Friday, July 29, 2016

This Photo Editing Startup Is Profitable and Making Millions in Revenue

Three billion photos are uploaded from people's phones and cameras every day. But Jonathan Sposato, the chairman of fast growing mobile and web photo editing tool PicMonkey, still believes we are in the early days in the world of digital photography.

Sposato would know. He's been in the online photos industry for more than a decade, first selling his web-based photo editing tool Picnik to Google in 2010. But Google goog later shut Picnik down, displacing the tool's millions of users. Sposato saw the opportunity to create a new photo editing tool in 2012, but in a world where Instagram fb had already made its mark and where iPhones aapl were replacing cameras as a way to take photos.

His brainchild was PicMonkey. While Sposato admits that the photo editing space was and is more competitive this time around, PicMonkey has quietly been able to amass millions of users a month, five billion photos edited, and several hundred thousand paying users. The company is making millions in revenue and is profitable, a rarity in the currently landscape of cash-burning startups and Unicorns, an industry term referring to startups valued at $1 billion or more.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune's technology newsletter.

PicMonkey's product is relatively simple. The startup offers a free web-based photo editor that allows users to do more than just add filters to photos. Users can also retouch photos and add visual effects, text, textures, and more. There is a social component in which users can share photos directly to Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter twtr . "It's not as narrow as some of the mobile photo editing options in terms of features," Sposato explained.

The average session time using PicMonkey is around 20 minutes, which the startup claims is high. PicMonkey has purposely tried to keep the photo editing tool simple and easy to use, contrary to more heavy-duty editing software programs like Adobe Photoshop adbe , added Brent Chudoba, the company's chief operating officer, who was formerly an executive at online survey giant SurveyMonkey.

What's more impressive is that the startup has been able to remain profitable and is making real revenue. Users can access the basic editing tools for free, but hundreds of thousands of users pay $4.99 per month for advanced filters, fonts, editing tools, and more.

PicMonkey didn't release exact revenue numbers, but through Fortune's back of the napkin math, PicMonkey is generating around $16 or $17 million per year in revenue with the amount of paying users. Chudoba said the subscription business is growing 40% year over year. Most of the paid customers, he adds, are from small businesses.

Of course, it's worth noting that there are other social apps that provide basic editing tools and have more users. Instagram, for example, now has 500 million users and 80 million photos are shared per day.

But much of PicMonkey's growth, the company hopes, will likely come from the startup's iOS and Android apps, which were just released this week. Previously, PicMonkey was only a web-based tool, and now will have a mobile offering as well.

For more on startups, watch:

There's also international expansion with plans to create more localized versions of the editing service. Currently, the majority of PicMonkey's traffic is coming from outside of the U.S., and the company just opened an office in Dublin, Ireland.

PicMonkey also has some recent new capital to put towards future growth. Although profitable, the startup raised $41 million in funding last year from Spectrum Equity, the private equity firm that has backed online education company Lynda (which was sold to LinkedIn lnkd in 2015), SurveyMonkey and Ancestry.com.


Source: This Photo Editing Startup Is Profitable and Making Millions in Revenue

Thursday, July 28, 2016

Xperia X Performance Tops the DxOMark Mobile Rankings

The results are in and it's official, Xperia X Performance has achieved the highest score in the DxOMark Mobile ranking. DxO Labs awarded Xperia X Performance an overall score of 88 points, highlighting the camera's fast and accurate autofocus in both bright and low light as well as good target exposure and dynamic range. Alongside the camera, DxO also acknowledged the quality of the stabilisation, noise reduction and autofocus in Xperia X Performance's video capture.

It is always our aim to innovate and lead in the world of mobile photography, especially through technological advancements such as the Predictive Hybrid Autofocus feature on Xperia X and X Performance. Receiving this recognition is high praise for the individuals and teams that have spent countless hours creating a camera experience that we hope our users will love.Xperia X

DxOMark is the recognised industry standard for camera and lens image quality measurements and ratings. DxO has, for many years, tested cameras across both the digital, traditional and mobile sectors, and its recognition is the best possible validation a smartphone can receive for image and video capture.

Although a great plaudit, acknowledgements like this only spur us on to keep driving forward in innovation, constantly improving and introducing new ideas to our smartphones.

Congratulations to all who worked on the Xperia X series and made this happen!


Source: Xperia X Performance Tops the DxOMark Mobile Rankings

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Microsoft's new iPhone camera app, Pix, takes gorgeous photos powered by machine learning

One of Microsoft's primary points of emphasis on its ill-fated smartphones was the camera. Windows Phone may essentially be dead, but the computing giant's dream of improving mobile photography is still alive and well in Pix, the company's new app for iPhone.

While there's no shortage of camera apps out there, Pix differentiates itself by making the camera itself smarter. The app utilizes artificial intelligence that has been designed to improve the picture taking process as well as identify the best quality pictures.

"Pix builds on Microsoft Research's investments in computational photography and machine learning," Josh Weisberg, the product manager on Microsoft Pix, told the Daily Dot. 

Microsoft has been experimenting with its machine learning tools for some time now, especially when it comes to imagery.  According to Weisberg, the app utilizes "several different intelligent algorithms" in its picture taking and processing. 

The company's previous c omputational photography projects like Blink, a burst-style picture-taking tool; Cliplets, a system for creating moving images; and Hyperlapse, a tool for capturing timelapse videos, all have found their way into Pix.

The app looks incredibly plain, with no modes to toggle through or settings to adjust. The design is intentionally simple, but a bit misleading. From the first photo taken with Pix, it's clear it's not as ordinary as it looks. 

When snapping a photo with the app, it captures a burst of 10 frames with every shutter click instead of just one. Some of those shots are taken before the button is even pressed, creating an array of similar but distinct shots.

The app's artificial intelligence is then put to work to pick up to three of the best shots from the burst. Even the photos that aren't kept are put to work, as the app taps the data from those images to reduce noise, brighten faces, and adjust the color and tone of the saved photos.

Pix puts a particular focu s on people, as they are the primary subject of most pictures. This was a conscious decision according to Weisberg, who said the app was born of user frustration in capturing photos of people. As such, the app automatically detects faces and adjusts its settings to ensure it shows everyone's good side.

Another advantage of taking a collection of shots instead of a single photo is what it enables Pix to do with full breadth of photos that it snaps. If the app notices something interesting motion happening in the frames, it can stitch those images together to create a Live Images–a result similar to Apple's Live Photos.

Live Images are saved as MP4 files, which can be shared on social media sites like Facebook. Weisberg said he posted one on Wednesday morning when the Pix app was officially released.

The devleopment of Pix shouldn't come as a major surprise for anyone who has been paying attention to Microsoft recently. The company has become obsessed not just with photog raphy but with machine learning as of late.

It's convinced people to feed it an incredible amount of images through its silly online apps that do everything from guess a person's age to attempt to identify dog breeds. But while the photos run through those apps help the tools learn more, the computations happening in Pix are all done locally on the device itself.

If you're an amateur looking to get some better shots to make your improve your Instagram feed or a professional who wants to offload some of the manual effort in adjusting settings, Pix is worth giving a shot—or 10. The app from Microsoft is available for iOS. 

H/T Mashable


Source: Microsoft's new iPhone camera app, Pix, takes gorgeous photos powered by machine learning

Xiaomi's Redmi Pro has an OLED screen, dual-camera and 4GB RAM, on a budget

It's selling only in China right now, but should head to other countries soon.

The LG G5 and Huawei P9 both have dual-cameras on the back, but they're flagship class phones. Xiaomi, however, wants to bring this setup, touted as the future of mobile photography, to the budget range. The Chinese upstart just announced the Xiaomi Redmi Pro smartphone in China, and it sports a 13MP Sony sensor on the back, accompanied by a 5MP Samsung sensor. According to Xiaomi, the Redmi Pro takes image data from both the sensors to allow users to adjust the depth of field on photos.

