Introduction
"The best camera is the one you have with you". That has to be one of the most popular quotes online when it comes to photography. As far as I can tell, it is usually attributed to Barry Staver, but then again looking at his site implies he is paraphrasing somebody else! Still, in these days of camera phones, it has truly taken on new significance.
The camera always with you
Being a technology geek, I've always been interested in camera phones. I can remember buying a phone attachment for a Nokia phone 10 years ago, which plugged in the bottom and offered something like 1MP, which I thought was amazing. At the same time, the phone didn't have internet, cost a fortune to picture message people and the photos were, unsurprisingly, rubbish. In comparison, I had a 3MP compact at the time which could take much better photos.
Over the years, I gradually got used to using camera phones for some photos, but have never been too much of a fan of them. They always seemed perfect for recording something quickly (like a funny sign or quick shot on a night out), but most certainly inferior to a compact or a DSLR. This isn't a surprise, but I always found it odd how people seemed so happy to give up all other cameras simply because they had a camera on their phone.
Filters: making your state of the art look old
Then...Instagram happened. Hipstamatic had already popularised the use of filters in photos, but Instagram really brought it to the masses. With a few quick clicks, you could make your dull, flat photos appear artier or like they were taken with an old camera. The effect quickly got overused, but when used correctly it could enhance the photo in question.
It also helped to get around the limitations of a camera phone (such as no true zoom, no control over the photo, lower quality etc). What it did make me realise is that camera phones could potentially take photos which, whilst not necessarily going to be works of art, could take photos that could hold their own.
Snapseed: letting you edit photos properly on the go
Snapseed is an app acquired by Google and available for free, which found a lot of people rushing to download it following the Instagram Terms of Reference debacle. It doesn't have a share facility, but it does have the ability to edit photos in a simple manner. This covers things like cropping, tilting, adjusting contrast and so on.
For example, the photo above was taken on a recent trip to Lloyd's of London from a lift. It's the sort of shot I'd love to take properly with my DSLR, but funnily enough didn't have that with me. It's also the sort of shot I'd previously have dismissed taking with my camera phone, for that very reason. However, I gave it a shot, knowing I could try out using Snapseed. The result surprised me; the original photo was okay but a little drab, whereas this ended up a nicely framed and dynamic photo!
Snapseed also has the option to use filters, much like Instagram and its ilk. I decided to try that out on this shot of the lift shaft at Lloyd's. The lift roof wasn't the clearest and it was a dull day, so again this is a photo I'd usually have avoided. The filter may not have been the best choice, but I liked the fact it added interest to an otherwise average shot.
Some general tips
Snapseed has limitations
One of the problems with something like Snapseed is it is a victim of its own success. Namely, the features it have are so well implemented, that it makes you wish it could do more. For example, the ability to do some repair/clone type things would be great. It also can be a little too easy to fall into the filter trap (which I kinda did with the lift photo); rather than planning a photo in advance and thinking about the sort of effect to add, you end up taking a photo then cycling through all filters until you find one you like.
This isn't a problem that befalls just camera phones to be fair; all too often, you see DSLR shots that are black and white where it is obvious the photographer didn't plan that, they just decided black and white would make the photo interesting.
Camera phones have lots of limitations
Camera phones are slowly killing the compact camera market, but that isn't because camera phones take better photos. Indeed, people who state that haven't seen the sort of photos digital compacts can take these days. The one advantage they have (which is why they win out overall) is convenience. That said, the limitations do mean you have to put more thought into your photos than sometimes people realise. For example:
- Don't use zoom (it is just fancy cropping) - move closer or further away as needed
- Think about lighting - you can't change ISO, so you'll have to go with the camera decision
- You may be able to select the focal point, but you can't change the exposure length
- There's usually a delay between snapping and recording, so try to keep still!
Think what subject suits it best
The convenience factor means that camera phones do lend themselves to some photos more than others. It is a way of capturing photos that you don't have time to setup for, that you would otherwise miss with an unwieldy camera. Don't simply use it to replace a compact or a DSLR!
Summary
Using Snapseed has been a fun experience and has encouraged me to play with my camera phone some more. It won't replace my trusty 60D, but then that would be asking a lot. What I do intend to use it for is to see if I can think about my photos in more detail and get used to working with (rather than against) the limitations in place. DSLRs are great, but their power can make it too easy to take photos. Camera phones mean you have to work a little harder to take truly great photos, which will hopefully mean better photos from my DSLR as well!
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