photoediting
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Polaroid's Polamatic app brings its unique brand of nostalgia to Android
If the multitude of apps with faux-retro photo filters simply isn't enough, you'll be happy to know that Polamatic for Android is available today in the Google Play store. Polamatic allows you to adorn your artfully staged cat photos with a choice of 36 different borders, including Polaroid's classic white frame. Additionally, the app comes with 20 distinct filters and captions with a selection of 24 fonts. Also included is the option to share your photos via e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Tumblr and even Instagram. The latter might be the reigning monarch of photo editing apps, but even its aesthetic is an homage to Polaroid's old school style. To make your new photos look old (in the hippest of ways), head on over to the source link below to download the app.
Aviary 3.0 for Android features new interface and photo filters
Now that Aviary has been on its own for a year, its developers have seen it fit to give its Android app a modest overhaul. Aviary version 3.0 packs in a new interface, an improved focus tool, a beefed up color splash feature and an array of goofy stickers. The Enhance tool has also been expanded to offer three distinct options -- Hi-Def, Illuminate and Color Fix -- each tweaking your photo's sharpness, brightness and color settings, respectively. Aviary's filters went through a renovation as well, with the developers adding the erstwhile iOS-only Woodlands Effect Pack as an in-app purchase. Head on over to Google Play or click the source links below to download the app -- it was good enough for Jeff Bezos, so it might have the potential to win your photo-filter-loving heart.
Daily iPhone App: ProCollage is an easy and powerful photo utility for iOS
ProCollage (US$1.99) is a very nicely done app for creating photo collages on any iOS device. After you grant access to your camera roll, PhotoCollage lets you select multiple images and use pre-defined templates. Don't care for those templates? No problem, it lets you use a free-form approach as well. Images can be moved within a frame, resized or rotated. Frame colors are almost unlimited, and there is a selection of multiple backgrounds for your images. Happily, the app doesn't make you purchase anything else to make it all work. This latest version adds the ability to apply text to a collage, and there are 14 different styles. Putting the app to a test today, I found it easy to create a variety of nice looking sets of images. There is help built in, but I really didn't need it. One thing lacking is that the app does not work in landscape view. If it did, some wide-aspect-ratio images would be larger on screen, allowing for more precise placement. ProCollage is not alone in the iOS world. I've also used, and praised Diptic, which is still excellent. I've also enjoyed using GoodTimes for Mac OS, which makes some very striking collages. ProCollage seemed well behaved under the iOS 7 beta, and currently requires iOS 5 or greater. It has been optimized for the iPhone 5. %Gallery-191844%
Yahoo! acquires GhostBird Software, apps pulled from App Store
GhostBird Software is known for its KitCam camera app and PhotoForge, an image editing app that first hit the App Store in 2009. Late Wednesday afternoon, the Canadian company announced that it is closing its doors and joining the Flickr team at Yahoo! GhostBird's website is now just a placeholder with only the acquisition announcement gracing its front page. The company also pulled its two apps from the App Store. Customers with the apps installed on their iOS device will be able to keep using the current versions, while those who purchased the apps can redownload them through iCloud. The apps are no longer available to download through the App Store and will not be updated beyond their current versions.
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5 now available for $149
Adobe teased us with a Photoshop Lightroom 5 beta at the start of the spring, and it's closing out the season by releasing the finished goods. Mac- and Windows-based shutterbugs can download the completed image management app today, either at no extra charge through a Creative Cloud subscription or $149 for a stand-alone version ($79 for an upgrade). Buyers get the same core updates no matter how much they spend, including an Advanced Healing Brush for removing objects and Smart Previews that let travelers leave their original files at home. Behance publishing is also part of the revision. When Lightroom is free to try for a month, it likely won't hurt to grab a copy at the source link -- especially if your photo collection is growing out of hand.
