I thought it might be useful to list some of the iPhone, iPad & iTouch apps (and I guess they would be available o ANdroid too) that we have all been sharing on the Angkor Photo Workshop with Karl Grobl, Matt Brandon and Gavin Gough. My thanks to them and to the participants for letting me take most of the credit for sharing these with you! I’ve also added some essential software that is either free or low cost that I think you should all consider using.

iPhone & iPad Photography Apps

PhotoSmith – If you are an Adobe Lightroom user and have the camera connection kit, Photosmith allows you do the first part of your workflow on the road right on your iPad. The app allows you to import, rate, label, keyword, tag your images exactly as you would in Lightroom, before then importing them to Lightroom when you get back to base. A wonderful tool to save time when on the road. Read a review here

Light trac. This iPAD app lets you find out when the light is perfect at a specific location by showing you exactly at what angle the sun hits your location at any given time of the day. I’ve reviewed this previously, but this is a superb app for making sure that you are in exactly the right place at the right time, as it links to satellite imagery to ensure you can be pinpoint accurate. Want to know where to get a star bust effect over Angkor Wat at Sunrise, then use this app to go to precisely the right place. Check out Light Trac’s website for screenshots

Filterstorm – A favorite of Photojournalists, Filterstorm is at home in a professional workflow, or for anyone who simply wants to get the most out of their pictures while on the road. Filterstorm contains a suite of powerful tools including curves manipulation, color correction abilities, noise reduction, sharpening, vignetting, and black and white conversion fine-tuning. It also includes the powerful ability to apply any of the available filters by brush, color range, and gradient. Read a review or check out the pro version in iTunes

GPS4Cam – This excellent and intuitive Geo location data app allows you to append GPS data to your images prior to importing them into Lightroom, Aperture Or Camera Raw and is by far the most cost effective way to geotag those images. By simply synchronizing you iPhone and your camera’s clocks, you can then turn the app on. We has it “pinging” every ten minutes to save battery life as this was accurate enough for us at the pace we were walking. It Works with any and all digital cameras. Any model, any make (even Leica!).and runs in the background leaving you free to take pictures, listen to music, use maps or browse the web and does not even need wifi to work. Then tap the “Export” button. This will generate one or more picture codes that you then take a picture of, with each code containing all of the time and location information. The free desktop application uses these codes, along with your pictures to synchronize precise times and locations and then embeds that info into each picture file. You are then free to import into Lightroom etc.

Hipstamatic – iPhone photography never looked so retro! For those wanting the look and feel of plastic toy cameras from days long ago, Hipstamatic is the app for you. Not only will it turn your photographs into creative works of art, the app does an amazingly great job and transforms your iPhone into a whole new camera. The app itself recreates the look of an old square-frame camera and takes Polaroid-style pictures. With the swipe of a finger you can change its virtual lenses and film formats to create a variety of over-saturated or discolored effects. You can read more on the Hipstamatic Website.

Easy Release This is an essential app if you need to create an on the spot model or property release. The app allows you to create a legally binding release (based on Getty Images own releases), including the image of the model or property, their signature, your signature and a witnesses signature. It then send all parties a pdf copy. Any changes made at a later date require the original parties to sign again. Matt Brandon – aka The digital Trekker – did a detailed and superb review of this great app on his blog

PerfectlyClear It’s fast, easy Dynamic Range Correction (DRC) that balances luminance and color, adds sharpness, and in more recent versions helps to reduce noise especially in processing images with a lot of darker areas. Perfectly Clear helps to overcome the deficiencies and limitations of the iPhone’s camera. This is a great way to quickly process an image before sharing it on social media, facebook or email etc

PhotoMeter – Photometer will turn your iPhone into a reliable Exposure Meter, a modern interpretation of what it should be in times of retina displays and touch screens – for old times sake they have included a classic skin that feels and behaves just like the real thing. Perhaps more a but of fun than an essential tool, it is useful bnever the less!

