Koloid ~ New App

Quinn Abbey shot with Hipstamatic Salvador 84 Lens and Inas 1969, Processed in Koloid

When I was in Ireland with Peter Cox on tour with my photo group, Peter suggested a new app Koloid. It had just launched on June 2. I am always up for a new app..so I downloaded it, tried it out and said it had potential, but I would like the app to allow you to import photos from your camera roll instead of having to shoot with the app. I wrote a note to the developer and ...so today it came to be! They still have some work to do...but there are a few options which are cool. Cropping works best with a square format image like Hipstamatic or 6x6 but also works with 6x7. If you shoot a full 2x3 orientation app like Camera Plus be prepared to throw or crop some away. Also it works best with Vertical orientation images instead of landscape. When I first saw the results of the app they reminded me of the images my dad had taken with his camera during WWII. The developer's site says it was..
"Inspired by 19th Century collodian photography." I love this app for the unique look and the fun interactive developing process...Call me crazy. I selected a few images from Ireland to process. I applied no other processing to the images here so you could see the results of what I achieved with the app.

iPhone Visits Bantry, Ireland ~ Glaze ~ Snapseed ~ ImageBlender ~ Hipstamatic

During a quick stop in Bantry in the "pissing" rain, as the Irish say...I had some iPhone fun! With my umbrella in hand I made a quick run through the side streets and harbor front. All these shots were made using the Olloclip, fisheye lens mounted on the iPhone 5. I loved the distortion I could achieve and using the fisheye allowed me to express an element of humor in the images. It was not easy shooting as the rain was quite wind blown and I had to keep wiping the Olloclip lens off with the very handy microfiber sac the clip comes in. It would have been impossible to use a "big camera" in the windblown rain!
The opening image was a happy accident, as I was holding the umbrella with my chin while grabbing a shot, I inadvertently caught my umbrella and arm in the shot. When I posted it on FB asking for opinions, people liked it! So there it is...my view from under the umbrella.

All the images here were captured using Hipstamatic, Jane Lens and Inas 1969 film. The processing was all done with Glaze, Snapseed and Image Blender to add in different iterations, masking and blending to get the final effect. To maximize Glaze processing, I engage the tool feature in the app to come up with really different looks from the standard effects and I have bought all the in app looks which expands the options for different effects. Yes maybe I am a frustrated painter! I wanted to keep this look going and used it through out the trip in different towns and on objects. Join me on August 10 at Union Station in Washington, DC for an iPhone class sponsored by Capital Photography Center. Click here for more info and registration.... Or join me at Horizon Photography Workshsops in Chesapeake City, Maryland for an all day iPhone Class on July 13, Click here for more information and registration.

Seaview House Hotel - Apps- Glaze-Laminar

These images have been percolating on my iPhone since I was in Ireland this past June on tour with Peter Cox, John Barclay and Dan Sniffin, among other professional photographers such as Dan McGeorge. I had fun helping Dan McGeorge with his iPhone, showing him different apps I use.
 The Seaview House Hotel was one of those hotels that has a rich family history as well as a charming decor. One morning after breakfast I made a quick run around the public spaces to capture a few iPhone pics of the beautiful interior decor.
After running these images through Glaze and getting several versions I was going to use for blending, I chose Laminar to process these on my iPad. I must admit I have not really explored Laminar to any great degree, even though it has been in the App store for some time now.  I mostly process on my iPhone and Laminar is an iPad processing app which had some bugs when it launched. The developer updated it on August 3 this year so I thought I would give it another try. There is a feature in it I liked very much...in the FX menu there is a filter called Lighting Engine....which allows you choose some interesting lighting options. I also liked the burn and dodge tool in the brush menu as well as the ability to add layers and mask.
I did have the app crash after a few layers and many adjustments but was able to open it and restore the edit.
Here are a few before and after images:

 

I will be going back to Ireland next year with my own photo tour in partnership with Peter Cox....so if you would like to join my Magical Ireland Photo Tour June 2-June 11 here's the link for more info!

http://blog.karenlmessickphotography.com/p/magical-ireland-photo-tour-june-2-june.html

Also if you live in Baltimore, I will be instructing this fall at Johns Hopkins University Homewood Campus, on using your iPhone for photography. Click Here for more info and registration.

