Random Pics

The spring season has been busy and I have neglected to post frequently here, so I have a few minutes to catch you up to date and what I have been up to with my iPhone work. Lots of interesting apps to explore and lots of updates to go back and utilize all over again. I am posting this using the mobil Blogger app. I just finished a planning session with Marie of Capital Photography Center and we added a couple iPhone workshops for the fall, so if you sign up on the mailing list you will get notification when the links are up. I have been having some fun making abstracts on the iPhone and have a few here. Memorial Day I was at the beach and had fun doing some shooting there with friends. When I got home the garden had exploded with growth and I made a shot of my painted ferns. More later...... Hope to see you June 9th in Chesapeake City for my iPhone photography Workshop at Horizon Photography Workshops.

How To Turn on Parental Controls on an iOS Device

The iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch are great resources for many children and adults alike. If you want more control over what your child is doing while using their iOS device restrictions is the place to go. To enable restrictions go to settings then general and then restrictions. From there you will have to set a password so no one else can change the settings. You will want to make sure that you remember the password. Once you have typed in your password you can block access to different features such as the internet, downloading apps, deleting app, FaceTime, camera and more. These built in options are great for parents and educators who want more control over what children are doing on their iOS device.

To learn more and see step by step instructions watch the video above.  

Autopainter3

Just hit the app store and was delighted to find a new Autopainter3 app is out with a new set of impressionist filters emulating classic impressionist painters. Straight out of the app with no other apps applied, these are what the filters can do to your shots.

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Ginger Extension for Chrome Adds Contextual Spelling And Grammar Correction

Ginger, the contextual spelling and grammar correction software is now available as a free Chrome Extension. If you are not familiar with Ginger click here. The software can correct spelling and grammar for any written text in the Chrome web browser. Ginger is great for people that struggle with spelling or people who are learning English. To download Ginger for Chrome click here.

Flipboard Updated to Support VoiceOver

Today, Flipboard was updated to support iOS VoiceOver. The update finally allows people who are blind, visually impaired or have print disabilities to access Flipboard. For those who are unfamiliar Flipboard is a popular news and social app for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. Click here to download Flipboard for free.

What Accessibility Features will iOS 6 Include?

Apple's WWDC developer conference is a month away. Last year at WWDC Apple announced iOS 5 and  if rumors are correct Apple is planing to announced iOS 6 in about a month. iOS is the software that runs the iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad. iOS 5 brought many accessibility improvements including, Speak Selection, AssistiveTouch, custom vibration and VoiceOver improvements. In the above I discuss accessibility features that I would like to see included in iOS 6. Hopefully iOS 6 continues the trend of accessibility improvements that benefit people with disabilities.

What accessibility features are you hoping to see in iOS 6? Let us know in the comments.

Text to 911 Will Benefit the Deaf

This weekend Verizon announced its plans to make a nationwide system allowing cell phone users to text message 911. The system will be in place as early as 2013. This service will be helpful for the deaf or hard of hearing who find voice calls difficult if not impossible. Verizon says the following about text to 911's benefit for the deaf or hard of hearing,

"While consumers should always first try to contact a 911 center by making a voice call, this enhanced SMS service, when deployed, will offer an alternative for customers on the Verizon Wireless network who are deaf or hard of hearing and cannot make voice calls or who could be placed in additional danger by speaking."

To be clear if you are able to make voice calls to 911 it remains the preferred method. Text to 911 service has not been deployed so texts to 911 will not be answered. Click read more below to read the Verizon's press release.

The following is copied from Verizon's press release.

Verizon Selects TeleCommunication Systems to Provide Text to 911 National Gateway Solution

New Service Will Enable Customers to Send 911 Short-Code Messages to Emergency Response Centers

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., May 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Demonstrating its continued commitment to advancing public safety, Verizon Wireless is taking steps toward offering many of its customers a new way to communicate with 911 call centers run by public safety officials. The company announced today that it has selected TeleCommunication Systems Inc., of Annapolis, Md., to participate in an initiative that will enable customers to send 911 SMS (Short Message Service) texts to the call centers, which are known as public-service answering points, or PSAPs.

While consumers should always first try to contact a 911 center by making a voice call, this enhanced SMS service, when deployed, will offer an alternative for customers on the Verizon Wireless network who are deaf or hard of hearing and cannot make voice calls or who could be placed in additional danger by speaking.

"Verizon is at the forefront of 911 public-safety innovations, and today's announcement is another step in making SMS-to-911 service available to those who cannot make a voice call to 911," said Marjorie Hsu, Verizon Wireless vice president of technology. "Our company is continuing its long-standing commitment to address the needs of public safety and our customers by offering another way to get help in an emergency by using wireless technology."

