthusiasm, while the bleakness of an overcast day can produce a mood that’s serious or solemn.

Fog is great for creating mystery, while rain can bring up feelings of melancholy.

The photo below of a single leaf in the snow conveys the stillness and quiet of a winter day.

Practice using different weather elements to convey different moods in your photos. And don’t be put off by bad weather – this is often the best time to capture dramatic or moody images!

5. Colors

Colors are excellent for creating mood and atmosphere. They can project a wide range of qualities and emotions such as tranquility, passion or joy.

Orange, yellow and red are considered warm colors, while blue, purple and green are cool.

In general, warm colors convey comfort, excitement and action. Cool colors convey serenity and peacefulness.

The photo above is an example of using color to generate a specific mood. During the editing process, I enhanced the red color of the fire truck to intensify a sense of action and urgency.

Subdued, earthy colors make the viewer feel relaxed, and this works especially well for nature and landscape photography.

Green, for example, is a calming color. The photo above contains at least three green objects: the leaves of the tree behind the porch, the chair cushions, and the column behind the chair.

These different shades of green work together to produce a soft and soothing image.

A lack of color also conveys mood, so don’t forget to experiment with converting your images to black and white.

The stark contrast of black and white photography often gives a photo a sense of timeless mystery.

6. Patterns

Patterns appear whenever strong graphic elements such as lines, colors, shapes or forms repeat themselves. The repetition may be structured or very organic.

Both natural and man-made patterns add visual harmony and rhythm to your photos. They can also tell very different emotional stories.

Symmetrical and linear patterns like those found in architecture convey strength and order, while more free-form patterns feel light and playful.

Try using a combination of colors and patterns to convey both a light and a serious mood. Below are two examples.

Although this isn’t an architectural subject, the black and white contrast and symmetry of the tree make it appear more structural, giving it a serious tone.

In contrast, the bright colors and random pattern of leaves in this photo creates a lighter mood.

Conclusion

Creating mood and atmosphere in your photography helps the viewer to connect with your images. Depending on the mood you create, it can make bring out certain emotions or memories in the viewer.

It can also make your photo more tactile and realistic. For example, allowing them to “feel” the warmth of the sun or the crispness of fallen leaves in autumn.

The next time you snap a photo with your iPhone, take a good look at your surroundings to consider how they’ll affect the mood and atmosphere of your photo.

Working with these elements in your environment will bring out the best in your iPhone photos.

Make use of place, time, seasons, weather, colors and patterns to change the mood and atmosphere of your iPhone photos.

And don’t forget that you can enhance the mood of your photos in post-processing. Editing apps can be used to alter color and exposure, as well as apply more artistic effects such as textures and painterly styles.

The post 6 Ways To Create Mood And Atmosphere In Your iPhone Photos appeared first on iPhone Photography School.

What Makes Old Abandoned Subjects So Interesting?

People often consider things that are old or broken to be without value. But forgotten and abandoned objects are begging for photographic attention because they evoke memories and mystery. Every old abandoned subject has a story to tell.

Forgotten objects have the power to depict a specific place and time. This is why they’re often the subject of documentary photography, which chronicles significant and historical events as well as everyday life.

You may be walking right by great photo opportunities each day. But you don’t have to go out of your way to seek out hidden objects or find abandoned buildings. Forgotten subjects are often left in plain view.

The first step to photographing forgotten subjects is to start noticing them within your surroundings. So we’ll begin by looking at a few ways to make sure you don’t overlook these great photography subjects.

1. Focus On Qualities

Instead of focusing on the objects themselves, train your eye to search for specific qualities. Forgotten and abandoned objects are typically old, broken and alone.

If you have difficulty noticing these things, create a personal photo challenge around it. For a week, photograph everything that appears old, broken or solitary.

Once you start looking more closely, you’ll soon find yourself noticing forgotten subjects everywhere around you.

2. Change Your Venue

It also helps to travel to new locales so you can see your environment and the objects in it with new eyes.

You may not notice forgotten objects where you live, around the places you pass everyday. But when you visit a new city or venue, your eyes will be open to seeing everything for the first time.

Another tip is to get off the beaten path. You’ll often find abandoned buildings and great photo opportunities in isolated areas with little foot traffic.

As a note of caution, be careful if you’re planning to photograph inside an abandoned building. Trespassing is illegal and abandoned buildings are dangerous and structurally unsafe to enter.

However, you don’t need to find abandoned buildings to take photos of forgotten objects. You may not need to look any further than in and around your own home.

Basements and attics, particularly in older homes, often hold wonderful items that make fascinating subjects for your iPhone photography.