Twitter adds inline profile editing, drag-and-drop photo uploads
Twitter has made it just a tad easier to tweak your profile information by offering the option of changing them inline. The feature, which is available through both the website and its official mobile apps, enables faster changes to your account bio, as well as drag-and-drop upload capability for your header and profile photos. It's a small change, but ultimately it's meant to encourage users to keep their accounts fresh and relevant. Check out the video below the break to see exactly how it works.
Repix update brings frames, a new filter pack and a revamped adjustment menu
Repix -- one of the more creative photo editing apps available for iOS -- has just seen an update that streamlines its design and adds a handful of new features. Since its launch in March, the app's strongest selling point has been its brushes, which allow you to selectively edit parts of your photos. Sadly, this update doesn't include any new ones, but it does introduce a spotlight filter pack with four options: gallery, slender, stage and disco lighting. The set isn't included in the free download; it can be purchased for $1.99 through the app. Additionally, the adjustment menu has seen a performance-enhancing facelift. The slider at the bottom of the screen allows for straightforward editing of contrast, brightness, vibrance, saturation, temperature and vignette settings. Lastly, the new frame tool offers seven different borders in black or white variants. The new frames and filter aren't overly exciting, but the aesthetic tweaks do freshen up Repix's look while improving functionality. For more info, you can read the full press release after the break.
Google shows off Auto Enhance and Highlights photo-editing tools for Google+ (update: video)
Hot on the heels of folding photo storage in with Gmail and Google+, Google is showing off two photo-editing tools for G+ called Auto Enhance and Highlights. Starting with Auto Enhance, this is clearly the fruit of Google's eight-month-old Snapseed acquisition: with this feature you can do things like adjust for exposure, soften skin, minimize wrinkles, remove red-eye and reduce noise in low-light shots. Additionally, there's a bunch of so-called auto-awesome tools: collage, HDR, panorama and smile. A fifth auto-awesome feature, 'Motion,' creates GIFs when it detects a series of shots taken at the same place and time. And don't worry: you can easily switch back to the untouched original, so there's no need to worry about giving Google too much control. Highlights, meanwhile, takes the sting out of album creation by automatically selecting your best photos and setting aside your not-so-good ones. This means pruning for duplicates and blurry shots, while favoring ones with smiling faces and accurate exposure. You'll find some samples in the gallery below, but why settle for examples when you can play around using your own photos? Both features are rolling out to Google+ today, so fire up your browser if you feel like giving them a try. Oh, and while you can upload up to 15GB of full-size photos (per that new storage policy), downsized pics don't count toward that storage limit, so long as they're smaller than 2,048 pixels. Update: Google's posted a video overview of the new photo features, which we've embedded just past the break.%Gallery-188464%
Daily iPad App: Gradients is a free iOS photo editor that is worth a look
I'm always on the lookout for free photo apps that do a good job, and Gradients for the iPad or iPhone (free, universal) fits the bill. The app lets you add gradients to existing photos with almost infinite variations and control. I often create gradients in Photoshop, especially to tone down the sky in landscapes. It's nice to have a lightweight utility to handle that simple task. There are 46 filter styles available, and each one is customizable in parameters like opacity and tilt. You can turn photos into black-and-white images. You can even create a custom gradient and save it for future use. Unlike so many photo apps, Gradients doesn't throw in-app purchases at you. Everything is included. When your editing is done, you can save your photo, or share it via Twitter or Facebook. %Gallery-187386% Editing is easy, and as you make changes on the Gradients control panel you can see a thumbnail of your image. The only thing I found lacking is any kind of undo feature. You can tap on a new filter and the old one will go away, but there is no way to return to your starting point without reloading the image. Gradients is a universal app and optimized for the iPhone 5. It requires iOS 6 or later.
