photography tips | favorite photo editing apps

Since buying my first iPhone - the 3G - in 2010, I have used my phone as my point and shoot camera.  I am still amazed how much better they have gotten over time and with each upgrade the photo quality just gets better and better. 

I have since upgraded to the 5 - albeit barely (the screen is cracked from a drop) - and usually have it nearby because you just never know what will happen that I need to capture.  at least that is my excuse for being on my phone a lot.  Anyway, after I get the image I want and before I post to Instagram or on the blog, I have three steps I go through to edit my iPhone photos. vsco cam, afterlight, and whitagram. 

 

STEP 1: vsco cam app. I only recently discovered vsco cam app in the past few months.  I upload the photo to my library then browse the filters to see which is the best.  I love their filters and in my opinion they are the best around.  While you can download the app for free, you will have to pay for most of the filters.  The cost for the different filters range anywhere from $.99 to $5.99.  They have specials for free or discount filters so I usually take advantage when that happens. 

image via google images

STEP 2: afterlight. I then turn to afterlight to adjust the brightness, contrast, clarity, saturation, etc of the photo.  This app is also a paid one - only $.99 - but is well worth it.  It's like having access to Lightroom or Picmonkey while on the go. 

image via google images

STEP 3: whitagram. Whitagram is another I just recently discovered.  I used to get so annoyed when I would upload my photo to Instagram and the gorgeous landscape I just captured is cropped into a square, eliminating a decent portion of the scene.  But with whitagram, you are able to keep the original size of the photo, with a white background, and upload it to instagram without any of the scene being cropped.  And guess what?!  This one is free.

 image via google images.

It only takes me 5 minutes, if that, to go through these steps before I hit the publish button in Instagram.  I want my photos to look their best when I share them with the world and these three apps help to accomplish that.  

What are your go-to phone photo editing apps?

What's your favorite?

Are you on Instagram?

 Linking up with Nicole and Ash today!

new shop additions

Here are some of the most recent additions to my Etsy shop. 

Title: "Fall"

Title: "Fall Color"

These should be some of the last Fall related photos I share until next year.  But I don't want to make any promises I cannot keep.

Do you have an Etsy shop?

Which one is your favorite?

Linking up with Nicole and Ash today!

penn state | travel tuesday

In September, the husband and I headed back to his Alma Mater, Penn State, to visit his sister and her boyfriend who just moved there in August.  We arrived late on Friday, drank lots of wine, and played a game of Cards Against Humanity.  

Somehow we were able to get out of bed at a decent time Saturday to take a walk around campus.  When I first started dating the husband, he was finishing his last semester there so I spent most weekends visiting but I still find myself getting confused while walking around campus and never really know where I am.  As much as I would have liked to have the big school experience, I know I would have never gone to class, especially when it was cold.  

I have not been to too many college campuses but of the ones I have been to Penn State is by far one of my favorites.  Although there have been a lot of additions since the husband has been in school, some of the buildings on campus are gorgeous and enriched with history.  Old Main is one such building and seems to be the center that holds it all together.  Our walk around campus lead us behind of Old Main where I was able to get some photos of the back.  

^the line waiting to get in the PSU Creamery for ice cream.  I have yet to try it because without a doubt there is a line that seems to always lead outside.  I mean I love ice cream, just not that much. 

After a few Big Azz margarita (or two) and nachos from Mad Mex, my MIL, SIL, and myself headed out for a little shopping then chat on Old Main's front lawn while the boys watched some of the PSU vs UMASS (PSU won by the way!).  While we chatted I got some photos of Old Main, but this time from the front.  

^I almost didn't notice this tree until my SIL pointed it out to me.  Love all of the initials carved in it.  I wonder if the husband and his ex's name are on there? hmmmm haha

After meeting back up with the boys we headed back to the house to recharge before dinner out and more drinks at Happy Valley Brewery.  We had such a nice time visiting and hope to be up again in the next few months to  catch a men's volleyball game. 