The Redmi Pro also sports 4GB of RAM, 128GB storage and MediaTek's Helio X25 SoC. There is another variant with the Helio X10 SoC and 3GB of RAM. This one sports 32GB storage onboard, and both phones support 4G LTE connectivity and dual-SIM capabilities. The Redmi Pro also brings an OLED display to the budget range. The phone has a 5.5 inch FHD OLED display. It will be launched on August 6, at 1,499 Yuan (approx. Rs. 15,000), and 1,999 Yuan (approx. Rs. 20,000)  for the Helio X25 version.

The phone is currently being sold in China, but what's interesting is that Xiaomi has chosen the offline model in that country. The Redmi Pro is expected in other markets shortly, however, the specifications may differ. The dual-camera seems to be the USP of the phone, and Xiaomi should keep that element intact.

Digit NewsDeskDigit NewsDesk  news@digit.in

The guy who answered the question 'What are you doing?' with 'Nothing'.

Interesting Galleries Best smartphones to buy under Rs....
  • 14 upcoming mobile phones you should expect in India in 2016

    Best camera phones under Rs. 15,000 (February 2016)

  • Best smartphones under Rs. 15,000 with great battery backup

    10 smartphone sequels to look forward to in 2015

  • 10 best smartphones between Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 20,000 [June...

    26 upcoming & latest smartphones to check-out

  • Slimmest phones you can buy in India [June 2015]

    The best upgrade options for 10 classic smartphones

  • Huawei P8: First Look

    Xiaomi Mi4i vs Asus Zenfone 2 (2GB): Quick Comparison

  • LG G4: First Look

    Asus Zenfone 2 and Zenfone Selfie: In Pictures

  • Sony's current & upcoming Xperia phones: An Overview

    Micromax Canvas Sliver 5: First Look

  • Sony Xperia C4: First Look

    Coolpad Dazen X7 and Dazen 1: In pictures


  • Source: Xiaomi's Redmi Pro has an OLED screen, dual-camera and 4GB RAM, on a budget

    Tuesday, July 26, 2016

    Doogee F7 Pro scored 91915 points in Antutu

    The mobile photography oriented Doogee F7 Pro is already available in presales for quite some time and Doogee feel the need to accentuate the level of perfomance the device can deliver so even those not focusing heavily on camera can start thinking about it.

    So today's released picture shows the F7 Pro is capable to score 91915 points in the Antutu benchmark so not bad result at all. Yes it's only a syntethic benchmark test, but still it's a quite alright indication about the amount of horsepower under the hood.

    antutu9

    On the paper Doogee F7 Pro looks mighty fine indeed with the deca-core Helio X20 (MT6797) processor, 5,7-inch display, 4000 mAh battery, multifunctional fingerprint scanner and of course the main selling point with the rear 21 Mpix camera using the Sony IMX230 sensor and offering PDAF, focus up to 0.17s, six lens sensor and f/2.2 aperture.

    If that should convince you then you can check out here the presale link for the phone.

    Also Read:

    I'm an avid gamer and a bit of a Ninja when it comes to gadgets and technology. When I'm not busy with the latest Android and iOS games and I can be found writing at Gizchina.com.


    Source: Doogee F7 Pro scored 91915 points in Antutu

    Monday, July 25, 2016

    Lightroom for iOS 2.4 Changes Mobile Photo Workflow

    When it comes to app updates, every new feature promises to be a game-changer, a revolution, the thing that elevates the app to new heights but often ends up falling short of expectations.

    Sometimes, though, the hype is justified. That's the case with Lightroom for iOS 2.4, Adobe's mobile photo editing app for iPad and iPhone. Two new features — support for raw image formats and local adjustments — could change photographers' mobile workflows for the better, particularly when you want to edit photos before you import them to the Mac.

    It's important to note that raw support and local adjustments are available only to Adobe Creative Cloud subscribers. Lightroom for iOS is a free app and anyone can use it to edit photos on their device, but some features require a subscription.

    The Raw and the Cooked -- First, a quick recap about raw and JPEG image formats, which applies even if you don't use Lightroom for editing and managing your photo library.

    All digital cameras can capture photos in the JPEG format, which has the advantage of retaining image quality while compressing the files so they don't take up much storage (about 4 MB each on modern cameras). The problem with JPEG is that it's a lossy format: in order to achieve small file sizes, data in each file is thrown away.

    Most of the time you don't notice, because JPEG excels at creating images that look good to the human eye. In fact, many professionals shoot JPEG and get great results. However, when you edit that JPEG file, you don't have as much original data to work with. If you're trying to lighten dark shadow areas in a JPEG, for instance, the detail in the pixels just isn't there, limiting how much you can recover.

    To solve this problem, most mid-range and professional cameras let you capture and save photos in so-called "raw" formats that contain all the image data the camera sensor recorded when the shutter was opened. Raw files are huge, running anywhere from 20 MB to 80 MB and higher for each image on some camera models, but having all that data gives image editors much more editing latitude.

    From the beginning, iOS hasn't supported raw image files. Early iPhones and iPads lacked the RAM and processing power to work with them smoothly. I'm sure part of it, too, was Apple's mobile philosophy of focusing on features that the greatest number of people would appreciate. Raw wasn't a priority.

    For photographers using iPads and iPhones, lack of raw support has been an annoying smudge on the lens. Although you could import raw files to an iPad or iPhone using Apple's Lightning to SD Card or Lightning to USB adapters, there's a catch. The images you see in the Photos app are actually the low-resolution previews that the camera created in order to show the pictures on its LCD. When you edit one, you're editing just that placeholder JPEG.

    The workaround has been to shoot in Raw+JPEG mode, in which the camera creates two files: the raw source file and a high-resolution JPEG. That results in a JPEG file that you can edit on the spot, but at the expense of ending up with three files: the raw file, its companion JPEG, and the edited JPEG.

    Or, you could wait until you were back at your desktop computer and then import the photos into Lightroom there. Adobe came up with a clever workaround. After importing raw images to Lightroom on the desktop and adding them to a collection that syncs with Creative Cloud, those files are converted to "smart previews." These are actually in Adobe's DNG (Digital Negative) format, which contains the raw image information but is compressed losslessly (so no data is thrown away). Lightroom mobile can read and edit DNG files without underlying operating-level support.

    Adobe's workaround gives you the benefits of editing raw data, but with the tradeoff that the workflow has to start on the desktop. What if you want to edit raw files directly on a mobile device?

    Don't Ask Me to Choose -- Lightroom for iOS 2.4 clears away this smudge. It uses the same Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) profiles built into the desktop versions of Lightroom and Photoshop, which means that it supports virtually every camera that shoots raw.

    (Why am I speaking in the plural? "Raw" isn't a single file format, the way JPEG is. Each camera manufacturer has its own proprietary raw formats, which can vary even between individual camera models. That's why Adobe and Apple periodically release camera raw compatibility updates.)

    Now the raw workflow is straightforward.

    You must import the image files into the iPad or iPhone using Apple's Lightning-based camera adapters. Although there are wireless methods of zapping photos from camera to device, they work only for JPEG files; pushing a raw file requires the Lightning adapters. That puts the images into the Photos app's Camera Roll.

    This creates a storage problem, however. The largest capacity iPad is 256 GB, and the most capacious iPhone can hold only 128 GB. Since raw files occupy much more storage than JPEG files, you may not even be able to import all the photos you capture in a given session. (It's now common for photographers to use, and fill, SD cards of 64 GB, 128 GB, and 256 GB capacities.) That means you'll want to pick and choose a subset of the more promising images you want to review and edit.