3. Find A New Perspective

Another way to notice forgotten objects is to change your viewpoint. Typically, while you’re walking along a street, you’re facing forward and looking at things that are in front of you at eye level.

To notice forgotten objects, try looking down at the ground. When you look down, you’ll often see something that someone has dropped and left behind.

You’ll also notice that nature produces unnoticed and quickly forgotten objects, like a pile of unswept leaves or fallen pine cones.

Remember to look underneath or inside of things too. This photo began when I looked inside a barrel and discovered that this garden hose was left inside.

Now that you know how to notice forgotten subjects, let’s explore some techniques for photographing them to bring out their mystery and meaning.

4. Determine The Best Angle

There’s often an angle or focal point that’s best when shooting a subject that will bring out its character, for example, a sense of decay, emptiness or neglect.

To determine the best angle, walk around it if possible. Get closer. Consider what you want the viewer to see, then position yourself so that you place emphasis on the most important aspect of the scene.

Shooting wide in horizontal orientation can make the scene appear more empty and foreboding. For this shot, I used a horizontal orientation and photographed from below to make the building appear large and ominous.

However, instead of focusing on the building, I set the focus on the barbed wire in front of the building to emphasize the sense of danger.

5. Work With The Light

The type of light you shoot in can make a big difference to how the photo turns out. So how can you utilize lighting to enhance the qualities of a forgotten or abandoned object?

Remember that the light during different times of the day creates different moods.

Midday lighting casts strong shadows. It’s rather harsh and usually not ideal for most photos, but it can help to capture the grittiness of the subject.

In the photo above, the midday sun streams through the top of the wall emphasizing the strong crack running through it.

Side lighting is great for capturing the texture and detail of your subject. To use side lighting, make sure the sun or your light source is coming from the side of the object.

This kind of lighting also works well for enhancing architectural lines on buildings because of the shadows that it creates.

If you’re shooting vintage items indoors, use soft window light to create a calming atmosphere that will add to the nostalgia of the scene.

6. Show Context

If possible, photograph a wide shot to show the object in the context of its surroundings. This gives your photo a story and a sense of place and time.

There’s often an interesting juxtaposition you can see between the forgotten object and its environment.

For example, in the photo above, the old bench has become completely integrated with its surroundings and is now just another part of the forest.

7. Focus On Interesting Details

It’s the details like peeling paint, cracks or accumulated debris that make an object appear forgotten or discarded.

Remember to capture details like this that add authenticity to the subject and convey a somber mood.

Get up close if necessary to capture the small details and textures that indicate the subject has been abandoned or forgotten.

8. Use Negative Space

Use negative space to emphasize a solitary mood. Negative space is the space around the subject that’s largely devoid of any subject matter, such as a blank wall or a large expanse of sky.

Negative space works really well for creating mood and atmosphere in photos. It can also make objects appear smaller, more delicate and fragile.

This is why adding negative space to your photos of forgotten objects helps to emphasize their old, alone and broken qualities.

How To Edit Your Photos Of Abandoned Subjects

Now that you’ve learnt different ways to capture great iPhone photos of forgotten subjects, let’s take a look at how to use image editing apps to enhance their old and abandoned qualities.

Photo editing can help to highlight the story of the object and intensify the gritty details.

In this section we’ll explore three different techniques for editing your iPhone photos of forgotten and abandoned subjects: black and white, grunge and HDR.

Editing Technique 1: Black & White

Black and white editing helps to simplify busy scenes and isolate the subject when the background is distracting. It’s also great for storytelling and highlighting emotion.

This scene of a burned down school had a lot of different elements including fallen trees and the scattered debris from the building. The black and white edit helped to simplify all of the elements and make the photo easier to comprehend.

There are many different apps to use for black and white editing. One of my favorites is PhotoToaster which offers a variety of iPhone filters for converting images to black and white.

Presets are great if you’re a beginner iPhone photographer who may be unfamiliar with using the adjustment controls to fine tune photo editing.

Using PhotoToaster to apply a black and white filter is easy. Open the app and tap Photo Library to find the photo you wish to edit:

Once you’ve imported the photo into the app, you can access the Global Presets by tapping the globe icon in the bottom left corner:

You’ll notice a dial that appears in the left corner. When you tap it, it changes to access three different categories: Basic, Deluxe and Supreme.

Each category contains a variety of presets including black and white filters. The Basic category contains the most basic black and white filters, including filters for both B&W portrait and landscape photos:

The Deluxe and Supreme categories add more layers to the filters like blur and texture effects:

Here’s the same photo edited with three different filters, one from each category:

The top photo was edited using the B&W Landscape filter in the Basic category. The middle photo was edited with the Faded Black filter in the Deluxe category. And the bottom photo was edited using the Black Blur filter in the Supreme category.