^There were some pretty incredible spider webs intertwined in my SIL's bushes in her front yard.  I pulled out my Macro filters I got off of Amazon and captured this close up of one of them.  How cool is that?  Be sure to stop by photography site and let me know if you like this photo better in color or black and white.

Where did you go to College?

What is the most beautiful campus you have ever been to?

Linking up with Bonnie and Tiffany today!

fall hike | find beauty friday

On Sunday, the husband and I went on a small hike through our favorite park.  With our 60 degrees days numbered we decided to take advantage of the unseasonably warm October day.  

Unfortunately, I think my posts of the beautiful Fall foliage is also numbered.   Until next year, these posts will have to hold me over.  

Where are your favorite places to hike?

What about where do you go to capture the colorful Fall foliage?

Linking up with Aimee today!

park mornings | find beauty friday

Now that 5 year old girlfriend is in Kindergarden until 2:00, I get the morning with 2 year old girlfriend, just the two of us.  One of her favorite places to go is the "big pak" next to the Sewickley YMCA.  Last week, instead of parking next to the park, we parked a little bit farther away so we could hike to get to the park.  With the leaves changing to beautiful vibrant yellows, oranges, and reds, we had to stop a few times to capture nature at her finest along the way.

As much as I was dreading the change in season, I have really enjoyed Fall this year.  For the first time I am really taking in the scenes and doing my best to live in the moment.  Perfect time of the year to rediscover Netflix, crochet, and warm lemon water.  

What are your favorite things about Fall?  What are your favorite Fall activities?

linking up with Aimee and Casey today!

photography tips | composition pt. 2

I have not been great about posting photography tips lately like I have promised.  I blame it on getting out of my routine lately.   But like I mentioned Monday, it's a new week and a new me.  

Anyway, today I thought I would continue with some more tips on composition:  depth of field, leading lines, and reflection. 

Depth of Field.  Since a photograph itself is only 2 dimenionsal, depth of field allows the photographer to portray the 3 dimenionsal world in the photo by placing a subject in focus and the blurring the background.     

Tulips in Spring.

Leading Lines.  Lines in the image that lead the eye to another focus point in the image.  

{print available on Society6}

The giant tree trunks of the Redwoods lead your eyes to the top to give you, the viewer, an idea of how tall the trees actually are.  

reflection.  I don't think this one needs much of an explanation, because duh.  Look in windows, puddles, etc the next time you are experimenting with your camera to capture a reflection.

The moonlight's reflection off of the Atlantic ocean in Topsail, NC. 

What have you been photographing lately?  What composition tricks to you tend to gravitate to?  Do you enjoy reading tips on taking better photos?  If so, let me know in the comments what you want to learn about. 

I hope all of this makes sense for you.  Stay tuned next Thursday for the last 3 composition tips, I promise. 

Linking up with Nicole and Ash today!

cook forest, pa | travel tuesday

In August, the husband and I, along with another couple, went back up to Cook Forest, PA.  This time for the Wine Fest in the Forest.  Instead of camping though, we stayed at the Inn at Cook Forest, right on the Clarion River.   We have never stayed at a B&B before so we didn't have high expectations.  I mean, I was just happy to have a bed to sleep on instead of a crash pad and sleeping bag.  But for the price we paid - I think around $115 - I would have rather taken the crash pad and sleeping bag. 

 I won't go into too much detail - because believe me I could write an entire post dedicated to our experience - but the rooms were outdated, poor communication with the innkeeper, freezer burned-tasting hash browns for breakfast, and the topping on the cake was when the inn keeper got into a heated argument with a customer in front of everyone and then kept talking about to the other customers.  Extremely unprofessional.  So, take my word for it, if you are ever staying the night in Cook Forest, find a cabin on one of the many camp grounds to stay in.  

^I mean look at it.  Looks like it is straight out of the The Shining.  