    Unfortunately, the Photos app provides just one thumbnail size and no option to zoom in, even on the preview. There's also the problem of data transfer: the 12.9-inch iPad Pro supports moving images from the card at USB 3 speed (a theoretical maximum of 640 MB per second), but everything else — including the newer 9.7-inch iPad Pro — works at the comparatively pokey USB 2 speed (a theoretical maximum of 60 MB per second).

    Once the photos are on the device, you can launch Lightroom for iOS and import them. Raw photos appear with a (very tiny) Raw badge in the middle. Opening one image edits it straightaway. Or, you can swipe across multiple shots to select and import them as a group. If you shot in Raw+JPEG mode, Lightroom imports only the raw file; an option in the app's settings can import all files.

    From there, you use Lightroom's editing controls on the raw image as though it were any other photo. There is a bit of lag as the raw file is loaded into memory, depending on the age of your device, between about 5 to 15 seconds on my iPad Air and iPhone 6s.

    So far in my testing, the results have been impressive, pulling lots of detail out of underexposed photos. In the figures below, I've increased the Exposure and Shadows values to make the trees visible at the bottom of the screen.

    The JPEG version, at an exposure of +4.09, is completely washed out at the top, the tree colors are limited hues of green, and the darkest areas are splotchy.

    The raw version, by comparison, looks great; in fact, I reduced the exposure to +1.93 because it made everything too light. There's just more information to work with in the raw file.

    When you're done editing a photo, the raw file and its edits are synchronized with Creative Cloud and added to your Lightroom desktop library. Since these are the original files, Lightroom on the Mac flags them as being already in the library when you import the rest of the photos from your memory card.

    If you have Lightroom for iOS on multiple devices, you can choose to receive only a smart preview (a DNG) instead of the raw file. For example, I receive only the smaller smart preview versions from Creative Cloud onto my iPhone.

    One downside to this workflow is that the images you imported into the iPad are still in the Photos app, taking up storage space. However, you can delete them there after you've added them to Lightroom.

    Raw support in Lightroom for iOS is currently a technology preview, which gives Adobe some wriggle room in case problems crop up in this initial release. It also does not use Apple's upcoming system-level support for raw images in iOS 10. Apple is adopting Adobe's DNG format as the mobile raw capture format for iOS devices, so I suspect that supporting it in Lightroom will be straightforward.

    Even for a technology preview, I'm impressed that Adobe has made raw support apply to so many iOS devices. I initially assumed that it would work only on the iPad Pro, or maybe the iPad Air 2, since working with raw files tends to be processor- and memory-intensive. In fact, raw support works on any device running iOS 8.1 or later, though Adobe says iOS 8.4 is a preferred baseline due to significant bug fixes and improvements over iOS 8.1.

    The raw capability is something I've wanted since Apple introduced the first iPad, and I'm thrilled to see it finally appear. It means photographers who use Lightroom now have a straight path to shoot, edit, and share any of their photos from a mobile device instead of a laptop and its accessories. That's great when you're trying to streamline what is often an already too-full camera bag.

    To give credit where it's due, Lightroom isn't the first iOS app to support raw formats. If I remember correctly, Photogene, which hasn't been updated in two years, was the first app to be able to open raw files; the late Photosmith also incorporated a raw decoder for many raw file formats. However, in those cases, the benefit was to create a higher-quality JPEG version from the raw file for editing; you still ended up with a separate JPEG that existed independently of the raw image.

    Twist and Crawl -- Also improved in Lightroom for iOS are the Local Adjust features, which more specifically refer to linear and radial gradient selections. These allow you to make adjustments to just portions of the image.

    For example, suppose your edits to improve a photo made the sky too bright. You can drag a linear selection from the top of the screen and then reduce the exposure for just that area, bringing definition back to the clouds. The selection is a gradient (temporarily colored red to make the selection more visible as you create it), so the effect is blended to merge into the rest of the image. You control how sharp or smooth the transition is, and the direction of the gradient.

    Similarly, you can apply radial selections when you want to work on a smaller area. In the example below, I've brightened just the birdhouses with two separate radial selections to keep the detail in the background from becoming too light.

    I use local adjustments often, especially in landscape photos, so it's great to have them editable in Lightroom for iOS. And, of course, the adjustments transfer to Lightroom on the desktop for further editing.

    (Local adjustments have actually been available in Lightroom for iOS for quite some time, but they weren't directly editable. You could copy adjustments from one image edited on the desktop and paste them to another image on the mobile device. It's welcome to have control over them without resorting to a workaround.)

    Move to Work -- Raw support and local adjustments are the star features in this version, but a few other improvements made their way in, too.

  • Lens profiles: Lightroom can apply corrections to an image based on the stored profile of the lens you used. Usually, this feature makes easy adjustments to account for vignetting or edge distortion inherent in lens models. The feature is strictly an on/off switch, but it can help.

  • Keyboard shortcuts: If you have a Bluetooth keyboard or one of Apple's Smart Keyboards for an iPad Pro, Lightroom supports keyboard shortcuts for rating, flagging, and reviewing images. Hold the Command key to view a list.

  • Add copyright at import: The mobile version of Lightroom still emphasizes editing over being able to add metadata other than ratings and flags, but at least you can now add a copyright notice to each image as it's imported. (I'm a big proponent of having good metadata for when you need to organize and locate photos later, a topic I cover in detail in my book "Take Control of Your Digital Photos on a Mac, Second Edition.")

  • All in all, Lightroom for iOS 2.4 is the most exciting and forward-looking update in some time. Being able to work on raw files directly will be a welcome change for any photographer who wants to venture into the wild with just an iPad or iPhone.


    Source: Lightroom for iOS 2.4 Changes Mobile Photo Workflow

    Lynsey snaps up mobile photo business

    Monday, July 25, 2016 at 7:00AM

    Lynsey Stamper is making her mark in the world of photography.

    She has launched her new business, Klassy Kaptures, which is based in a converted trailer which features a studio and office.

    She said: "It means I can take the photos and print them on site, all in one go."

    The 34-year-old, from Cockermouth, has just completed her HND degree in photography at Lakes College, Lillyhall.

    The business is the realisation of a long-term ambition for Lynsey.

    She said: "It has always been a dream for me.

    "I'm a single parent and it is something I have always wanted to do but never had the money for it.

    "I have saved up over time to get the equipment."

    She thought having a mobile workplace would give her the edge over competition and save on rent, though her new business arrived as a complete surprise.

    Her partner Mike Shepherd travelled all the way to Dudley in the West Midlands to pick up the trailer and he carried out all the conversion work.

    Lynsey said: "I didn't know he was getting the trailer.

    "When I first thought of the mobile studio, I thought it could be based in a caravan."

    The new business is a family affair, with Lynsey's son, Davey Lee Moore, carrying out the computer work.

    He uploads images and processes the orders in the mobile HQ.

    Local firms have provided flooring, signage, glue and other equipment needed for the conversion at reduced or no cost.

    She has already photographed Distington Vintage Rally and her first major job will be to photograph the Gosforth show on August 20.

    She will also be at Egremont Crab Fair in September.

    Friday, July 22, 2016 at 7:11PM


    Source: Lynsey snaps up mobile photo business

    Friday, July 22, 2016

    Bluboo Maya Max will attempt to impress the mobile photographers

    These days if you want to produce a succeful mobile phone one of the main aspects you need to focus on is the camera, because mobile photography is such an integral thing for many customers. So all manufacturers are trying to get ahead one another with more megapixel, more lenses, more apps, more anything just convince people about their superiority.