Editing Technique 2: Grunge

Grunge is another great editing option for old and abandoned subjects. Grunge effects are gritty and grainy textures.

Forgotten objects are typically old and broken, and grunge is great at bringing out these qualities. For example, grunge textures make this unused organ have an aged and vintage appearance.

One of my go-to apps for grunge textures is Mextures. This photo editing app features hundreds of textures based on gritty and grainy film, dusty vintage film scans, and tasteful grunge.

In this app, textures are layered on top of the photo for a unique look. To add a grunge texture, open the app and tap Library to pull in your photo:

On the next screen, you can move or scale the photo. If no changes are necessary, choose Don’t Crop:

You’ll now see a list of Texture Categories. We’re using the Grunge category for this tutorial:

Once you’re in the Grunge category, you’ll see a variety of grunge textures. You can simply choose one to apply to your photo, and use the slider on the right side of the screen to adjust the intensity of the texture:

From top to bottom, the textures applied below are Dirty Pop, Window Wash, and Concrete Jungle:

For an even grittier effect, you can add more layers. You could add another Grunge layer or use some of the other Mextures categories. The Grit and Grain or Emulsion categories are great for intensifying the grunge effect.

To add another layer, tap the plus (+) icon. Select the category you wish to use and select the texture:

The photo below has three layers: the Window Wash texture from the Grunge category, the Jefferson Emulsion texture, and the Blizzard texture from Grit & Grain:

Editing Technique 3: HDR

HDR stands for High Dynamic Range, and it’s all about creating an image that has color and detail throughout both the highlights (bright areas) and the shadows (dark areas).

HDR tends to make a photo more dramatic. It brings out the details and allows you to see the grit, cracks and lines in forgotten subjects.

You can actually create an HDR photo through shooting as well as editing. If you use an app such as Pro HDR X to take your picture, it’ll take three photos of the same scene, each with a different exposure.

The exposures are then blended together to create a single image with the most dramatic range of shadows and highlights.

When I want to boost the HDR effect of photos in post-processing, I frequently use the Simply HDR photo editing app.

Simply HDR is great for enhancing bland or under-exposed photos. It creates stunning images with an extended range of light and detail.

To use Simply HDR, open your photo by tapping the Get Photo icon at the bottom of the screen:

Next, tap the star icon (next to house icon) to see the different preset filters and categories.

You can choose from a variety of categories including HDArt, Black And White, and Shadows & Lights. Each category contains over twelve filters so there are many choices and options:

The photo below was edited using the HDR_01 preset at full strength:

You can see all the detail it brings out in the concrete and the pattern in the base of the traffic cone. But it also creates dark grunge effects inside the cone which may or may not be desired.

Keep in mind that this app tends to over-exaggerate the HDR effect, so it’s important to adjust the strength until you find something you like.

Once you choose a filter, you can adjust its strength by tapping the settings icon (to the right of the star icon):

HDR also enhances the texture of torn edges and peeling paint, producing a very tactile quality in your photos. For example, the HDR edit below brings out the brick detail in this retro sign:

Conclusion

If you’d like to expand your range of iPhone photography subjects, taking photos of forgotten and abandoned objects is ideal. It really does open up a whole new world of photo opportunities.

Train your eye to notice these subjects by exploring new places and perspectives. Once you start looking, you’ll soon begin to notice interesting old and abandoned subjects all around you.

Once you find a forgotten object, remember to make the most of light and composition to capture the details and show context to create an evocative photographic story.

And don’t forget the importance of editing your images to enhance the subject’s details and create a certain mood in your iPhone photos.

The post How To Take Great iPhone Photos Of Old Abandoned Subjects appeared first on iPhone Photography School.

We’ll be using the Superimpose app for this tutorial. This is a versatile photo editing app that allows you to create double-exposures, mask parts of a photo, and blend two photos together. Click here for an in-depth tutorial on how to use Superimpose.

The techniques in this article involve combining an ordinary photo with a textured background or overlay. If you haven’t yet created any textured backgrounds, click here to learn how to create your own textures.

Once you’ve created some textures, you can now start adding them to your photos using the following two techniques.

The first method involves replacing part of the photo, such as the background around the subject, with a texture. The second method is used for applying an overall texture effect to the entire image.

Technique 1: Masking To Add A Textured Background

The first technique involves a process called “masking.” Masking allows you to control the transparency of different parts of an image, so that you can see through parts of the photo to another image beneath.

