Today I would like to share my favorite phone apps that help make me a better photographer. There are many choices out there for both Android and iPhones and I've tried a lot of them. This is simply a list of the apps that I like best and use often. Please note, I have always been an Android user but some of these are available for both operating systems. I would also love to know what apps are your favorites for being a more productive photographer, please let me know in the comments.
Most of my photography is done outdoors, even when I shoot real estate photos, there are always exteriors shots needed. The first app I always check is Weather Underground. Here in the Tahoe area mountains, weather forecasts are often wrong or change at the last minute. Weather Underground always has the most accurate forecasts for me compared to other apps I've used. This is available for both Android and iPhones HERE.
The second app I often check, especially when I want to shoot a sunset or a sunrise is My Sunset. I really love that this app is free and works great without the paid upgrades. It has a color coded map similar to Sky Fire (a popular similar app) and it also has a chart that I can quickly check to get an idea of what the chance of good color is. The accuracy has been pretty good and I don't use it's competitors any more. The Android app can be found HERE and the iPhone version is HERE.
This next app is a simple and free app I've had installed for quite some time. There are many ways to quickly check what time the sun and moon will be rising and setting but I find the SunMoon app to be very quick and easy to read. I believe it is only available on Android HERE. iPhone users, what is your favorite way to check that info?
Plan It is my favorite app in this list. It is $9.99 but is totally worth it and there is no subscription fees. This app is loaded with features to help plan your photo shoot. I really like it for seeing where the sun and moon will be positioned in the sky, at what time. It can also help you find where the Milky Way will be. The rainbow position feature is another one I use often in certain times of the year. This app gets two screenshots because it's that cool. It is available for both Android and iPhones HERE
Once I'm out at a landscape location waiting for the moon or sun to rise, I like to use Sky Maps to see where they will rise. Most people use the app to point at the sky in order to figure out what star, planet, or constellation they are looking at but I like to point it below the horizon to "see" where the moon actually is before it rises. This helps me line up a good composition to catch the moon right as it starts to show it's self. It also works with the sun but you can usually tell it's position by the amount of light in an area of the horizon. This app appears to only be available for Android HERE but SkyView seems to be a good alternative for iPhone users.
Camera Connect is a Canon app that helps connect my Canon 5Dsr to my phone. I can preview images on my phone and also download them so I can post them quickly on social media if I want to. This app is incredibly useful when I have my camera in an underwater housing and I'm trying to shoot over/under type shots where half the lens is under water. It makes it easier to compose and take a shot without me having to submerge my hand in the chilly waters around here. I'm not going to bother posting a link to where it can be downloaded but if your camera has the ability to be controlled by your phone, I would highly recommend giving it a try sometime.
When I shoot family snapshots or selfies, I just use the phone's built in camera app. But... I don't stop there. Rarely does the phone capture a photo that couldn't use a little editing and touch up. Good old Photoshop to the rescue, the free Photoshop Express is by far my favorite app for making phone photos look better. It has all the basic adjustments that I use in the full desktop version of Photoshop and there are many instagram like filters if you want to have some easy fun getting a unique look to your shots. Photoshop Express is available for both Android and iPhones HERE
There are other apps I will occasionally use but those 7 are the ones I use most often and that I really appreciate having installed. I was a landscape photographer in the film days, before smart phones were around and it used to take a lot longer to research the type of info available in your pocket now. This technology is truly appreciated and really helps me be a more efficient and better photographer.
I would love to hear from you, what are your favorite photography related apps that you use on a regular basis?
Hopefully this information was helpful. Thank you for looking and reading!
Scott Thompson
Scott Shots Photography
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