PB+J Babes: Picture Editing

Photography has become such a hobby for me. I had interest in it, pre-babies, when I was a way amateur food blogger and took pictures of my food (and still do for the WE EAT posts) and LOVE my food as a beautiful 'subject' (and then in my belly).

Taking pictures of Parker and Jolie has become a challenge, as I mentioned HERE, but out of 1 bazillion shots, I still get the most precious pictures and facial expressions out of these two. I can probably even say that I prefer the 'unposed' smiles.. but girls, you must sit really, really still!

This goes over okay for about 1 minute.

Tops.

Instagram introduced me to the world of 'editing', and for a long time I simply used the filters provided there, but have since come to love a handful that use on a regular basis. AND because I get asked this question a couple times a week, I decided to put together a post that covers my favorites (and the why's to my selections).

I'd say 95% of my photos are taken with my iPhone

(I legit just typed out the word EYE-Phone..it is entirely too early.)

4% are taken with my 'real' camera.

1% are taken by my photographer friend (the best ever).

To be honest, I point and shoot with my Canon Rebel SL. I never use the flash, and always play around and go back and forth between the Manual and AV (Aperture Priority/Value) mode settings. Mostly because, again, I am still learning how to use it. So, to my photography guru readers, don't cringe too hard, and please keep reading:)

Just so we are clear, I LOVE my 'big' camera. Best investment I've made in a long time. Once I get a little more in tune with how to truly use it, I plan to look into other lenses and beef it up a little.

Back to the reason why we are here.. Editing.

I am no photographer at all, but I do have a vision for how I like to see things. I think about photo-opportunities, and often wrangle Jordan into it at some point.

He rolls his eyes most of the time, for the record.

Once I take the pictures, what I do from there is where the 'magic' happens. SURE- my raw photos are just fine, but the filters and editing apps are so flipping fun, it can completely change the entire look of a photo - and it is really simple!

My FAVORITE

Pic*Tap*Go $1.99 (with in-app purchases available)

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This is my most recent editing tool, and quickly became my favorite.

One of my best twin momma friends introduced it to me, and I must say.. the best $1.99 I ever spent on an app. I often use FREE apps, but she convinced me that it was 'the best everrrr', so I took the bait. She was RIGHT. This is now my "go to "photo editor. It's super user friendly, as most photo apps are, but the quality of the edits is what I really love. Outside of the traditional filters you typically think of, you can do basic things like brighten, darken, shadow, or highlight your photos without losing the integrity of the shot. You are also able select the option to 'float' a larger photo into the Instagram frame.

Number Two

VSCO Cam FREE (with in-app purchases available)

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The best FREE app I've ever used.

I dowloaded this app forever ago and never played around with it enough until recently. Before I discovered PicTapGo, this was my go-to. The filters are much fewer, but you can purchase more, bundled and individual, which is typical for a free app anyway. This app gives you the options of leveling the filters, as well as highlighting, saturation, shadows, sharpen, and fade. All great things to have in a user-friendly app for photos. I have spent a lot of wasted time trying to find 'filters' that work best for what I am going for, simply because the filters were too harsh.

My favorite filter is T1, in case anyone was wondering.

For the FACE

Whitagram FREE

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Free app, allows the option to frame the photo into a size that will fit into Instagram, but most importantly (for me, anyway) - edits blemishes, lines, and whitens teeth!

Let me clarify. I use this one mostly for when I am in the photo. Not for editing my children, if that makes me any less vain for having this app among my favorites. I do not have perfect skin, and this app helps with the 'smoothing' out of those blemishes. This editing feature is subtle and does the job well. Plus, it makes me feel better about sharing it with the world, and you'd be lying if you didn't secretly feel the same.

Teeth whitening is always a plus. Probably use this feature the least, BUT, when I need it, I have it. The Blur feature is used for things like wrinkles, or smoothing out clothing creases (or forehead creases), but you have to be careful with this one, because it can be really harsh and it is easy to go over board and make it very obvious that you edited this photo. The whole idea behind these sort of edits is to make them as natural as possible.

Just For Fun

Waterlogue $2.99

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It is among my favorites, because it is fun. Period.

You have to have the right picture for this one. It is easy to lose the picture all together. There are a handful of pictures I've used this app for and LOVE it. I even printed one for my office, because it looked cool. Not one that I use every day, but when I'm bored at 11pm trying to keep myself from marching into the nursery to wake two of my besets friends, I'll pull this one out and play around.

TEXT

Typic $1.99

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LOVE the font options for text-add to your photos, and you are also able to create a sizable image for Instagram.

If ever I want to put text on a photo, or create a text image from scratch, this is my go-to. There is a FREE version of Typic, and if you do not already use it, I would download that one first before up-grading to the $1.99 version to see what you think. Limited fonts, 'doodles', and color options, but still a great free app. This app is also really great because it allows you to upload and add your own logo to images. I haven't done that yet.. mainly because I don't have a logo, but it is a fun option to have when you want to 'claim' the photos as your own. REALLY user friendly.