We’ll use masking to replace a blank background with a texture. This technique is simple if your subject and the background are in sharp contrast, such as a flower photographed against a plain white wall.

If you want to use this flower photo so that you can follow along, click here to download it. Alternatively, you can use your own photo of a subject photographed against a plain background.

To create the final picture in Superimpose, you’ll need to combine a background image (the texture) and a foreground image (the photo that you want the textured to be applied to).

In this example I’m going to combine the sunflower photo shown above with the colored texture that you see below.

You can either use your own textured background that you’ve already created, or you can download this one here.

Once you have the photo and texture you want to use in your iPhone’s Photo Library, open the Superimpose app, then tap the first icon at the top left of the screen:

This icon allows you to import your background and foreground images. Select Photos to import the background image, find the texture in your Photo Library, then tap on it to import it:

Since this texture is a square format but our foreground image is not, we need to change the constraints of the background so that it will conform to the shape of the foreground image.

Tap Constraints and you’ll see a list of ratios along the bottom of the screen. The first number of the ratio represents the width of the image and the second number represents the height.

For this image I’m using the 3:4 ratio. Tap Choose to select the ratio and you’ll now see the texture in that ratio on the screen:

Next, you need to pull in the foreground image. Tap on the top left icon again, then select Photos under Import Foreground:

Find your main image to pull it into the app. We don’t need to change the constraints here, so just tap Choose:

You’ll notice that the foreground image is now superimposed over the background image:

However, the images don’t line up. We want to expand the foreground image to cover the same area as the background. To do this, tap Transform at the bottom of the screen:

Next, tap the Fit To Background icon at the top of the screen to expand the foreground image:

Now, we’re ready to mask. The aim is to make the white background around the flower transparent, so that we can see the texture beneath it. Select Mask at the bottom of the screen:

Tap the Settings icon at the top right. A pop-up window will appear with several masking tools:

There are six masking tools as shown above. For this photo, we only need the Magic Wand. This tool (second from the left, highlighted in blue above) automatically applies transparency to the color you select in the photo.

You can determine how you wish to apply the mask by adjusting the Threshold and the Mask Edge. Threshold determines the strength of the mask, and Mask Edge allows you to select a sharp or smooth edge.

To apply the mask, tap anywhere in the white area around the flower. Wherever you tap, the background texture will show through. In the screenshot below, I’ve tapped the white area at the top of the photo:

Now you need to tap the other white areas around the flower. For small areas, pinch out to zoom in so you can get a closer view and fill in the area with more accuracy:

Continue tapping in this manner until the background texture covers all areas around the flower:

Now, you’re ready to save, so tap the Save icon at the top of the screen. Under Export Destination, select Photos to save to your Photo Library.

This is how the final photo should look:

If you’re editing a photo that has a lot more detail than the photo we just worked with, the Brush and Smart Brush tools come in handy for masking areas of the photo.

The Brush tool allows you to manually mask different areas. Manual masking is sometimes required because the Magic Wand masks any color similar to the one you tap on, even the areas you might not want transparent.

Many times, it’s just easier to apply the mask manually so you don’t make everything transparent by mistake.

Let’s take a look at using the Brush and Smart Brush tools on this photo of a statue in order to replace the background with a texture:

Start by selecting the Brush tool in the Masking Tool section:

In the screenshot below, I used the Brush to manually mask out the buildings and people – basically any areas that were more difficult to mask using the Magic Wand tool:

To apply the Brush tool, simply rub your finger around the areas to be masked. The red circle shows the area where the Brush is being applied.

You’ll also notice a second red circle that magnifies the area where you’re working. This allows you to apply the Brush accurately.

But to get around the edge of the statue, the Smart Brush is a more effective tool. The Smart Brush is an edge detector which allows for greater accuracy and fine tuning:

When you slide your finger around the edge of the subject, the Smart Brush determines where the edge is and masks out the unwanted areas. You can adjust the Smart Brush size and strength using the sliders.

After using the Brush to apply the mask to the larger areas, and using the Smart Brush around the edge of the statue, here’s the resulting image:

As you can see, this eliminates all of the background elements and allows the viewer to totally focus on the subject of the photo.

Below is another example of a photo where I used a textured background. I simply masked out the over-exposed sky in the original photo, using a blue textured background to replace it.

Technique 2: Blending To Create An Overall Texture Effect

This second technique doesn’t involve masking – instead you’re going to be blending your texture with the entire foreground image.

Start by importing your texture as the background image, and your photo as the foreground image – just like you did with the first technique above. Use the Transform setting to fit the foreground to the background:

Stay under the Transform setting, then tap the Settings icon in the top right corner. This brings up a list of blend modes.