Productivity and Photo Sharing Apps

PhotoShare – Transfer photos and/or contacts between two iPhones and/or iPod Touches over bluetooth. Requires iPhone 3G or later or 2nd generation iPod Touch or later (Bluetooth data transfer cannot be supported on the original iPhone or original iPod Touch due to hardware limitations). Does not require any 3G or WiFi connection. This is the best bluetooth photo sharing app out there, and it’s free!!

Dropbox – Dropbox is a free service that lets you bring all your photos, docs, and videos anywhere. After you install Dropbox on your computer, any file you save to your Dropbox will automatically save to all your computers, your iPhone and iPad and even the Dropbox website! With the Dropbox app, you can take everything that matters to you on the go. You can read your docs or flip through your albums when you’re out and about. Save photos or videos to your Dropbox and share them with friends in just a couple taps. Even if you accidentally leave your iPhone in a taxi, your stuff is always safe on Dropbox.

Goodreader – GoodReader is the super-robust highly-rated PDF reader with advanced reading and annotating capabilities. Reviews worldwide hail it as “essential,” “the best,” “magnificent” and “the killer app”. With GoodReader on your iPhone, you can read virtually anything, anywhere: books, movies, maps, pictures. Use it once and you’ll be hooked. GoodReader has earned its accolades by the way it handles huge PDF and TXT files, manuals, large books, magazines. The ability to mark-up PDFs opens up new doors to GoodReader users who can now use typewriter text boxes, sticky notes, lines, arrows, and freehand drawings on top of a PDF file.

WorldCard mobile – WorldCard Mobile, the leading business card scanning application for iPhone, uses OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology to instantly transfer information from business cards to the user’s native contacts. With a simple click of the camera, you no longer have to manually input contact info from business cards or email signatures. This is a great tool that helps you keep the details of all those key contacts for a given location: fixer, travel agent, photographers.

Dragon Dictation – Dragon Dictation is an easy-to-use voice recognition application powered by Dragon® NaturallySpeaking® that allows you to easily speak and instantly see your text or email messages. In fact, it’s up to five (5) times faster than typing on the keyboard. With Dragon Dictation you can also dictate status updates directly to your Social Networking applications (Facebook and Twitter) or send notes and reminders to yourself….all using your voice. So when you’re on-the-go, stop typing and start speaking – from short text messages to longer email messages, and anything in between.

Softsign gives you the ability to sign legal documents, contracts and forms on your iPhone and iPad. Whether you’re a photographer or filmmaker needing a release form signed, an entrepreneur who wants to potential investors to sign a non-disclosure agreement or a tradesman who needs a client to sign an estimate, Softsign is the App for you. Softsign is reliable, easy to use, and environmentally friendly. Importing PDF documents to Softsign for signature couldn’t be easier. You can open PDF documents direct from Mail, Evernote, or Dropbox – simply tap the attached file and select “Softsign” from the pop-up menu and your document will be automatically saved in the templates section of the App. When you need to get a document signed, simply head to the templates section, open the document and in just a few simply steps you will have the signed document processed and you can share it directly from the App via Mail or by printing a hard copy directly from your device.

iSupr8 – Once a staple of home movies and student films, Super 8 mm cameras are used by today’s filmmakers to achieve an authentic, vintage look. But if you don’t want the hassle of good old fashion film, or you can’t make it down to the Levi’s Film Workshop in Los Angeles, for a limited time only Levi’s is giving you this tool totally free. So download away and get busy turning your videos into gritty, grainy masterpieces.

iTalk Recorder is a full-featured recording app with a streamlined and intuitive user interface. Press the big red button to record; press it again to stop. You can append to existing recordings, choose from three levels of recording quality (11.025, 22.05, or 44.10 kHz sample rates), and manage your recordings, all with just a fingertip. You can email recordings straight from iTalk. iTalk also supports direct file sharing through iTunes. Whether you’re recording minutes of a meeting, a lecture, or the sounds of birds singing in a meadow far from any electrical outlets, iTalk Recorder Premium puts the sound quality you need in the palm of your hand.