    Bluboo are one of them and trying to showcase their upcoming Bluboo Maya Max model as the one well equipped for the mobile photographers. I'm not sure how the hard-core ones are going to be impressed with rear 13 Mpix cam with Sony IMX214 sensor or the selfie 8 Mpix cam, but hardware is of course only one part of the package.

    The other one is the software and Bluboo promises some good one coming too. And for the selfie lovers the Bluboo Beautysnap app will be just pure bliss, because you can use the variety of effects and functions like the classic "beautification", "age and sex recognition" or the "enhance mode" where you can add silly stuff like make-up, glasses or earrings to your portrait. And if that's not enough beauty for you then you can tweak your face based on some celebrity picture so selfie maniacs have something to look forward to.

    Let's sum up the main specs of the Bluboo Maya Max too, 6-inch JDI display with HD resolution, octa-core MT6750 processor clocked at 1,5 GHz, 3 GB RAM, 32 GB of storage and 4200 mAh battery capacity. The phone is expected to be available in August for an unknown price, but we are expecting sub-$200 one.


    Source: Bluboo Maya Max will attempt to impress the mobile photographers

    Thursday, July 21, 2016

    Studio Neat’s upgraded Glif tripod mount for smartphones gets quick-release lever

    Six years ago, Studio Neat unveiled the Glif, a tripod mount for the iPhone 4. That was followed by an updated version, in 2013, that fit different sized smartphones. But Studio Neat went back to the drawing board to enhance the Glif with its biggest update yet.

    This new Glif has been completely redesigned from the ground up to securely hold your iPhone or other smartphone in landscape or portrait mode. It includes a quick-release lever, and has ¼ 20" mounting points for adding things like microphones, hand grips, even lights and other things that a hard-core mobile journalist, podcaster, or professional need.

    Related: Pocket Tripod keeps your smartphone photos steady, fits neatly in a wallet

    Probably the biggest update to the newly redesigned Glif is the quick-release lever, which is easy to adjust to place your phone in portrait or landscape position, and tightens the grip on your phone once it's in the desired orientation.

    "The quick release lever, when opened, allows the jaws to move freely, making it easy to quickly load or remove your device" the Studio Neat team says of the quick release level, "Here is the clever bit: When you close the lever, it automatically tightens around your device, resulting in a supersecure connection. It's quick and secure."

    In addition to the new Glif, the Studio Neat team is releasing a solid cherry hardwood hand grip, and a strong paracord wrist strap that can be used with a mobile photography or videography rig. The wood grip still includes a ¼ 20" thread on the bottom, so you don't lose any mounting points when using it.

    Studio Neat also touts the Glif's compatibility with phones. According to the Kickstarter campaign page: "The Glif can hold devices roughly in width from 58 mm to 99 mm. This is essentially the range of a naked iPhone SE to an iPhone 6 Plus with a really thick case on it. In all likelihood, your device will fit. "

    Studio Neat is estimating that these new Glif units should start being delivered by January 2017. The Kickstarter campaign is already fully funded. As of this writing, the team is $28,000 over its $50,000 campaign goal. If you would like to learn more about the campaign or get in on the project, you can find out all the relevant information here.


    Source: Studio Neat's upgraded Glif tripod mount for smartphones gets quick-release lever

    Adobe Adds RAW Editing for iOS Lightroom Mobile

    But Adobe is showing it's serious with power features that at least should appeal to the large number of enthusiasts and pros already using Lightroom on their laptops. 4 for iOS comes with a feature called RAW Technology Preview where the user need not have to convert the images into another format before or after editing.

    "If the files are available somewhere within the Lightroom ecosystem, Lightroom for Android will now download the full resolution version and enable you to export them", Adobe adds. Until now Adobe had to transfer a JPEG version of the image for editing or users had to work on their desktops to edit RAW files. For a list of supported cameras, visit http://www.adobe.com/go/supported_cameras • Local Adjustments lets you selectively apply Exposure, Brightness, Clarity, and other adjustments to a specific part of a photo. This ability has long existed for Android users of the app. Will you be getting your hands on one of them? "For some people, it enables them to leave their laptop at home". "This means that you'll be able to import those hefty files to your iPhone or iPad, giving you a means of checking the images before you get back to your computer". It is also easier to access, with a widget that lets users launch the camera directly without first opening Lightroom.

    For Apple users, Photoshop Lightroom v2. 0 has been improved through a Pro mode this time around that pushes the app towards "the best mobile photography experience available".

    "Adobe's Lightroom is a widely used tool among photographers, but the mobile version has always been hampered by poor RAW support - until now". 1 brings manual controls to its built-in camera app so now you can control the shutter speed, ISO, white balance, and focus manually.

    The change paves the way for other camera modes in the future, too, Haftel said. The updated app is available on iOS now for free, although you must have an active Creative Cloud membership to use it.


    Source: Adobe Adds RAW Editing for iOS Lightroom Mobile

    Tuesday, July 19, 2016

    Adobe Boosts Lightroom Mobile Photo App

    The mobile version of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, the company's photo processor and image organizer, is now more powerful. Adobe Systems announced this week that it has released new Lightroom apps for iPhones and iPads and all mobile devices running the Android operating system. The apps offer new editing power for Apple and Android-powered gadgets.

    For iOS users, Lightroom 2.4 carries full support for raw image handling, which means photographers can have access to the original and uncompressed photo data rather than a compressed format such as JPEG. The image can then be transferred directly to an iPhone or iPad. Previously, the desktop version of Lightroom and Camera Raw were the only Adobe products that offered this. Images can be transferred via Apple's camera connection adapters as well as with Eye-Fi wireless cards.

    With Lightroom 2.1 for Android, users also can capture raw images on their mobile devices and create DNG file formats with the help of a newly added Pro mode. Images taken with Android devices can also be transferred via Wi-Fi, letting shooters edit and share files without their PCs.

    Good News for Photographers

    Alexis Gerard, founder of the Future Image Web site and co-chair of the Mobile Photo Connect mobile imaging conference, told us the addition of the raw photo capability is a significant addition for Lightroom.

    "Adobe sees high-end shooters migrating from the desktop," said Gerard. "The most interesting thing is the inclusion of raw capability. That's significant for professional photographers and serious hobbyists."

    The updated mobile version of Lightroom also gives users access to additional linear and radial selections, editing tools that allow localized adjustments to specific parts of a photo. It also automatically syncs revised images with the desktop or Web version of Lightroom that users already own, saving them the trouble of importing and exporting files to or from the desktop as long as they are connected to the Internet.

    Available for Download

    The new Pro mode of the app features manually adjustable settings for ISO or light sensitivity rating, shutter speed, depth of focus and white balance depending on a device's camera utilities. Users can launch the Lightroom camera directly without opening the core app itself with the help of a built-in widget.

    In announcing the product, Adobe said it wanted to transition the app from a normal companion level to an individual app. Adobe is also looking for ways to keep up with the competition, since Instagram and photo-sharing app VSCO Cam have both developed apps that appeal to higher-end users.

    Lightroom for Android can be downloaded from the Google Play Store, while iOS users can visit the respective iTunes sites for iPhone and iPad versions. Features in the Apple edition of the app are only accessible to users with current subscriptions to the Adobe Creative Cloud service or via a free Creative Cloud trial.


    Source: Adobe Boosts Lightroom Mobile Photo App

    Monday, July 18, 2016

    Adobe Lightroom Mobile (for iPad)

    Adobe's Lightroom is the go-to digital photo workflow and editing application for many of today's professional photographers. But there are times when you might prefer to edit photos sitting on a sofa or a train seat rather than at a desk. The Lightroom iPad app lets you do just this, and a major update adds the ability to work directly with raw camera files, perform local adjustments, and use lens-profile corrections. In fact, Adobe has addressed all of my previous complaints about the app. Lightroom has evolved into a powerhouse among mobile photo-editing apps.