The blend mode is currently on Normal. You can keep it on that blend mode and simply use the Opacity slider to find the perfect blend of the two photos.

For example, in this screenshot I’ve set the slider halfway to get a 50% blend of both photos:

However, instead of keeping this option, let’s bring the opacity back to 100% and select a new blend mode.

Blend modes present different ways the two photos may combine together through the adjustment of elements like contrast and brightness. Here are a few examples of different blend modes applied:

The blend mode I prefer is Multiply. Using the Multiply blend mode at 100% opacity produced this image:

As you can see, this technique provides many options for creating a completely unique blend of a photo and texture.

Whether you use masking or blending to add textures to your images, these techniques will take your creativity to the next level and allow you to produce beautifully artistic pictures with your iPhone.

The post How To Add Textures To Enhance Your iPhone Photos appeared first on iPhone Photography School.

Why Use Textures?

Before I show you how to create your own textures, let’s take a quick look at why you might want to use them. There are two main ways to use textures.

The first method is to overlay and blend the texture with a photo to give it more visual interest and depth.

Photographers often use texture apps to create a vintage or antiqued quality, but blending a texture with a photo can lead to other surprising and delightful results.

Below you can see how this pink texture overlay gave the sunset photo an extra boost of color.

The second way to use textures is to replace the background in a photo to allow the subject to stand out better. This is great for photos that have a busy or distracting background.

In the photo below, I’ve highlighted the statue by replacing the entire background with a texture.

It’s even useful for photos where the background is too plain, such as a white wall. A texture will add beautiful color and detail to the background.

Instead of blending the texture with the photo, you have to erase the background and then superimpose the subject onto the textured backdrop.

Of course, you can use apps that offer preset texture packs, but when you create your own texture overlay you can choose a specific color base and combine different textures together to create your own unique look.

You can also customize an original texture template that you can apply to different photos. It’s super easy to make these textures, so you can create several to see which one highlights your subject the best.

So, how do you create your own texture overlays? Here are two methods using three different apps: PhotoViva, PhotoToaster and Mextures.

Method 1: PhotoViva & PhotoToaster

Step 1: Create A Solid Background In PhotoViva

The first step is to create a solid background in the PhotoViva app. PhotoViva is a painting app that allows you to draw and paint on your photos.

But for our purposes, we’re using it to create a solid colored background. This step allows you to choose the exact base color for your texture.

When the app opens, go to Settings:

Here you can set your painting resolution and determine whether you wish to begin with a photo or a solid background when the app opens.

For this tutorial, we’ll be setting On open start with to White. This means that each time you open the app it will automatically default to a solid white background:

You can set the painting resolution here as well. Tap the check mark to save your settings.

Back on the home screen, tap Inspiration. This is where you’ll tap each time you wish to create a solid background, since we’re not importing a photo to edit:

On the next screen, you’ll see Paint this Picture:

Tap the check mark and your white background will appear:

Now you can change the color of this background. To do so, tap on the third icon at the bottom (triangle icon). This brings up a Color Source dialog box where you’ll see a triangle inside a circle:

To select your color, first slide your finger around the circle until you find the color palette you wish to use. Then tap inside the triangle to select the appropriate gradient of that color:

When you’ve found the color you want, tap the check mark in the top right of the screen.

To replace the white background with the color you’ve chosen, tap on the paint can icon at the bottom left.

You’ll see many choices here for where to apply the color. Select Fill All so that the entire space is filled with your chosen color:

If you wish to decrease the tint of the color, you can do it on the next screen by using the slider:

If you don’t need to change the tint, tap the check mark, then tap another check mark on the next screen (top right):

To save the colored background, select the camera icon at the bottom, then tap Save:

Your image should look like this:

Step 2: Add Texture In PhotoToaster

Now you can apply texture to this solid color in the PhotoToaster app. When you open the app, tap Photo Library to find your solid colored background image, then tap on the image to import it into the app:

To apply a texture, tap the Texture icon at the bottom of the screen – it’s the 5th icon from the left (highlighted in blue below):

You’ll see a pop-up of textures. You’ll also notice that this is just one of two texture folders.

Some of the textures in the first folder include Canvas, Stone, Concrete, Paper, Slate and Old Paper. Here are some examples:

To switch to the second folder, tap the 1 folder. Textures in the second folder include Cracked, Cracked II, Scratched and Dirty (see examples below):

You can also adjust the intensity of any of the textures. Simply tap the edit icon (to the left of the folder icon) and use the slider to change the intensity:

To save your textured background, tap the Save icon at the top right corner and save to your Photo Library:

Method 2: PhotoViva & Mextures

The second approach begins in PhotoViva again, but this time we’ll use the Mextures app instead of PhotoToaster to add the texture.