Perspective Correct is a nifty photo utility for your iPhone
Many of the photos we take have perspective problems, but there are not too many utilities for iOS that deal with it. The iPhone has a fairly wide-angle lens, and as a result, pictures of city buildings, landscapes with lots of trees, almost anything with vertical lines can need some perspective correction. Perspective Correct (US$1.99) is a new app that deals with just this problem. You import a photo and then by swiping across the screen you can change vertical or horizontal distortion. After that's corrected, you'll need to crop the photo and the app includes a built-in cropping tool. There is also a tool to make a white or black background around the image. You can also get perspective problems with indoor photography and even taking portraits where distortion could result in a big nose or a swelled forehead. I tested the app and it worked as intended. I'd like to see an undo command, because once you make the changes, you are stuck. The app is not universal, and is clearly intended for the iPhone, but I think a full-resolution version for the iPad should be offered. The app requires iOS 5 or greater and is optimized for the iPhone 5. Perspective Correct works well and is a welcome addition to my folder of photo editors. %Gallery-184938%
PopAGraph is a clever iOS photo app that gives your photos some 'pop'.
PopAGraph is a free iOS app that lets you mask off something in a photo, then create a reduced size frame that lets the object pop put of the frame boundaries. It can give your photos a unique look, and it's something I haven't seen before in an iPhone app. To make it work you select something in your image that you want to stand out. You draw a mask with your finger. You don't have to be exact, because the app will try and find the edges of the subject if it is pretty well set off in contrast of color. You can enlarge the view for more precise masking, and pan around using 2 fingers. When you are satisfied, you touch the 'lift' icon, and your selected object will be separated from the background. Select a frame, or multiple frames. They must be smaller than your masked object so the object can extend beyond the frame. You get a choice of frame colors and styles. The end result can be quite striking. You can then send your fished product via email, instagram or Twitter. Of course you can also save to your local photo library. PopAGraph is a clever photo editor. You're not going to be able to jump right in, because not every step is intuitive. There is, thankfully, built in help with video tutorials that make the operation of the app clear enough. The app also has some nice filters, so after the masking process you can change the background or the foreground. For example, leave what has been masked in color, and turn the rest of the photo black and white. There are more extensive filters, but they involve an in-app purchase. If you buy everything, including more frame options, the app is U.S. $2.99 instead of free. I found I could get along with what is included in the free version. %Gallery-184907% I liked PopAGraph. If you're willing to spend a few minutes learning the app it will pay you back with some really unique photos that will be appreciated by friends and family. PopAGraph requires iOS 6 or later, and it is optimized for the iPhone 5. It is not universal, so it's sub-optimal on an iPad.
Pixies for iOS helps you create novelty photos
Pixies-Fun with Photos is a nice twist on regular photo-editing apps. The free app lets you take a picture, then add some graphics (objects, animals, symbols etc) so you can share the augmented whimsical results with family and friends. The developers have also partnered with Zazzle so you can send your favorite creations for printing on mouse pads, a coffee mug, T-shirt or other keepsake. Although the app is free, I suspect the real reason it exists is to push those printing services. The app works as you would expect, and there is a large variety of graphics you can put on a photo. The app lets you take a picture with your camera, or you can use an image you already have. There are plenty of little things you can add to your photos, or you can get more with an in-app purchase. I think there are enough bundled with the free app that you probably won't be tempted. This is the kind of app kids will enjoy, but adults will have some fun creating unique photos too. %Gallery-183920% The app runs on any iOS device, but is not universal.
Google+ update for Android and iOS adds Snapseed editing, always-on location option
Snapseed quickly took on Google+ integration after it was acquired by Google. It's now Snapseed's time to return the favor. An update to the Google+ apps is introducing basic image editing (currently for iOS only) and, yes, those seemingly inescapable retro filters to get just the right effect before an image goes into a post. The pseudo-Instagram layer is far from the only addition, however. Android and desktop users can optionally tell Google+ to always share their closest available location in their profile; posts in the stream now include more text and make it easier to see photos and videos; Community participants can also invite people, share posts and manage activity away from their computers. If you've ever wanted to fix a Google+ photo -- or break it, some would argue -- the Android and iOS updates are rolling out today.