    Setting Up Adobe Lightroom Mobile You get the Lightroom iPad app, which requires iOS 8.1 or later, from the iTunes App Store. On my test iPad Pro it took up 76MB with no photos loaded. You can start editing and shooting photos from within the app right away, but several capabilities require you to sign in with an Adobe account.

    Specificcally, you can use Lightroom on the iPad on its own for some of its editing options, but you'll need a Creative Cloud account to such capabilities as raw support and local adjustments. And, of course, you'll need an account to sync it with images on the desktop version of Lightroom. There is a free 30-day trial account that anyone can use, but you'll need either a full Adobe Creative Cloud subscription ($49.99 per month) or a Photoshop CC subscription ($9.99 per month) for all features to work after that.

    A small + at top right of the interface lets you create a new collection, to which you can add any photos stored on your iPad. You can also load photos onto the iPad via Apple's camera connection kit, and then load them into the Lightroom app if you want. It's not instant—it takes a a few seconds to process photo before it's visible. You can also enable auto import to have everything you shoot with the iPad added to the Lightroom app.

    The iPad app's interface makes a lot of use of multi-finger gestures. A two-finger tap on the photo toggles between photo metadata and a histogram. A three-finger tap-and-hold gesture shows the original image. Yes, editing is nondestructive. A side-swipeable bar across the bottom of the screen offers many of Lightroom's old standby adjustments—white balance, temperature, tint, auto tone (I like that this one is prominently in the center), exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, whites, blacks, clarity, vibrance, and saturation.

    A new icon that looks like a camera aperture opens a menu that adds several more important editing tools, including Tone Curves, Vignetting, Split Toning, Color/B&W, Dehaze, and Lens Correction. The last two only work if you're signed into a Creative Cloud account.

    For organizing photos, you can use the Pick flag; a swipe up or down on a photo can pick or unpick it. That's a nice touch. You now also get the star ratings found in Lightroom for desktop and other iPad apps. One thing still missing is the ability to apply keyword tags to photos. One of the most important things the full Lightroom desktop apps allows you to do is organize and manage big collections, and keywording is basic to this function. You can, however use the mobile app to move photos among collections or simply remove them.

    Shooting From the App I'm not a big fan of shooting photos with a tablet, but the latest iPads do finally have decent build-in rear-facing cameras. When shooting from within the Lightroom app, you can see live filters at work, change the white balance, see a level indicator or grid overlay, and adjust the exposure value. Those are definite plusses over what you get with the stock iOS Camera app, though you do lose that app's HDR, time-lapse, and panorama options. Editing Digital Photos Lightroom on the iPad offers a generous selection of photo adjusters, including exposure, shadows, clarity, and vibrance. It also shows a histogram for the photo, and you can use the Tone Curve tool to reshape that histogram. When you select one of the convenient controls, a the app pops up full-screen-width ruler on which you slide a marker. Also helpful are Undo and Redo buttons in the lower-right corner, but when you view the photo later in desktop Lightroom, its History panel of actions performed only says "From Lr mobile."

    If you're of the Instagram school of photo editing, you can use the app's preset choices, which include color and black-and-white effects. A General section in this group also offers sharpening, punch, and medium contrast curves. Here's also where you'll find Noise Reduction and Clarity tools, though you can do more with Clarity if you access it via the full editing tools instead of the presets.

    More advanced editing tools have made their way into the app. Along with tone curves, the app now includes (for paid accounts) lens-profile-based geometry corrections, noise reduction, dehaze, and defringing. These are things you simply won't find in other iPad photo editors such as Aviary, PicsArt, and Snapseed.

    The lens-profile corrections in the app fall quite short of what Lightroom on the desktop offers. Here the feature is just an On/Off button, and it only affects geometry—pincushion and barrel distortion. The desktop profile corrections let you do a lot more with perspective correction, and also fix chromatic aberration automatically. The app's local adjustments offer de-fringing, but that isn't as effective as what the desktop version of Lightroom offers.

    Local Adjustments Local adjustments are new for this version of Lightroom for iPad. This capability lets you select a linear or oval area with gradient at the edges. A red overlay shows you where your edits will appear. You can apply any of 17 adjustments to this area, including a couple that aren't available in the app's basic editing set—Noise and Defringe. (There are three levels of noise reduction in the preset filters, however.) One thing I would like to see added to these options is blur, which would enable for a tilt-shift or selective focus effects, such as you can create in Aviary and PicsArt.

    A Bright LightWhen I first reviewed the mobile version of Lightroom for the iPad, it was a severely truncated sidekick to its desktop sibling. Adobe has since built it up into a full-featured photo-editing powerhouse. With the ability to use star ratings, local adjustments, noise reduction, and lens-profile-based corrections, Lightroom has become a killer app for photographers. Lightroom is now a PCMag Editors' Choice for iPad photo editing apps.

    <a href="http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump/?iu=/4585/zd.pcmag/mobileappssection_inflight&sz=1x1&tile=13&c=1725377718&t=zdid%3Da322470%26zdtopic%3Dmobileapps,software,reviews%26zdaudience%3DConsumer,SMB%26zdcompany%3DAdobe+Systems%26template%3DStandardReview%26cmn%3dzd" target="_blank"> <img src="http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ad/?iu=/4585/zd.pcmag/mobileappssection_inflight&sz=1x1&tile=13&c=1725377718&t=zdid%3Da322470%26zdtopic%3Dmobileapps,software,reviews%26zdaudience%3DConsumer,SMB%26zdcompany%3DAdobe+Systems%26template%3DStandardReview%26cmn%3dzd" border="0" alt=""/> </a>


    Source: Adobe Lightroom Mobile (for iPad)

    Saturday, July 16, 2016

    Adobe Boosts Lightroom Mobile Photo App

    The mobile version of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, the company's photo processor and image organizer, is now more powerful. Adobe Systems announced this week that it has released new Lightroom apps for iPhones and iPads and all mobile devices running the Android operating system. The apps offer new editing power for Apple and Android-powered gadgets.

    For iOS users, Lightroom 2.4 carries full support for raw image handling, which means photographers can have access to the original and uncompressed photo data rather than a compressed format such as JPEG. The image can then be transferred directly to an iPhone or iPad. Previously, the desktop version of Lightroom and Camera Raw were the only Adobe products that offered this. Images can be transferred via Apple's camera connection adapters as well as with Eye-Fi wireless cards.

    With Lightroom 2.1 for Android, users also can capture raw images on their mobile devices and create DNG file formats with the help of a newly added Pro mode. Images taken with Android devices can also be transferred via Wi-Fi, letting shooters edit and share files without their PCs.

    Good News for Photographers

    Alexis Gerard, founder of the Future Image Web site and co-chair of the Mobile Photo Connect mobile imaging conference, told us the addition of the raw photo capability is a significant addition for Lightroom.

    "Adobe sees high-end shooters migrating from the desktop," said Gerard. "The most interesting thing is the inclusion of raw capability. That's significant for professional photographers and serious hobbyists."

    The updated mobile version of Lightroom also gives users access to additional linear and radial selections, editing tools that allow localized adjustments to specific parts of a photo. It also automatically syncs revised images with the desktop or Web version of Lightroom that users already own, saving them the trouble of importing and exporting files to or from the desktop as long as they are connected to the Internet.

    Available for Download

    The new Pro mode of the app features manually adjustable settings for ISO or light sensitivity rating, shutter speed, depth of focus and white balance depending on a device's camera utilities. Users can launch the Lightroom camera directly without opening the core app itself with the help of a built-in widget.