Mextures does what PhotoToaster doesn’t… it can layer multiple textures, one on top of the other.

This allows you to customize your overlay in a more complex way by adding gradients and using different types of distressed textures.

Let’s begin with another solid background created in PhotoViva:

Now open the Mextures app, and tap Library to import the solid colored background image from your Photo Library:

You’ll have to decide if you wish to crop the image or not. I typically leave all of my textures in square shape because the orientation can be changed later:

Next, you’ll see a wide range of categories. The categories we’ll be using for this project are Grit and Grain, Emulsion, and Landscape Enhance:

The first two categories add distressed and grunge overlays like scratches and scuff marks. The last one provides gradients so that you may alter the color of your background.

Let’s apply Emulsion first, so tap this category to see the filters at the bottom of the screen. In the middle of the screen you’ll see the solid background and a slider to the right:

This slider sets the intensity of the texture. Sliding it all the way up to 100% gives you the strongest texture. The filters in this category apply a splotchy coating to your solid background – tap a filter to apply it.

The next layer we’ll add is from the Grit and Grain category. To add this new layer, tap the plus icon (+) and select the Grit and Grain category:

Once you’re in Grit and Grain, move the slider up to 100% and select a filter from the bottom to add tiny bits of grit and grain to your texture:

For the final layer, tap the plus icon again and choose the Landscape Enhance category.

With this category, you can change the color gradient of the background and simulate different landscape effects like dusk, sunrise and autumn skies. Move the slider all the way up to 100% so you can see the different variations:

After selecting filters from each category, tap the icon at the top right corner of the screen, then tap Save to Photo Library.

Here are a few textures that I created using these three categories in Mextures:

I used one of these textures to replace an overexposed sky in the photo below:

Conclusion

As you can see, there are tons of possibilities for creating texture overlays using just these two approaches and three apps.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with variations on these options. For example, you can add additional textures in PhotoToaster by saving your texture and pulling it into the app again to add another layer.

In the photo below, several layers were added this way:

Another idea is to combine textures from PhotoToaster and Mextures. Add a texture in PhotoToaster and save it, then pull it into Mextures and add additional layers.

You can also try the Grunge category in Mextures to add both grunge and color gradients at the same time, like the image below:

Of course, once you’ve created your own textures using these methods, you’ll want to start applying them to your photos…

Click here to learn how to enhance your iPhone photos with your custom-made textures. In this tutorial you’ll learn how to blend your textures with your photos, as well as replace an ugly background with a beautiful textured backdrop.

The post How To Use Apps To Create Textures In Your iPhone Photos appeared first on iPhone Photography School.

Choose A Single Flower

For this project we’ll use a single flower. Since we’re creating a flower portrait, it allows one flower to shine. Plus, a blur effect on a group or bunch of flowers creates too much abstraction.

When choosing flowers for this project, it’s best to find those that are open and star-shaped, with petals radiating out to all sides, like sunflowers. The blur effect will be applied to emphasize the direction in which the flower petals extend.

How To Photograph The Flower

Put the flower in a narrow vase or bottle so that it stands up straight. It’s up to you whether you wish the photograph to include the vase or bottle. Sometimes, it’s a nice addition to the photo, but try several shots to determine which you prefer.

Find a solid background to shoot against. However, avoid a bright white background because it will be difficult to notice any texture when it’s applied during the editing process.

An off-white or beige background usually works well, but you could also use a colorful background that contrasts with the color of the flower.

Take several shots, turning the flower to different angles each time. You never know which shot will look best when the blur effect is applied. Many times, a side view creates a unique perspective.

When you photograph, allow space around the top and sides of the flower. This is called negative space and it’s the area around the subject that’s devoid of any subject matter. The negative space will help to frame the flower and make it stand out.

Here’s the photo we’ll be using for this tutorial. If you want to use this flower for your edit, you can download it here.

Alternatively, you could photograph your own flower and use that during this editing process. Once you’ve got your flower photo, you’re ready to start…

Step 1: Blur The Flower In iColorama S

The first editing step is to add a blur effect. Blur adds a beautiful abstract quality to the photo. It creates a sense of motion and makes the flower look windswept.

To create the blur effect, we’ll be using the iColorama S app. This is a complete photo editing app, offering basic to advanced editing tools and tons of different effects.