Markree Castle, Ireland ~ App ~ Vintage Scene

Capture: Camera+  Processed: Vintage Scene

During my Ireland tour with Peter Cox, John Barclay and Dan Sniffin, I was making iPhone images as well as "Big Girl" camera images. It was really quite fun helping other professional photographers on tour with their iPhones. They were downloading new apps and as we drove from town to town I was demonstrating how to use the apps. After the tour was over I spent ten more days road tripping through Ireland. One of the high lights of my trip was my stay in the Markree Castle. I had intended to do some photography here with the Nikon camera but the rain never stopped for the days I was here. The morning I was leaving I did walk around the grounds in my rain slicker and made a few images with my iPhone. The age of the castle and the rain led me to choose an app that creates a look of old photos, with many options for adjustments, from color to texture and borders. Its not a new app but it is one of my favorite apps.

Capture: 6x7 Processed: Vintage Scene

I loved the architectural details of the windows with climbing roses.

Capture: ClassicPan Processed: Vintage Scene

Capture: BracketMode Processed: ProHDR: Vintage Scene

This is a shot of the bathroom window in my room that overlooked the gardens...it was a great place!
I am offering the same Ireland tour June 2 - June 11, 2013 with Peter Cox of Ireland. To date there are six photographers registered with space for 8 more, so if you are interested in the South-west Ireland tour with myself and Peter Cox: click here for more info and registration.
This fall in Baltimore, in conjunction with Johns Hopkins University Odyssey program I am happy to be offering a six week iPhone class. For more information and registration click here.

Ireland, Pottery the iPhone and a new App ~ Glaze

Image 1: Original Image Capture: Camera+

Image 2: Processed in SnapSeed for textures and grunge effect, then Processed in Modern Grunge for the 'ripped" area and more texture.

One of the stops we made on the Peter Cox Photography Tour of  "wild" Ireland, was at the Louis Mulcahy Pottery Craftsman shop. Louis Mulcahy designs and makes his own pottery in this workshop on the R559 road to the west of Ballyferriter. This isolated pottery studio stands between the R559 and a minor road just inside the southern edge of this square.
I had been thinking about making a blog post on a few shots I made there with the iPhone when I became aware, as a result of a post by Donnie Fulks, of a new to me app called "Glaze."  It is not a high res app but can be great for blending back with other files in Image Blender where if you choose the highest res file first for the blend the resulting file will be that size. So essentially the file gets upsized by making the blend in Image Blender. I made a shot of one of the large urns in front of the shop and I thought it would be perfect to work with. The shots below were processed in Glaze from the Image 2 file above, that I had already processed in SnapSeed and Modern Grunge. Glaze can be found in the app store.

Image 3: Filtered with app "Glaze"

Image 4: Filtered with app "Glaze"

 

 

Image 5: Filtered with app "Glaze"

This app has 30 filter presets, which all look very nice, and a randomize feature where you roll the dice and see what happens. Resolution options are Low 382 x 512, Regular 764 x 1024 and Print 1528 x 2048.  The app also has a feature where you can combine filters within the app. This app is quickly becoming one of my favorites for its artistic looks and blend options.

Image 6: Filtered with app "Glaze"

I am also excited to announce my iPhone Photography Course at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore this fall. 

For more information and registration: click here.