Repix lets you remix and paint your photos on iOS
I'm amazed at the variety of photo editors available for the iPhone and iPad. Many are "me too" apps that don't offer many unique features, but Repix (free) offers a fresh idea. It can help you create some very artistic photos with only a little effort, even if you aren't the most creative photographer on the planet. Repix contains a collection of brushes that you use to paint over your image. Each brush applies a unique effect. For example, there are brushes to "cartoonize" your image, or make it look like charcoal media. There are also brushes for edge enhancement, super-saturated colors, and posterize brushes. Others are erase tools that can clean up unwanted changes (there's an undo command, too). Repix has access to your camera, so you can take an image from within the app. Edit tools include crop, saturation, color balance, temperature and vignetting. The app works quickly, and saves at full resolution of 4,096 x 4,096 for the iPhone 5 and iPad 3+. Help is included, so I doubt anyone will get lost using the app. Of course, Repix's developers would like you to add more brushes, and a Master's Collection is available via in-app purchase for US$4.99. I think that trip to the wallet can be avoided, but if you really get into using the app you might want more options. You can also mix and match brush purchases, so you could just get a set of Light Brushes (stars, streaks, etc.), for only $1.99. Other combinations are offered. %Gallery-183216% Repix lets you share your creations with the usual social networks and email. It has a well-designed interface and felt speedy on my iPhone 5. I think it's a better app on the iPad where you can work in greater detail, and when testing I longed for the ability to change the brush size. You can zoom in and out of the image for detailed work, but more brush control would be helpful. I'd also like the ability to control the effect with a percentage slider. There is a lot to like about Repix, especially for free. The app requires an iPhone 4 or greater, an iPad 2 or greater, and iOS 6 or greater. It is optimized for the iPhone 5.
Photo Shaper for iOS is a nice way to create a memorable portrait
There aren't a lot of apps that specialize in portraits, but Photo Shaper (on sale for US$1.99 on the App Store) does just that. The app is simplicity itself. Take a photo using the camera controls in the app, or grab something from your Camera Roll. The app mattes a circle around the photo, and gives you a wide choice of backgrounds. When you are happy, you can share the photo with Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or, of course, email. The results look professional, and I think the app would be good for creating profiles on social networks, or just adding a unique look to any portrait. %Gallery-179189% The only thing I didn't like is that you have to position and size your photo before the matte appears. It would be more logical to actually see what the image will look like, then make the adjustments. It's not enough of an issue to avoid the app, but editing in-frame would be the best way to do it. The app requires iOS 4.3 or greater and is optimized for the iPhone 5.
Pixelmator's Shapes interface coming soon
Pixelmator is one of my favorite apps on the Mac -- I've been following it for a long time, and whenever I want to do any photo editing beyond a quick resize (and sometimes even when I want to do that), I click the Pixelmator icon in my Dock. This week at Macworld/iWorld 2013, Pixelmator's Ausra Meskauskaite kindly stopped by the media room to visit with the TUAW team, and chat about what Pixelmator's Lithuania-based developers have been up to recently. It turns out they've been busy: The company is just about to introduce the long-awaited Shapes feature, allowing designers and artists to drag pre-created (or custom-made) shapes onto a digital canvas, and then edit various attributes of those shapes, like painting them with a color gradient, growing or shrinking them, and masking or layering them as needed. Pixelmator has planned to implement a shape element for a long time, and Photoshop users will know how useful dealing with shapes can be. But Meskauskaite told me that Pixelmator took its time working with the new feature, because they thought they could implement it better than Adobe did with Photoshop. The final interface certainly does seem simple -- you can just drag a shape out, and then drag a gradient onto it as needed. Clicking on the placed shape brings up a series of control points, and those can be dragged around to get the shape exactly where you need it. You can even convert text over to a shape, and then interact with it in the same way. I'm not a design expert, but the whole interface seemed very fluid and easy to use. Pixelmator is also working on an interface for layer styles, although I didn't get a chance to see that one in action just yet. Meskauskaite said that the company spent much of 2012 just making sure the app was running well and correctly, and now that 2013 has arrived, the focus will move to start putting new features in, like the shapes and upcoming layer styles interfaces. Unfortunately, not everything has gone smoothly with Pixelmator in the last year or so. Meskauskaite told me that whenever Apple offers a cool new feature in OS X, "we take it and place it in the app." Pixelmator saw Apple's Auto Save feature, and immediately decided to add it into the app, but that