Once you open the app, select the Photo icon in the top left corner to import your flower photo for editing:

Next, select Image From Library to select the photo:

On the next screen, you’ll be able to select the final resolution for your image. I would recommend always choosing the highest resolution for the largest and best quality image:

Select Menu from the main screen. When the drop-down box appears, select Effect:

In the Effect menu, scroll across to select Blur:

You’ll notice a Preset icon in the bottom right corner. When you tap it, a menu pops up that allows you to see all of the different types of blur effects available.

For this tutorial, we’re only going to use one of the blur effects – number 3/189:

This effect is a radial or zoom blur, which means the blur radiates from a center point. By adjusting different aspects of this preset, you can affect the direction of the blur.

To the left of the Preset icon is a Set icon which allows you to adjust the radius, as well as the horizontal and vertical direction of the blur. The Radius slider determines the radius or expansion of the blur:

The X Center slider adjusts the horizontal direction of the blur. When it’s set to 0.00, the blur radiates farthest to the right. When it’s set to 1.00, the blur radiates farthest to the left:

The Y Center slider adjusts the vertical direction of the blur. When it’s set to 0.00, the blur radiates farthest to the top. When it’s set to 1.00, the blur radiates farthest to the bottom:

Since this flower’s petals were already radiating toward the upper left of the frame, moving the X Center to 1.00 helped to accentuate this pattern.

The Opacity slider controls the amount of blur overall. If you want more detail in your photo, lower it. Since I wanted a little more detail, the Opacity was lowered to 70%.

Experiment with the radius and opacity until you find the blur effect you desire. My goal is always to accentuate the natural direction of the flower petals while still keeping enough detail so that you know it’s a flower:

Now, we’re ready to save the image. Tap the Save icon in the upper right corner and select Save to Album:

This is how the image should appear:

Step 2: Apply A Paint Effect In Brushstroke (Optional)

The next step is to add a painting filter, but this is optional. This step makes the flower look like it’s been painted instead of photographed.

The paint and texture effects blend seamlessly together, but you may find that you like the photo without this effect.

To paint the photo, we’ll be using the Brushstroke app. Brushstroke converts your photo into a painting with just one tap. It offers more than 50 different paint and painting styles including watercolor, acrylic, oil, and lead pencil.

When the app opens, tap the left icon to select the image you just blurred in the previous step:

On the next screen, make sure your photo is showing in the photo window, then tap the right arrow at the top right of the screen:

The app will then “paint” your photo. You’ll see a variety of paint filters such as Oil, Washed, Medium, and Natural. Scroll across until you reach the Simple filters. Select S1 from this section:

At the top of the screen, you’ll see the intensity of paint applied. Paint +50 is the default setting. But if you need to adjust this, swipe your finger right to increase it, or left to decrease.

You can change other aspects as well. To change the color palette, select the Palette icon. Next to that is the Canvas icon which changes the texture of the canvas.

The fourth setting is for Basic Adjustments like sharpness, contrast, and brightness. If you don’t like the texture of the paint, you can adjust the thickness.

I prefer the paint strokes to be less noticeable, so select Thickness and then swipe the screen left until you reach +0:

To save the image, tap the right arrow in the upper right corner. On the next screen, tap Save to save the image to your photo library:

This is what your edit should look like at this stage:

Step 3: Add Texture In Mextures

Now, we’re ready to add some texture in the Mextures app. This step adds dimension to the flower portrait, and also gives you the opportunity to change the background color.

We’re using the Mextures app to add texture to the entire photo. Mextures has more than 100 gritty, grainy, dusty, vintage and grunge textures.

To open your photo in the app, select Library from the home screen:

Select the photo that you just painted in the previous step. Next, you’ll have an option to move and scale your photo. You can also choose to Crop it here as well. For this project, we’re choosing Don’t Crop:

On the next screen, you’ll see many different categories, such as Emulsion, Grunge, and Vintage Gradients:

Select the Grunge category and you’ll see several grunge textures to choose from. Each adds a different combination of texture and color to your photo.

Using the slider on the right, you can adjust the intensity of each texture. For this photo, the Mulberry grunge filter was added at 60% opacity:

Once you’ve selected your texture, tap the Save icon in the upper right corner, then tap Save to Photo Library:

This is what your final photo should look like:

Conclusion

These three simple steps (blur, paint, and texture) create a “recipe” you can use to create this type of floral portrait on any flower photo that you take.

Of course, you can experiment with different filters and effects in each app to achieve a wide variety of effects that will make your flower photos truly unique.

The post How To Create A Unique Flower Portrait iPhone Photo appeared first on iPhone Photography School.

The original photo (shown below) was taken at an art gallery while the iPhone was in my purse. I was practicing my shooting without looking technique, but unfortunately this photo was pretty blurry.