Ireland~ Textures~ WIndows and Doors~ Snapseed~ ImageBlender~PicGrunger

While continuing to work my way through some iPhone images I made in Ireland........I noticed a common thread of window and doorway images. The little town of Dingle, our first stop, had interesting colorful windows and doorways to capture. In almost every window in Ireland there is some type of lace curtain. I was curious about the origins of this style of window decor and could not find in a quick search, anything on the internet relating to the historical use of lace at windows in Ireland. I did find a little history on Irish lace making on this site. History of Irish Lace. Maybe it has become just a decorating tradition but I also think it serves a purpose other than its beauty. Many windows in the houses I saw had no "screens" maybe the lace acts as screen, although I doubt it would keep the "Midges" out...
I snapped a shot of some lace that adorned a table in Dingle's Benner Hotel where we stayed. Walking the town for about an hour in the afternoon I captured a few shots of doors and windows that interested me for their colors or design. I used the single image of the lace from the hotel as a texture and overlaid it on the straight shots in ImageBlender. Then I used a grunge filter in PicGrunger or SnapSeed to finish off the look I had in my  mind.

 I also loved this window shot straight out of the app ClassicPan, no lace needed!

iPhone Impressions in Ireland~ AutoPainter3~Snapseed~ ImageBlender

Captured with Camera+; Processed with AutoPainter3: Snapseed and ImageBlender

My first impressions of Ireland were on the bus ride from Shannon to Dingle with the photography tour group lead and organized by Peter Cox, John Barclay and Dan Sniffin. I was shooting out the bus window and captured these shots. I processed them as I went along with ImageBlender and AutoPainter3.
The day started out just beautifully with blue skies and high clouds, but quickly became overcast. This I began to know about the Irish weather...If its sunny its going to rain! I can say that one extra benefit of shooting with the iPhone was that it was a good record keeping tool of my locations traveled...I tried to make at least one iPhone shot in each location just for my records...more to come...

Ireland or Bust!...

Sunset: Capture: BracketMode Processed: ProHDR: Autopainter; Snapseed: ImageBlender: Crop'n'Frame

Well it was a good trip, but long...leaving home Friday, June 15 at 12:45 ECT and arriving Ireland Saturday, June 16 at about 11:00am. London, Heathrow was the worst....many checkpoints and great distances between terminals..people were all nice but don't pack your iPad in your briefcase like in the US where we can just pass it through the screening. In the UK you have to also remove your iPad from your briefcase along with your laptop and tub it! But you can leave your shoes on! Who knew, so I got hung up there for a little while waiting for them to empty my briefcase and re-screen, then a mile or so to the final terminal...and one more check point!
The coolest part about the trip so far was the flight from New York's JFK at 7:00 pm...watching the sun set in the west over the wing as we flew north and then a few hours later watching it rise over the wing as we dropped down into London..My window was the dirtiest airplane window I have seen but I didn't care I was just using my iPhone and I figured I could paint it up with AutoPainter3 and I could at least capture the essence of the scene. Looking down on the earth as the light changes in the sky is truly awesome. Pilots have the best views!!!

When I arrived at the Oakwood Arms in Shannon, I was bushed...but wanted to explore a little on foot. So I walked to the local mall had a bite at the Nosh + Coffee and took a leisurely stroll back through a little village. I had noticed a business across from the hotel called tastypizza, doing business in what looked like an old thatched roof cottage with red doors. Since it was fairly commercial on the front side I passed it up as a photo opp, but when walking back through the little village the back side of the tastypizza had an all together different look and there were two Indian children playing on the door steps. So I took a few pictures the children were wonderful and wanted to pose for more. Then I showed them their pictures.As I walked around the front of the building I went in and guess what their dad ( I recognized the family resemblance) was the owner of the shop so I got his e-mail and came back processed a few shots and sent him the pics! Then I came back to the hotel freshened up from the travel and took a nap!!!

Capture: CameraPlus Processed: Snapseed

Heading to dinner around 8:30 I ran into John Barclay, Dan Sniffen and Peter Cox so the gang is here. The tour with them and the group that has signed up should be great.... looking forward to being taken around the south west of Ireland's Ring of Kerry. Looks like Peter has a great itinerary lined up for us. Big camera pics tomorrow...

Murphy's Cottage, Shannon, Co. Clare  (tastypizza)
Capture: BracketMode Processed: ProHDR: AutoPainter3