The company is working on plans to make the new capabilities available to select PSAPs by early 2013. Verizon plans to use its existing CDMA SMS network for 911 text notifications. The new service will be offered to Verizon Wireless customers who have a text-capable phone and a service plan that includes text messaging.

"TeleCommunication Systems has worked closely with the FCC over the past two years to develop its innovative technology for SMS to 911," said Maurice B. Tose, president and CEO of TCS. "As the preeminent U.S. supplier of SMS and pioneer in wireless E911, TCS is well positioned to enable Verizon in advancing its public safety commitment."

Verizon is working with others in the communications industry, PSAPs, the Federal Communications Commission and other federal and state agencies in the eventual deployment of this new service aimed at giving consumers new ways to communicate with designated public safety agencies.

Random shots and Apps ~ From My Washington DC Workshop

Captured: Camera+ Processed: Modern Grunge: Snapseed: Percolator: Crop'n'Frame

Saturday was a great day with super creative iPhoneographers, just getting going in the art! I was amazed at the images they were creating! I captured a few shots in between helping the participants utilize the apps they were shooting with. Sometimes I process images from a shoot with similar apps for consistency; but there are so many fun apps and different shots I am all over with my processing in this blog. Our first stop was Starbucks for an hour of App Chat~ getting everyone on board with app resolution, options and features for shooting. Next Stop was the Renwick Gallery. We had fun shooting there on the second floor. There are amazing art pieces in the gallery. Our final stop was the DAR building. It was a great day!
I hope you can join me for my next day long creative processing iPhone workshop in Chesapeake City at Horizon Photography Workshops on June 9.

Two Images Blended in ImageBlender: Capture: One shot Camera+ the other shot of the window and drape BracketMode Processing: ImageBlender: Snapseed: Crop'n'Frame

Capture: Camera+ Processed: Percolator:Snapseed: Crop'n'Frame

Captured: BracketMode Processed: ProHDR: ModernGrunge: Snapseed: Crop'n'Frame

Captured: BracketMode  Processed: ProHDR: TinyPlanets: ModernGrunge: Crop'n'Frame

 

Captured: Camera+ Processed: ModernGrunge: TinyPlanets: LensLight: Snapseed: Crop'n'Frame

Battery 519 Cape Henlopen, Delaware~ BracketMode: ProHDR: Snapseed~Vintage: Painteresque: ImageBlender

12 inch Gun

Last week I had the opportunity to visit and tour Battery 519 at Cape Henlopen, Delaware. Supporters of the Battery were conducting WWII reenactments and were in vintage outfits, as well as outfitting the barracks with vintage, furniture, and accessories. A little history on the "Big Gun's"
"In 1940, the Army had planned to place two 16" gun batteries at Fort Miles.  The second was to be just north of Battery Smith, the first 16" battery already under construction, as Delaware was considered high on the defense priority list.  By late 1941, Delaware's priority had dropped substantially, and the planned second 16" battery (Construction #119) was cancelled.  The structure saw new life as Battery 519 when the war department decided to place two 12" guns there that had been pulled from Battery Haslet at Fort Saulsbury.  The battery was completed in March, 1943 and was retained until deleted in May, 1948.  The emplacement still exists and will be the future home of one of the largest coast artillery museums in the country." 
I was shooting with my D4 but also made images with the iPhone when I knew the dynamic range of light might be outside what I could get out of my camera. I used BracketMode to capture the shots with my iPhone, ProHDR to merge the bracketed shots, Painteresque for a Filter effect, that I then blended back with the HDR image and I processed the blended image with Snapseed, applied local adjustments, Vintage looks and a few other tweeks.
If you would like to read more about Fort Miles click here for a link and donation page.
My next full day iPhone workshop is June 9 in Chesapeake City, Md. at Horizon Photograpy Workshops. Hope to see you there for some iPhone Photography fun and education.

Apple to Introduce New Software with Accessibility Features Built-In

Apple recently announced that they will hold their World Wide Developer Conference (WWDC). At the conference apple is expected to announce iOS 6 the operating system for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. Last year at WWDC Apple announced  iOS 5 which included features such as AssistiveTouch, reader, speak selection, custom vibrations, reminders, Siri and more. If Apple continues its habit of making its mobile devices accessible to a wide variety of users, iOS 6 should have a lot in store.

What accessibility features are you hoping for in iOS 6? Let us know in the comments.