It doesn’t look great at first sight, and most people would probably delete the photo because it isn’t sharp. However, it has a pleasing composition and the yellow painting provides a nice focal point.

Luckily, I realized that I would be able to use a few simple steps in a couple of photo editing apps to turn this blurry photo into a piece of digital art. Since the photo was taken while looking at abstract art, I thought it would be fun to turn the photo into an abstract work of art as well.

If you’d like to follow along with this step-by-step tutorial, click here to download the original image. Alternatively you could use one of your own photos on your iPhone.

Now I’ll take you through the step-by-step process to create this painterly abstract photo.

Step 1: Apply Simplify Style In iColorama App

In this first step we’re going to be using the iColorama app. If you don’t already have the app, be aware that there are two versions of this app on the App Store – iColorama for iPad and iColorama S for iPhone.

Make sure you download the appropriate app for the device you’re using. The screenshots in this workflow are from the iPhone iColorama S app (although we’ll just be referring to the app as iColorama in this article).

After opening the iColorama app, import the original image by tapping Photo in the upper left corner of the screen:

Next, tap Image From Library to import your image from the photo library:

For this project, we’ll select the highest resolution (1530 x 2048) in order to get the largest possible image:

On the main screen, tap Menu to access a drop-down list of options. Select Style from this list:

You’ll now see a list of different style brushes across the top of the screen – you can swipe across to see more options. Select Simplify from the list of styles.

The Simplify style essentially makes the photo even more blurry, simplifying it to its basic colors and shapes. However, we’re going to select a specific Simplify preset that still allows some detail.

Tap the Preset icon in the lower right corner to access the list of presets on the right of the screen. Choose preset number 7/16:

Tap Apply in the upper right corner to apply the #7 preset.

Step 2: Add Sketch Style In iColorama App

Now, we want to add a sketch style to this edit. iColorama is one of the best apps that turn photos into drawings.

We need to stay in the Style section of iColorama, but now we’re going to use the Sketch filter. Swipe across the style options at the top of the screen and select Sketch.

Choose preset number 11/12. This preset adds an unusual shadow to many of the objects in your photo, enhancing the overall abstract effect:

Next, we’re going to reduce the opacity of the Sketch filter so that we can get a blend of the Simplify edit and this Sketch edit. The aim is to find a balance between the two. Use the Opacity slider at the bottom of the screen to reduce the opacity to 0.50:

Tap Apply to apply the Sketch filter. Save the image by tapping Save in the top right corner, then tap Save To Album:

Your image should now look like this:

Step 3: Apply Texture In PhotoCopier App

The PhotoCopier app replicates the brightness, color, tone, detail, grain and texture of some of the world’s greatest paintings, photos and historical photographic processes.

We’re going to use it to add a unique texture and emphasize the abstraction of the image that we just created in iColorama. Open the PhotoCopier app, then open the image from your photo library by tapping the icon in the top left corner.

On the next screen, you’ll see four different processes across the top: Movies, Paintings, Photography and Historical Processes. We’ll be using the Paintings process so select this option at the top of the screen.

Scroll down to the Klee painting process – notice that there are two of these. Tap the Klee (Ad Parnassum) filter:

The photo now contains small impressionist-type rectangles. The options at the bottom of the screen allow you to adjust the color and texture, as well as add a vignette to your photo.

Let’s begin with the color. To adjust the color setting, tap on Color, then set the Brightness Match and Color to 100, and the Tone to 0. These settings bring out the brightest tones in the image, giving the drab photo a more colorful palette:

Next, we’ll adjust the texture. We want the Detail Match at 100 because this brings out the details in the photo. The Grain determines the amount of grunginess and we’ll set this at zero for a smoother appearance.

The Texture setting determines the definition and intensity of the rectangle pattern. We want the pattern to be seen, but rather subtle, so we’ll set it at 20:

We don’t want a vignette on the photo so we don’t need to adjust that setting. To save the image, tap the icon in the top right corner, then tap Save:

Your final image should look like this:

Congratulations… You’ve just turned a disappointingly blurred photo into an impressive abstract work of art!

As you get more comfortable with this iPhone editing recipe, you may wish to experiment with different opacity levels in iColorama as well as different texture settings in PhotoCopier. These adjustments will create a wide range of diversity in your final image.

This editing process works well with photos that feature scenes that are not too busy, and they’re great for adding a boost of color to your images.

Of course, you don’t have to limit these editing techniques to just your blurry photos – they’ll work brilliantly on any photo. But as you’ve seen from these examples, this is a fantastic way to rescue a blurred photo and turn it into something beautiful and unique.

The post How To Rescue A Blurry iPhone Photo With Editing Apps appeared first on iPhone Photography School.