Essential travel apps

TripIt – TripIt is an easier way to organize travel. No more frantic searches for flight numbers in your inbox: access all your travel plans in one place on your iPhone, iPad, in your calendar, or online – no matter where you book. To get started, simply forward your travel confirmations to plans@tripit.com and TripIt automagically creates a ”smartinerary,” combining your travel plans with maps, driving directions and more, which can easily be shared with others. TripIt Pro acts like a personal travel assistant who takes care of you while traveling, by keeping you in the know with status alerts and alternate flight options, storing all your frequent traveler points in one place, and helping you save money on flights. Greater peace of mind while traveling is available for $49/year.

iTranslate – iTranslate features a well-designed user interface that suits well with the iPhone’s screen. You can easily switch from one language to another easily with the use of a pull-down menu. One good thing about iTranslate is the fact that it doesn’t entail too much data charges since the app uses a small amount of data. This iPhone app also lets you keep track of the previous texts which you have translated already. You can easily go back at these texts and then translate them to another language. It stays in your iPhone’s memory so you don’t have to enter the texts again. It gets more fun whenever you are trying to communicate with someone in a foreign country. You can let them enter what they want to say in their language and then you translate it on your own language

WebMD – Feeling Ill? Responsible for other on a workshop in a remote location? This tools helps you diagnose possible symptoms and provides some basic guidance to alleviate them. It’s feature include: WebMD Symptom Checker – Select the part of the body that is troubling you, choose your symptoms, & learn about potential conditions or issues; Conditions – Find medically reviewed information about Conditions relevant to you & learn more about causes, treatments, & related symptoms; Drugs & Treatments – Search their extensive database for information on Drugs, Supplements, & Vitamins. Access content such as Uses, Side Effects, Warnings, and more; Pill Identification Tool – Identify your prescription drugs and over the counter medicines by pill shape, color, & imprint; First Aid Essentials – Your handy guide for medical emergencies. From insect stings to broken bones, helpful treatment tips are always available, even without an Internet connection.

TuneInRadio- TuneIn radio is simply an internet radio for the iPhone. Is the concept new? Not at all. However, that does not mean that TuneIn RadioTunein Radio does not have the chance to bring some unique features to the iPhone internet radio application market. TuneIn Radio aims to be the best of the best for iPhone internet radios. It locates local radio stations, has a huge list of radio stations, can play custom radio stations from the web and even aims to record live radio stations so you can go back and listen to a particular broadcast or song that you previously recorded.

Packing Pro Packing can often times be a tedious and annoying task. While the end result means you are set and ready to venture off to your desired destination, the process can be a little stressful as you scramble to make sure all the necessities are accounted for.Many have a hard enough time planning an outfit a day in advance, let alone being prepared for multiple days (or weeks), which is where Packing Pro by Quinn Genzel comes in. Essential for anyone who appreciates having enough clean underwear, Packing Pro helps you plan out a well-developed list so you will hopefully leave nothing behind.

Powerplug – PowerPlug is a free reference guide to the power plugs and electrical power systems of the world. Each country is listed along with its commonly found outlet types and power requirements. Search by map, country, or outlet type. Designed for both the experienced traveler and those just curious about the world, PowerPlug provides an easy to use interface that simplifies your search for information.

Genius Scan – Genius Scan turns your iPhone into a pocket scanner. It enables you to quickly scan documents on the go and email the scans as JPEG or PDF.The Genius Scan scanner technology includes smart page detection, perspective correction, image post-processing. It allows you to build PDF documents with multiple scans. This app really comes into its own when you combine it with Travel Tracker (below) so that you can scan all of your receipts whilst on a trip.

