With advances in smartphone technology and camera resolution, it's now easier than ever to capture quality images with the mobile device you carry everywhere. The rise of photo editing apps has added to this movement toward mobile photography, which is becoming a burgeoning and reputable art form.
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With advances in smartphone technology and camera resolution, it's now easier than ever to capture quality images with the mobile device you carry everywhere. The rise of photo editing apps has added to this movement toward mobile photography, which is becoming a burgeoning and reputable art form.
It may seem like iPhone users, or "iPhoneographers," dominate this art form, but there's a sizeable "Androidographer" community as well, especially on platforms like Google+, Instagram and Flickr. We spoke to five photographers who use their Android devices—exclusively or in addition to other cameras—to shoot, edit and share beautiful photos, and they offered some advice for those looking to enter the field.
1. Linda Stokes
Linda Stokes uses a Samsung Galaxy III for nearly every shot she takes, but she has a backup phone for emergency situations—for instance, if her battery dies and she's capturing a special moment, such as a wedding.
"Shooting with my Droid is my favorite thing to do with my clothes on," Stokes says. She finds her Android device, with its camera and sharing capabilities, to be a perfect immediate art form. "The more pictures I took, the more I saw what could be achieved, and the more I liked it," she says.
Stokes enjoys shooting nature—waterscapes, flowers, sunrises and sunsets—as well as anything she sees during the day with an interesting light or unusual aspect. "My Android device inspires me with its versatility… and absolutely beautiful color and results," she says.
Stokes mentions that mobile photographers should make shooting with their phones a habit, or a ritual—that way, it will "quickly, almost automatically, become one of your favorite art forms."
2. Katie Cowden
When Katie Cowden isn't photographing her daily progress on whichever textile art project she's working on, she uses her T-Mobile myTouch Slide to capture whatever catches her eye. With the help of editing apps like Vignette and Instagram, she particularly likes to photograph graffiti, architecture and the people around her.
"I use my Android because it fits in my pocket or purse in a way a DSLR just doesn't,"she says. "Not having a million settings forces me to think about the photo in a different way."
Cowden advises mobile photographers to make sure the lens is always clean, and to always be on the lookout for natural light. "Since the camera phone is not very adjustable, I try to start out with good lighting so I can focus on framing and composition," she says.
3. Donny Tidmore
Out of the 10 photography apps Donny Tidmore has on his Samsung Galaxy S II, he consistently uses three to edit his photos: Vignette, Little Photo and Pixlr-o-matic. He doesn't use Instagram for editing—only as a social network to share his art.
For Tidmore, the benefit of using an Android device extends past its convenient size—he likes that
everything is maintained on one device. "It's being able to do all of my editing, and upload [photos] to a social network, all on my phone no matter where I am," he says. "I have a job where I'm out and about all day, and being able to create on my phone while I should be working is awesome."
His main piece of advice for mobile photographers? Experiment with apps. "There is no shortage of
photography apps in the App Store or Google Play. Spend a lot of time working with different ones until
you find your 'style' or something that really clicks with you," he advises. "Other than that, shoot often… and have fun!"
4. François-René Hamelin
Even though François-René Hamelin owns a Canon PowerShot G11 and a Canon EOS 7D—both high-quality DSLRs—he uses his Android HTC Desire HD with Ice Cold Sandwich (Android v 4.0.4) for mobile photography. The fact that he always has his smartphone with him makes it his main tool for taking pictures.
Hamelin uses editing apps like UCam Ultra Camera (which allows him to focus easier) and Pixlr-o-matic for filters. The HTC Desire also includes camera software that creates panoramic photos.
"I always try to have pictures that tell stories or at least that give a feeling," Hamelin says. "All my pictures taken with my smartphone are made to be seen by my friends that live far away from me [in Belgium], so I try to put what I feel inside."
Hamelin suggests that fellow mobile photographers "look everywhere, shoot, move, shoot again—the more you take pictures, the more you find what works and what does not."
5. Jaina Mistry
Like Tidmore, Jaina Mistry uses her Samsung Galaxy S II for photography, documenting the world around her. Her go-to editing app is Vignette for the filters, as well as the basic editing tools such as brightness, contrast, saturation and temperature.
"Convenience is the biggest factor," Mistry says. "I have my phone on me all the time, and it has a pretty good camera attached to it. I do usually carry my DSLR around with me, too, but sometimes it's just quicker to get that snapshot with my phone." She explains that being able to share her photos instantly is another reason why her smartphone's camera comes in handy.
Mistry is an advocate for editing photos, but she advises mobile photographers to be smart about it. "I know there's a lot of backlash against filters on your photos, and I can understand [that] backlash," she says. "Which is why I say use filters, but don't abuse filters. Don't feel the need to add a filter if your photo doesn't need it. Sometimes a photo is perfectly brilliant without a filter over the top of it."
Image courtesy of iStockphoto, franckreporter.
The above article has been independently produced by Mashable. The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of Samsung USA, Samsung Electronics America Inc., or any of its parents/affiliates as well as any other individual employee thereof.