change ended up rubbing a lot of users the wrong way. The problem is that Auto Save automatically wrote over any changes users made to images, which means that "Save As..." no longer worked (since the original image was replaced by the image being worked on, rather than being separate from it). Instead of "Save As...", Pixelmator has implemented an "Export" screen, but the change in workflow has caused a lot of problems for users, admits Meskauskaite. She told me that "we had debates day and night" about how to deal with the Auto Save problem, and in the end, "we had to choose Auto Save." Users who understand how Auto Save works have dealt with the change better, she says, but Pixelmator also understands why users still attached to the old workflow would be frustrated, and the team is working on finding a solution that makes as many people happy as possible. Pixelmator famously moved exclusively on to the Mac App Store a little while ago, and Meskauskaite says they're very happy to be selling apps (a lot of apps) via Apple's platform. I asked what the company might want out of the App Store in the future, and Meskauskaite said the number one thing they're looking for is volume purchasing. That's a feature that came to the iOS store a while ago, but hasn't yet shown up on the Mac App Store yet, and Pixelmator believes they would do well with it. As for the future, Pixelmator certainly has plans, but couldn't share any of them just yet. Getting the 2.2 Blueberry "Shapes" update out is the current focus, and it should be available soon, and definitely in a beta form later on this month. As for the other updates, we'll just have to wait and see.
Over HD for iOS puts beautiful typography over your photos
There are lots of apps that let you add text to your photos. Over HD (US$1.99, but currently on sale for 50 percent off) does it with grace and style. Pick or take a photo, open it in Over and add your text. The font choices are very artistic, not just the standard off-the-shelf variety. You can move the text around, change the size and reduce the brightness of the background image. Then you can share your photo through the usual social tools and email. There is also an option to have your photo delivered as a real postcard, at a small cost of course. The rendered fonts are of very high quality, and the GUI is best in class. This app would be my first choice to add text to my photos. You get 25 fonts with the app, and for another dollar, you can add more. I think the default fonts are varied enough to not make me want to purchase additional ones. %Gallery-177154% It's not, however, as full-featured as I would like. You can't add multiple labels, and you can't rotate the text or create a drop shadow. I'd like to see those functions added. If you are looking for something free, check out Phonto. It's not as pretty and the fonts aren't as cool, but you can freely rotate and add additional text labels. The app is ad-supported, but for an additional $0.99 you can have an ad-free version. Still, Over HD is my favorite way to add text to photos on the fly. It is easy to use, has a beautiful GUI and the text looks just great. Over HD is a universal app, and is optimized for the iPhone 5. It requires iOS 5.1 or greater.
LensFlare Studio is a first rate photo effects package for OS X
LensFlare Studio is a new Mac application with origins in iOS. Specifically, the US$0.99 LensFlare app from Brainfever Media. Typically, we see apps go the other way, from the Mac OS X platform to iOS. This time, the result is an interesting app with much more power. LensFlare Studio ($19.99) is an impressive way to add flares and other optical effects to your images, or start with a blank slate and create interesting lighting effects. Pro applications like Photoshop have a variety of flare effects, but nothing like the effects included with LensFlare Studio. I found I could enhance some sunset or dawn photos, or add some out-of-frame lighting to images I took in Antelope Canyon in Utah. Like any photo effect, it can be overdone, but I found the ability to control the intensity of the effects made for an enhanced image. You'll find before and after examples in the gallery below. %Gallery-176728% This app is easy to use. You chose from a variety of effects, and you have control over placement, color, rotation, artifacts and more. You can add lens flares, basic elements (like the sun or bright stars) or bokeh effects. You can add more effects in additional layers, and turn each layer on or off individually. This app is useful for existing photos, logo creation or other graphic designs. It is easy to make these optical enhancements look as natural as you like, or as outlandish. I have two things I'd like to see added to the app. As it is, the app doesn't remember the window size from the last launch. I'd like it to retain that so I don't have to keep expanding it. I'd also like to see some level or curves adjustments for the imported image. When you add the effect, you may well want to tone down the base image, and that's not possible now. LensFlare Studio packs a lot of power for photographers and I enjoyed going through my library and enhancing some of my older landscape photos. Purists often run from enhancing photos with add-in elements, but I think used subtly it can really add drama to some photos. I like the ideas behind this app and the package it has been delivered in. LensFlare Studio requires OS X 10.7 or later and a 64-bit processor.