    In announcing the product, Adobe said it wanted to transition the app from a normal companion level to an individual app. Adobe is also looking for ways to keep up with the competition, since Instagram and photo-sharing app VSCO Cam have both developed apps that appeal to higher-end users.

    Lightroom for Android can be downloaded from the Google Play Store, while iOS users can visit the respective iTunes sites for iPhone and iPad versions. Features in the Apple edition of the app are only accessible to users with current subscriptions to the Adobe Creative Cloud service or via a free Creative Cloud trial.


    Source: Adobe Boosts Lightroom Mobile Photo App

    9 Mobile Photography Tips Every Smartphone Owner Should Know

    By Umer S - July, 16th 2016

    Taking selfies and photos using your phone is the "big thing" today. Everyone is getting the hang of taking "amazing" photos using their mobile phones, simply because it is so convenient to do so! Simply take out your phone, a few clicks and voila, you too are a photographer!

    Although many people think like this, but as professional photographers know it takes a lot more effort and skill to actually be called a professional. Anyhow, it does not mean you should stop your hobby turned passion just because you don't have a DSLR or a professional certification. Today wonderful engineering will tell you some tips that you can use to take incredible photos by simply keep using your iPhone or android!

    If you have just started using mobile photography, you must master these 12 techniques to really stand out of the crowd. Even if you think you are an accomplished phone photographer, you might find some of these techniques very handy!

    1. Clean The Lens

    Your phone is your pocket or a bag for most of the time. And if it's not then it is most probably in your hands. So at all times it is exposed to dust and other contaminants in the environment. Hence the camera is bound to get dirty, and a dirty camera lens will have a significant negative effect on the quality of your photos.

    There is no way you can take a great photo if your lens is dirty. It will block out the light from reaching your camera's sensor and will result in blurs or dust spots on your images.

    Always use a soft lens cloth before any photography session, and make sure you are not using any abrasive cleaners. Else these cleaners will leave scratch marks on the glass lens, resulting in even poorer image quality.

    Credits: thegadgetsquare

    Credits: thegadgetsquare

    2. Focus on the "Focus"

    Making sure that your object or person etc. for the photo is in sharp focus. You can simply tap the screen on your iPhone and some androids in order to focus on the thing where your subject lies. A small yellow square will pop up and help you focus your picture for a crystal clarity.

    In case your subject is mobile, tap the screen just before taking the shot in order to make sure that your subject is at least in focus.

    You can draw more attention to them if the need arises by using one of the editing software and blurring out the surroundings.

    Credits: cdn.tutsplus

    Credits: cdn.tutsplus

    3. Adjust Exposure

    Many phones will usually auto set the exposure of your camera, but usually results in a bad photo. Exposure means how bright or dark your image will be, and using auto exposure is usually not the best option. For example, if your subject is located in the dark area, this would make the overall image too bright, or vice versa.

    Instead, use manual exposure tools by going into the settings of your camera. After setting the exposure take the picture, it will surely look better than those super white or ultra dark pictures your friends keep on uploading!

    Credits: rexposed

    Credits: rexposed

    4. Watch the Zoom buddy!

    Although we sometime like to take our pictures from even closer, you might have noticed the drop in quality once you use the zoom option on your phone. This is because your phone digitally zooms the phone, rather than optically zooming in. And in this process, the image is being cropped out.

    So if you need to take a photo of a far away object, DON'T use the zoom option. Instead, try to move closer to your subject. And if that is not possible than just take the photo and crop it using a software. That will save you some pixels in quality, and will give you more control over how much of the photo you want to crop out.

    Credits: Wikimedia

    Credits: Wikimedia

    5. The Golden Rule Of Thirds

    The rule of thirds is one of the most useful composition techniques in photography, and as all photographers know picture composition is one of the most important aspect in a picture.

    The rule of thirds consists of mentally dividing your image using two horizontal and two vertical lines, as shown in the picture below. You then try to position the important parts of your picture along those lines or at the points where they meet.

    You should always try to put your subject of photo in line with the vertical lines. And align the horizon (if any) with one of the horizontal lines. This logic behind the rule of thirds is that the off-centre composition makes a more interesting and intriguing shot.

    For we would recommend to leave the grid on. This will help you train your eye, for the future. Of course in some situations, this rule can be broken, and we as in all forms of arts breaking the rules usually leads to something beautiful!

    Picture Credits: digital-photography-school

    Picture Credits: digital-photography-school

    6. Use Leading Lines

    Leading lines is another handy compositional tool. Using leading lines can make the viewer focus on the main subject at first and then lead the deeper into the image. It simply involves using vertical, horizontal or converging lines in order to focus the viewer's attention on a certain thing in your image.

    In the below photo, the leading lines of the railings leads the viewer's eyes to the stairs. And the stairs eventually lead to the silhouette standing on the ramp.

    Credits: iphonephotographyschool

    Credits: iphonephotographyschool

    7. Shoot From Different Perspectives

    Using a phone instead of a heavy camera set means that it is a lot more handy and easier to carry. Thus  you can experiment with different perspectives. Maybe getting low and shooting from ground level will give an interesting view that usually is not visible in the real world. Or as in the picture below, shooting from above cover all aspects of an apartment in Hong Kong, while giving a unique and refreshing perspective.

    Bottom line, experiment with multiple perspectives until you get it right. That's the advantage with digital photography, you can get so much while spending so little.

    Credits: fubiz

    Credits: fubiz

    8. Watch Out For Distracting Backgrounds

    If you think your photo has a distracting or cluttered background, it might take the viewer's attention away from your key subject. The best bet is to convert your photo into black and white, in order to keep the distracting objects and colors away like in the photo below.  By eliminating all the colors, the distraction is removed.

    Picture of sunset, Cotswolds, England March 2005 Credits: psxextreme

    Picture of sunset, Cotswolds, England, Picture Credits: psxextreme

    Ofcourse the logical solution is to avoid cluttered backgrounds altogether. Like in the picture below, getting down low and using the sky as the backdrop made the subject stand out as there was no clutter. Also, this photo is a great example of the concept of rule of thirds and leading lines discussed above.

    Picture Credits: iphonephotographyschool

    Picture Credits: iphonephotographyschool

    9. Use Panorama Mode

    There are multiple scenarios where a single shot with your camera won't do justice to the scenery around you. This is the reason the Panorama mode was introduced in cameras. For example, if you want to take a shot of beautiful skyline, or a mesmerizing landscape, or an astonishing beach like in the photo below – you might want to use the Panorama mode.

    Picture Credits: steves-digicams

    Picture Credits: steves-digicams

    For using this mode, simply hold your camera in the portrait orientation while starting from the left-hand side of the scene. Now press the shutter button and move the camera slowly to the right in order to capture a sharp image of the full scene. When you reach the end just re-press the shutter button to stop.

    Another thing to remember, when panning across the scene try to keep the point of the arrow on the yellow line, and tilt the camera as soon as the arrow moves off the line. Panning slowly and steadily will get you a better image.

    We hope you benefited from these tips and techniques, and improved your photography skills.

    Have anything more to add to this article? Comment below!


    Source: 9 Mobile Photography Tips Every Smartphone Owner Should Know

    Thursday, July 14, 2016

    Adobe Boosts Lightroom Mobile Photo App

    The mobile version of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, the company's photo processor and image organizer, is now more powerful. Adobe Systems announced this week that it has released new Lightroom apps for iPhones and iPads and all mobile devices running the Android operating system. The apps offer new editing power for Apple and Android-powered gadgets.