Travel Tracker – TravelTracker is your ALL-INCLUSIVE personal travel assistant. It stores all vital information for your trip and displays it in convenient, easy to use itinerary screens. Additionally, it will allow you to record all of the key pieces of information you may need after your trip. It links with trip it, allows you to record recipts, ntes etc during your trip. This is the only product you’ll need to organize all your trip details for both personal and business use.

COming down through the clouds approaching Singapore

Recently I have been playing more and more with the camera and its built in HDR function. I make sure that I sit in a window seat on every flight, and always sneak my iPhone out as we start to do the approach to land, tying to capture an early impression of my destination.

I often seem to be landing at dusk or dawn, which of course means wonderful light, long shadows and better definition of the terrain below.

Cairo from 2000 feet

As many of you know I am not a great fan of HDR, but the setting on the iPhone 4 seems to produce very natural looking saturated images, so I now use it when I want the colors to be vibrant, but not too artificial.

Duomo Siena

I though I would share a couple of iPhone snaps form my last 3 months of travel. None of these images have been post-processed other than to be sized for the web and my logo to be added. All were taken with the iPhone 4 HDR setting switched on and the flash switched off.

Bangkok from 3000 feet

One image in particular astounded me as to the definition and the color – the images of the Duomo in Sienna (see above) taken if I remember correctly on February 14th this year. Just to repeat, I have not touched up this image. The saturation of the blue is exactly as the camera recorded.

The Bund, Shanghai from the Peninsula hotel

It just goes to show that the best camera is the one you have with you.

Rain over Thailand

Until I remembered that I had witnessed a beautiful sunrise as we came onto the final approach to Changi Airport, Singapore. I was lucky to have a window seat and I tried to capture it on my iPhone. I had forgotten all about it until just now.

What I love about these pictures is that I have literally applied the default settings in an great little app called “Perfectly Clear” on the iPhone, and these were the result. The colors really were like this – there has been minimal processing.

Just thought I’d share them with you all and reinforce that the best camera is the one you have with you!

Have a great week!

Not perhaps the normal advice you get in answer to “I am off to Delhi next week, any suggestions?”, but as a Delhi native living in Cairo, Sonali Soni (whose beautiful eyes adorn the header images of this blog) realized that for me the seething mass of humanity, noise, pollution and poverty that has such an impact on most visitors, would seem relatively tame for me after living in Cairo for 3 years.

Huddled in the back of the auto-rickshaw at 5,30 am, with the wind whipping around my ears, I was grateful for her thoughtfulness.

Delhi is a fascinating city that can be overpowering, fatiguing and beguiling all at the same time. I was fortunate enough to a have a couple of days at the end of a business trip to explore what I could find photographically. Armed with detailed suggestions from Karl Grobl, Gavin Gough and Matt Brandon, – as well as the pullover recommended by Sonali – I had planned 6 or 7 locations I wanted to explore, most of which I will share with you over a couple of the next posts.

The first of those was Humayum’s tomb, which I chose to visit at dawn, to catch the tranquility and the golden light and watch the sunrise over this beautiful mausoleum and park.

The first example of the grandeur and Indo-islamic style of Mausoleum and The unprecedented scale and grandeur of the monument, however, are aspects that were to define much of subsequent Mughal tomb building, and are among the similarities commonly cited between Humayun’s tomb and the Taj Mahal in Agra.

When we arrived at 6am – suitably chilled – I was an hour ahead of the official opening time, but a smile, a quick snap and a print on the indefatigable Polaroid PoGo printer, and I was allowed in. The only person in the whole place. Wonderful.

Inside the tomb the small marble sarcophagus lay in the centre of the rotunda, basked in light, whilst the rest of the chamber still remained dark – almost as if was half asleep, refusing to rise to greet the dawn. Off the main chamber are a number of smaller antechambers with beautiful Islamic fretwork and I imagine later in the day stunning light, reflections and patterns.

