The one thing I get asked repeatedly on my blog and social channels is 'what do you use to edit your photos?'. So here goes!
First things first...
1. The Camera:
I use the Olympus Pen EPL7. It's the perfect compact size camera, ideal for travelling and handbag living. The ease of use is second to none and ofc, it has the wifi function so that you can upload all of your images to your phone in seconds and Instagram that beautiful pic right away! You can also build on your lens collection. Most recently I purchased the 45mm lens which is amazing! The main attraction with this lens is the aperture (blurry background) for detail shots etc. You don't necessarily need this lens when you initially buy the camera as the standard lens you get with it is great but if in time you're looking to improve your photo skills, then I would highly recommend this lens.
2. The Apps:
Snapseed- After your little giddy dance of excitement once you've just captured a killer shot, it's time to edit! This is almost as important as the image itself. Now, just a little side note, I'm not saying by any means to completely transform a photo because that's not what editing is about. It's about enhancing an already amazing image. Just little tweaks to perfect it. Snapseed is a free app to download and it's also the main app to enhance exposure, brightness, contrast etc. Lighting overall. It's probably one of my favourites as you can use a brush or selective tool to edit certain parts of the photo that you choose rather than editing the entire image.
Facetune- This app is about 6 euro (I think) in the App Store to buy. It's absolutely amazing for perfecting an image and giving it some overall finishing touches. However, it's also where you can loose the run of editing and overly photoshop, so just be careful and mindful not to over edit. Less is more :) My favourite functions would include: whiten, details & patch. Whiten, in particular, is amazing for enhancing a dull sky in your travel pics. Any whiteness for that matter, a grubby wall or a top you're wearing that looks grey in dark lighting. The 'details' function is by far the best! This allows you to enhance any fine details in your photos and totally bring them to LIFE! Buildings, jewellery, pretty details in your outfit, food, you name it. It's such a fab tool for really making a photo pop! The patch tool is great for when you need to edit out an 'eye sore' piece of gum on the floor, a stain on your top etc. You can simply grab anywhere on the photo that you wish to replicate and pop it over your 'not so pretty patch'. Voila!
VSCO CAM- Where you'll find the best filters! As far as I'm aware, I don't think many photo gurus use Instagram for filters. We filter first in VSCO and then pop it up on Instagram. I love my photos to be quite a dark complexion so I use filter colour A6 . VSCO CAM is free but you can buy extra filters & A6 is one of them. You can also adjust the strength of the filter starting from just a slight tone, to the full whack if you drag it all the way up! I usually stop half way :)
Planoly- This app is for us organisation freaks! The app is quite an expensive investment at 10 euro per month! I'm so used to using it now but there are free versions available (UNUM). Basically, what these apps are for are 'organising' your Instagram and seeing what an image looks like in your feed before you post it. Sounds crazy right? I know! But if you're the type of person to be SUPER anal about the aesthetic of your photos (like me) then this app is a godsend. It allows you to visually compare your images and see what looks best to post next. Maybe you have too many food shots close together that you didn't realise, or a selfie or 2 within the first 9 boxes, you can play around with your feed until it's to your taste and you can post away contently :)
instagram- The mothership! This is where your little masterpiece is showcased for all to see. Don't forget to use the relevant hashtags whether it be fashion, food or travel. That way, likeminded people will see your post and share the photo appreciation love! (Oh, and don't forget to sharpen! This feature on insta is the bomb).
Happy snapping dolls!
X