    For iOS users, Lightroom 2.4 carries full support for raw image handling, which means photographers can have access to the original and uncompressed photo data rather than a compressed format such as JPEG. The image can then be transferred directly to an iPhone or iPad. Previously, the desktop version of Lightroom and Camera Raw were the only Adobe products that offered this. Images can be transferred via Apple's camera connection adapters as well as with Eye-Fi wireless cards.

    With Lightroom 2.1 for Android, users also can capture raw images on their mobile devices and create DNG file formats with the help of a newly added Pro mode. Images taken with Android devices can also be transferred via Wi-Fi, letting shooters edit and share files without their PCs.

    Good News for Photographers

    Alexis Gerard, founder of the Future Image Web site and co-chair of the Mobile Photo Connect mobile imaging conference, told us the addition of the raw photo capability is a significant addition for Lightroom.

    "Adobe sees high-end shooters migrating from the desktop," said Gerard. "The most interesting thing is the inclusion of raw capability. That's significant for professional photographers and serious hobbyists."

    The updated mobile version of Lightroom also gives users access to additional linear and radial selections, editing tools that allow localized adjustments to specific parts of a photo. It also automatically syncs revised images with the desktop or Web version of Lightroom that users already own, saving them the trouble of importing and exporting files to or from the desktop as long as they are connected to the Internet.

    Available for Download

    The new Pro mode of the app features manually adjustable settings for ISO or light sensitivity rating, shutter speed, depth of focus and white balance depending on a device's camera utilities. Users can launch the Lightroom camera directly without opening the core app itself with the help of a built-in widget.

    In announcing the product, Adobe said it wanted to transition the app from a normal companion level to an individual app. Adobe is also looking for ways to keep up with the competition, since Instagram and photo-sharing app VSCO Cam have both developed apps that appeal to higher-end users.

    Lightroom for Android can be downloaded from the Google Play Store, while iOS users can visit the respective iTunes sites for iPhone and iPad versions. Features in the Apple edition of the app are only accessible to users with current subscriptions to the Adobe Creative Cloud service or via a free Creative Cloud trial.


    Source: Adobe Boosts Lightroom Mobile Photo App

    Picwant, the First 100%-Mobile Global Photo Agency Launches a Great International Mobile Photo Contest "Get More Than Likes"

    MILAN, July 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

    Taking pictures with a smartphone and share them on social networks is an all-out trend that has revolutionised the way men and women of all ages take photos, no matter where they are in the world.

         (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160713/389327 )

    Pushed by this new mobile photography craze, Picwant - the first photo agency in the world specialising exclusively in mobile photography - is quickly making a name for itself at international level.

    Founded in 2014 with the goal of "supporting mobile photography as an art form and a powerful means of expression of the future" Picwant is an online platform (http://www.picwant.com ) that operates as a real photo agency, distributing images made by a wide network of contributors (Pickers) from over 40 countries.

    Today, to raise awareness on the platform and attract new users among the many who daily publish images on social networks challenging each other with shares and likes, Picwant launches the contest "Get more than likes".

    The initiative, as its name promises, allows to go beyond a simple 'like': win big prizes, publish pictures on the dedicated website http://beapicker.picwant.com , share them with a community of enthusiasts, and finally participate in a major - strictly "mobile only" - photographic exhibition.

    Running until the 31st of August 2016, the contest is open to both amateurs and professional adults photographers who reside in the United States, United Kingdom and Italy and is a great opportunity to get closer to the world of Picwant.

    The "Picwant Mobile Photos and Videos" app - essential tool to start enjoying and using Picwant - can be downloaded free of charge for use on iOS, Android and Windows devices.

    After registering and creating an account, users will be able to participate in the contest by simply uploading on the website a picture related to the theme of TRAVEL and type the keyword "Contest" in the dedicated box. From landscapes to people, from nature to food, from monuments to leisure and cultural events, users will be able to upload more than one picture at different times to increase their chances of winning.

    Every week for 2 months, the best photographs, standing out for visual impact, composition, originality, technique and creativity will win an e-dreams voucher worth £426. The overall winner will be awarded with a PICKER KIT including professional photography equipment for smartphones.

    http://bit.ly/29DUKgp     

    SOURCE Picwant


    Source: Picwant, the First 100%-Mobile Global Photo Agency Launches a Great International Mobile Photo Contest "Get More Than Likes"

    Wednesday, July 13, 2016

    Adobe boosts Lightroom Mobile with Raw editing for iOS

    Adobe's Lightroom Mobile apps for Apple and Android mobile devices have both been given significant updates that allow users a much wider range of controls when editing and shooting. The company has quite different apps for the two operating systems, and while Android users have been able to edit Raw files for some time the facility is now offered to iOS users via version 2.4. Owners of Android devices can now install version 2.1 which offers what Adobe calls a 'Pro' shooting mode that allows much more detailed control over the way pictures are recorded.

    Adobe says the version 2.1 for Android has a completely new Lightroom Camera function that features a mode that gives the photographer access to shutter speed, ISO, white balance and focus so that they can all be adjusted manually. Aperture isn't listed as few mobile cameras have significantly variable apertures. The company also says it has improved the app's ability to export high resolution files.

    Apple iP hone and iPad users get Raw Technology Preview, which effectively allows photographers to import files from all the cameras supported by the main desktop version of Camera Raw. These Raw files can be edited using a wide range of tools to control contrast, exposure and white balance, and marked with star ratings and flags – all of which can be synched with Lightroom on the owner's other devices. The company says it has edited 50MP images from the Canon EOS 5DS on an iPhone 6 to demonstrate how powerful the application is.

    iOS users can also now make radial and linear selections that allow local editing of particular areas of the image.

    Both the Android and iOS versions of Lightroom Mobile are free to download and use, but to enjoy the new features iOS users need to have a subscription to Creative Cloud.

    Lightroom for iOS 2.4In version 2.4, two major improvements have been added: a raw technology preview and the addition of local adjustment tools. In addition to these major improvements, we've also added the ability to use keyboard shortcuts with physical keyboards connected to iPads, the ability to add your copyright to all imported photos, functionality to turn on lens profiles (if your camera and lens combination are supported), as well as the usual bug fixes and improvements.

    Raw Technology PreviewWe're sure it's happened to you before: you're out taking photos (in raw of course) and you capture a real stunner that you can't wait to share with the world. Until now, you had to either transfer a JPEG version of the file over or you had to wait until you got back to your desktop or laptop. With the raw technology preview, you'll be able to import raw photos immediately to either your iPhone or iPad, edit them, and then share them, anywhere you've got a connection. Our goal with Lightroom for mobile is to make it an indispensable part of your photography workflow, providing the tools that you're familiar with and the quality you expect in a product that can be with you, no matter when inspiration strikes. With this technology preview, we want to push the boundaries of how photographers around the world work with their mobile devices.

    You get all of the benefits of raw, such as the ability to change the white balance, being able to recover blown out highlights, access to the full range of color information, as well as editing an uncompressed file, all using the exact same technology that powers Lightroom on your desktop. An added benefit is that the raw file that you've imported into Lightroom for iOS will be synced with Lightroom on your other devices, such as Lightroom for desktop or Lightroom on the web, along with any of the edits, star ratings, or flags that you added.

    Lightroom for mobile supports all of the same raw files that Lightroom for desktop as well as Adobe Camera Raw support, with the full list available here.

    To transfer photos to your mobile device, you need to use either the camera connection kit or the lightning to SD or USB kits from Apple to transfer your raw files over to your device, which will bring up the Import tab within the iOS Photos app. Importing the files will add them into your camera roll, where you can then access and load in any raw file directly into Lightroom mobile. It's important to keep in mind that raw files are significantly larger (3-5 times larger) than JPEGs, meaning the raw files will take longer to import, upload, and take up more space on your device. Even as such, we found that the added control and quality that the raw files afforded were so useful that it outweighed the negatives.