I wandered around, waiting for the dawn light to bathe the beautiful pink buildings in that distinct warm glow, checking some angles and positions. I had done some homework the night before using the amazing LiteTrac app on my iPad, that allows you to see the angle of the sun at any time of day over a satellite image (shown here shoing the research for the shot above). >

I was not disappointed. As the sun rose the mausoleum took on a duty pink hue, providing some wonderful contrast with the clear blue sky that was developing at the same time.

The price of course of having the place to yourself and completely free of anyone in your line of sight is that the sky ad not quite developed its rich blue color that heralded the transition form dawn to day. However I small price to pay to see this remarkable site completely unspoiled by tourists or souvenir sellers.

By 8am the place was alive with the workers setting up for the days; visitors, and just as finished a camera crew turned up with 5 models resplendent in their saris to shoot a corporate video. And there begins another story, but perhaps not one to share on the blog but over a glass of something when next we meet!

Tilting my head back gave me a slightly giddy feeling – probably the digestivo – but it also provided me an unusual perspective of this spectacular atrium and I was mesmerized by the lines and shapes that this unplanned position provide me.

I only had my iphone with me, and so I snapped the picture shown here, “processed” it using the Perfectly Clr iPhone app and uploaded it here. Just because I could … and for no other reason than I liked the geometrical line.

It was quite liberating shooting, uploading and blogging all within 30mins, rather than worrying about the crop or the detailed processing or finding a subject to write about. Just confirms that the best camera is the one you have with you (With due royalties to Chase Jarvis) and that Blogging can be just as effective when spontaneous.

Hope you enjoy it!

Enjoy!

Yet most of us are missing a trick. The standard wordpress themes are optimised to be read on the web. We provide RSS feeds so that people can read on the go, but often those feeds struggle to cope with image sizes or layout issues. So for a large percentage of our audience all that hard work around the customer experience is being squandered.

As people do more and expect more on their smartphones, so we need to find a way to provide a great customer experience on these devices.

Step forward WPtouch

WPTouch is a free plugin for wordpress that automatically transforms your WordPress blog into an iPhone application-style theme, complete with ajax loading articles and effects, when viewed from an iPhone, iPod touch, Android, Opera Mini, Palm Pre and BlackBerry Storm mobile devices.

The admin panel allows you to customize many aspects of its appearance, and deliver a fast, user-friendly and stylish version of your site to your iPhone, iPod touch, Android, Opera Mini mobile, Palm Pre and BlackBerry Storm visitors without modifying a single bit of code (or affecting) your regular desktop theme.

Critically, it also includes the ability for your visitors to easily switch between the *WPtouch* view and your site’s regular theme – putting control of the customer experience back in the hands of the user.

Quite simply it is awesome. Doubly so when you consider it is free and triply so when you find out just how easy it is to configure.

You can download the plug-in from the WordPress Codex here.

Historically I believed that a combination of the lack of zoom and low number of megapixels consigned the iPhone to a snap camera – and not a very useful one at that, although I was puzzled to see some of the great photographers out there creating awesome iPhone images and assumed that these had been ported into Lightroom or Photoshop to “rescue” them. I wanted an app that allowed me to do everything directly on the iPhone.

Then Loren told me about Camera Zoom and Perfectly Clear. The former does what it says. It allows you to zoom the iPhone camera and then take an image. This was great and solved some of my problems, but it was the latter app that blew me away.

Perfectly Clear provides some basic post-processing capabilities. Snap the picture (using the original, iPhone camera app or Camera zoom ) and then open Perfectly Clear (you can take a picture from within Perfectly Clear but there is no zoom capability). The screen then gives you a “Before” and “After” side by side view. The results are spectacular. You can customize all the settings, but I found the standard settings good enough. It is effectively a mini version of Lightroom for the iPhone. Awesome.

Then upload you image directly using your Facebook, WordPress or Flickr app.