Anyway, not far from where we stayed is the Old Growth Forest so to get some fresh air and the blood pumping before the wine festival, we headed out for a hike among the beautiful trees.  I lent my camera to my friend to practice because she is thinking of buying a DSLR so I did not get too many photos from the hike.  The trees in The Old Growth Forest range anywhere from 280 and 350 years old.  Pretty amazing to think these trees have been around for as long as they have.  Definitely not as cool as the California Redwoods, but pretty cool for Western Pennsylvania.  

^color

^black and white

After our hike, we headed back to the inn to get dressed then headed to the wine festival.  Since I knew a lot of wine was going to be had I left my "big camera" in our room and only came away with a few photos of the actual wine festival on my phone.  Even though the venue where all of the wineries were pouring the tastings was small and seemed really cramped from all of the people, I wasn't bothered.  But I am pretty sure the wine that had a lot to do with that;).  We each bought a few bottles of wine, grabbed some dinner, then opened a bottle while we chatted over a bonfire in the backyard of the inn.  For August, the weather was chilly so the bonfire was perfect. 

The next morning I was up before everyone else so I headed downstairs, grabbed a coffee and headed outside to get a few photos of the morning fog cover.  We did not think we would have a good day but the Sun did come out for our 4 mile canoe along the Clarion.  

^the blue skies peaking through the fog. 

^The Pale Whale, where we rented canoes both times we have been up there. 

^lalala just around the riverbend 

On the way home we stopped at North Country Brewery in Slippery Rock for lunch and some beers/cider before heading home.  Besides the inn and the awkward innkeeper, our weekend was well spent up in Cook Forest.  The husband and I both really like it up there.  I still cannot believe it took us this long to make a trip to this area.  We will definitely be back, if not this Winter to rent out cabins, but next Summer. 

What has your B&B experience been like?

Or are you more of a camper?

Have you ever been to a wine festival?

Did you discover any new places to explore this year?

Linking up with Bonnie and Tiffany today!

photography tips | composition pt. 1

I know I promised more photography tips sooner, but I have been letting time get away from me and therefore not being terribly productive with the time I have.  It's a new month so what better time to begin again.  

Anyway, today I would like to talk about a few composition tricks for improving your photography.  I originally planned on sharing a lot more but decided to break it up into 3 parts to help it be less overwhelming and perhaps give you a chance to practice.  

Perhaps one of the most commonly used and popular tricks is the Rule of Thirds.  Imagine two horizontal lines intersecting with two vertical lines making nine even squares in your photo.  The idea is that you place the subject of your photo along those lines or their intersections.  

{print available for purchase on Society6}

The above was taken during a snowy walk around my neighborhood.  I loved the pop of color against the snowy white.  See how the subject, the playground, is off-center in the left third of my image?  This may be my favorite, go-to way to compose a photograph. 

A second favorite is Framing.  This technique draws attention to your subject by blocking out other parts of the image with something else in the scene.  

{print available for purchase on Society6}

I was visiting my aunt and uncle who live in Bay Village, a suburb outside of Cleveland, on Lake Erie.  We walked down to the lake from their house to get some fresh air.  Without the trees, I am not sure you, or I for that matter, would notice the tiny sailboat in the distance.  However, the trees' leaves frame the image very nicely to bring focus to what I wanted to point out. 

One more is to simply get Close-Up.  Regardless if you are shooting with a point-and-shoot, phone, or your nice DSLR, if you want to get a close-up of a scene the best thing you can do is to simply move closer to what you want to capture.  I know it's easier to sometimes zoom in but that just results in yucky grain that is not easy to eliminate in post processing.  

{Print available for purchase on Etsy or Society6}

This was my first photograph I took of my Mother-in-law's beautiful sunflower garden.  I got as close to the flower as I could and captured this shot.  I also really love the bokeh that was created in the background. 

I hope this all made sense for you and helped.  While Rule of Thirds, Framing, and Close-up are rules that photographers like to follow, rules are made to be broken.  Get creative.  Now, it's your turn to get out and shoot away!  

Was this helpful?

What's your favorite way to compose a photo?

 Linking up with Nicole and Ash today!