Photo Sense is a clever image editor for Mac and iOS
Most of us are acquiring loads of images on our computers and iOS devices. Many are pretty dull, spur-of-the moment photos that are taken and forgotten. Photo Sense (US$33.99) is a nifty, automated photo editing app for OS X that can bring forgotten photos back to life. It's great for those that don't want a high-end app's expense or steep learning curve. Photo Sense also has an iOS app, but more about that later. On the Mac, you drag your images into Photo Sense where they sit ready for editing. I use the term "editing" loosely, because usually, it's just a one-click operation. After the click, your image will, in most cases, be greatly improved. If not, you can do some manual tweaking. The app features full undo, and you can see before and after views simultaneously. Photo Sense can be used as an external editor in iPhoto, Aperture or Lightroom. You can try multiple operations on an image while keeping the original intact. There are several filters available too, like black and white and various textures. Of course, color balance and saturation adjustments are also available. %Gallery-176543% Batch Processing is supported, and you can downsize images and change the image type if you like. How did it work? Surprisingly well. I brought in some unprocessed pictures taken with my Canon DSLR, and in every case it made improvements. Yes, I could have done much of that in Photoshop, but for the average casual shooter, this is a very nice solution. You have control over what is done to the image when you auto-fix it, but I think most people will stick with the defaults. The program is quick to do its work, and I saw no crashes or bad behavior. The user interface is straightforward and easy to figure out. On to the iOS version. It's not as fully featured, of course. This $1.99 universal app will automatically enhance your photos, but there isn't any range of adjustment, other than turning a feature off like sharpening. I thought the app improved most photos without any negative effects, but with Snapseed now free, that's probably a better iOS option with a broader range of features. Photo Sense for Mac OS is a different story. I liked the way it worked. There's no real effort involved in improving a photo. The technology behind the app is strong, and all the behind-the-scenes work is done in the LAB color space, which can give you superior results. While Photo Sense isn't cheap, it is competitive with other image editors that are more complicated and don't always give such good results. There is a lite version that lets you try the Mac app for $3.99. I think the developer would get more buyers if the lite version was free. Photo Sense for iOS requires OS X 10.6 or later and a 64-bit processor. I've included some screen shots from both the Mac and iOS versions.
CollageIt lets you create and edit photos to share
I've seen a fair collection of collage apps for iOS and CollageIt is a nice free app that does something few of the other apps bother with: letting you edit photos within the app itself. Most require you to finish the photos in another app and then create the collage. This little app gives you an almost unlimited ability to tune the layout, frames and color backgrounds. The backgrounds can be solid or a gradient. Pictures can be moved to improve composition within a frame, and tapping a photo displays a rather complete set of editing tools for brightness, saturation, sharpness, orientation and so on. It's very nice to see this all in one app, which makes touching up images and creating the collages a quick operation. When you are done, save your photo to your camera roll, email it or send it out via the usual social networks and Flickr. Every so often I saw a small, unobtrusive ad at the bottom of the screen, but it's a small price to pay for such a flexible app. CollageIt is perfect for quickly sharing photos of a gathering of friends, a birthday or vacation photos with friends or family. If you're a frequent iPhone photographer, this universal app should be on your iPhone or iPad. CollageIt is optimized for the new iPhone 5, and requires iOS 4.3 or greater. You can see some sample screens in the gallery. %Gallery-175365%