    Just as when working with raw files that were synced from Lightroom for desktop or Lightroom on the web, you'll be able to perform raw-specific enhancements, such as changing the white balance with greater control and recovering clipped highlights, but unlike when working with raw files synced from Lightroom for desktop, you'll have access to the full resolution file AND you can do it anywhere in the world, even from your iPhone! 

    We've run Lightroom for mobile through its paces on a number of different files, including the 50MP Canon 5DS running on an iPhone 6, proving that you really can edit nearly any photo anywhere. After playing with the app for a few months, we've found that it's a really great way to take a few of your favorite images from the day (or even that you just captured), review to make sure you captured what you saw, edit, and then share them, all right away, and with all of your edits carried through the rest of the Lightroom ecosystem.

    We had the pleasure of working with a number of photographers while creating the raw technology preview, take a look at how travel photographer Elia Locardi was able to put the technology to use while shooting on location in Greece.

    You can read more about the images that were created for this release through an article about Elia on Adobe Create as well as on Elia's own blog.

    Linear and Radial SelectionsIn addition to the raw technology preview, we've also added in the ability to perform local adjustments with linear and radial selections, the two most requested features after raw support.

    Lightroom for iOS AvailabilityLightroom mobile 2.4 is available immediately for iPhone and iPad from the iOS App Store for free. Both of these improvements are available only for members with a creative cloud subscription or or if you start a free Creative Cloud trial.

    Lightroom for Android 2.1

    While the iOS team was working hard on the raw technology preview, the Android team doubled-down on the unique end-to-end DNG capture experience first announced in Lightroom for Android 2.0 and created a brand new capture experience. Our goal is to create the best mobile photography experience available, and with the amazing quality possible on Android devices, especially thanks to DNG raw capture, we wanted to provide all of the controls and functionality needed.

    Now, the built-in camera has a new Pro mode that lets you control the shutter speed, ISO, white balance, and focus all manually, in a brand new interface.

    You can access the camera directly using the new Lightroom Camera widget. This new widget will launch the Lightroom camera directly, making it faster for you to get in and start taking pictures.

    In addition to the new built-in camera, we've also improved the app's ability to export full-resolution files. If the files are available somewhere within the Lightroom ecosystem, Lightroom for Android will now download the full resolution version and enable you to export them.

    You can download Lightroom for Android 2.1 here now for free.


    Source: Adobe boosts Lightroom Mobile with Raw editing for iOS

    Living Photography Apps

    In order to reintroduce itself into the world of modern photography on mobile devices, Polaroid launched the 'Polaroid Swing' app.

    The app distinguishes itself from other photography apps on the market by aiming to help users capture one-second moments in motion. The word "Swing" in the app's name describes the motion that is used to control the animation of the photos with a finger or the motion of a phone.

    While there are many GIF-like image creators available, it's significant that Polaroid's iconic brand name is attached to this all-new app. Just as Polaroid was once famed for helping people instantly capture moments through photography, this app introduces a new way for young photographers to capture memories in a way that's completely different from what's currently offered by Instagram or Snapchat.


    Source: Living Photography Apps

    Tuesday, July 12, 2016

    Hands-on: Creatic 2.0 photo editing app

    Image editors are a dime a dozen, and by that, we mean there are lots of them that don't cost a dime. At first glance, Creatic offers the usual array of filters and custom adjustments common across most free iOS editing apps. But, digging a little deeper, the app is much more than that – it's also a platform for creating your own custom filters and editing presets. With version 2.0 launching today, Creatic is an app the avid mobile photo editor will want to at least take for a quick spin.

    Creatic's photo editor starts out with a basic assortment of filters in a few different categories from essentials to classic. In the next option, users can add a texture — adding noise, color fades, or scratches to mimic an old photo. Basic sliders adjust options from contrast to shadows, while color tint and selective focus add more creative effects.

    Related: Unum could be the organized Instagrammer's best friend 

    But that's where the app begins to deviate from most free apps. While Creatic includes everything you'd expect from a basic photo editor, it also offers a good handful of advanced options. The gradient tool can be used as a digital graduated neutral density filter to darken skies in landscape shots. And not only is the double exposure tool hard to come by, but it also includes a number of different blending options.

    Creatic also shines for color. The app includes a curves adjustment panel, including individual sliders for red, green, and blue. For the less advanced, there's a selective color option with sliders for enhancing individual colors without affecting the rest of the rainbow.

    While the app contains an excellent array of edits from basic to advanced, perhaps the best feature is the ability to save all those edits and then reapply them to another image in one click. Once you're finished with the image, tapping "next" takes users to a screen where they can share via Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or hit that star button, name their edits, and instantly save a preset. That allows users to create their own filters, build custom presets, or easily batch edit.

    Tapping on the star in the edit screen will then bring up those saved presets (along with the original photo as a nice little reminder) and apply those exact changes to a new image. Using the preset will erase any earlier changes though, so users need to use the preset, then make additional adjustments from there. Or, inside the camera mode, you even shoot with those same settings already applied and preview the image in real-time. The presets can also be shared with the Creatic community in-app.

    While the user interface for Creatic isn't perfect, the app is straightforward. The best features are inside the editor, but they were actually left off the main navigation on the bottom – users have to first access the camera and then access the photo library, which feels like one tap too many. There are also a few editing features left out, most notably, the absence of a crop tool.

    There are hundreds of photo editors out there, but Creatic's ability to save custom presets is a feature that's tough to find inside a free app. While the custom presets are worth the download itself, Creatic is well-rounded with basic options, advanced edits, and sharing options.

    Download for iOS


    Source: Hands-on: Creatic 2.0 photo editing app

    Is This Photo App The New Polaroid?

    Polaroid is back, but no need to buy a camera—or even film.

    Instead, a young San Francisco startup has reimagined the iconic instant photos company for the 21st Century in the form of a mobile photo app. Polaroid Swing, as it's called, lets users snap very brief videos akin to Apple's Live Photos or GIFs. Each clip lasts one second, and users can swipe across it or tilt their phone to make it "move," or just tap it "watch" the moment of action.

    "This is the first downloadable Polaroid camera" said Tommy Stadlen, who co-founded Swing, the company behind the app, with Frederick Blackford, his childhood friend.

    Inside the app, there are three sections: the user's feed, where they can see photos from friends and artists; their own profile, where their own photos and other information can be found; and the camera, with which they can snap the photos. To get users started, Polaroid Swing already populates their feed with photos from some of the artists that have been using the app in the last four months.

    Get Data Sheet, Fortune's technology newsletter.

    Making the app hip with artists part of the company's strategy to attract users. "I think that people do see what's happening in culture and it does resonate when artists make interesting stuff," said Blackford.

    That strategy, of course, is one Blackford and Stadlen have borrowed from the original Polaroid, which in its early days caught on with the hip crowd and artists like Andy Warhol. Eventually, of course, a wide range of folks bough Polaroid cameras over the years, which is exactly what Stadlen and Blackford hope will happen to their app too. The startup has a strong relationship with Apple (and employs several of its former employees), and the Polaroid brand name is sure to give it a head start on the market.

    "I think Polaroid is a key thing," Biz Stone, best known as a co-founder of Twitter and who invested in Swing and is its chairman, told Fortune. "That isn't to say that the app isn't cool, but it makes it orders of magnitude more appealing and attractive to someone like me."

    The startup has raised an undisclosed amount of funding from a mixture of investors, including a venture capital company, angel investors, and big shots from the entertainment and fashion industries. But it declined to name any of them other than Stone and the Polaroid Corporation. It's unclear whether using the Polaroid brand was part of Polaroid's investment in Swing, or whether the startup is paying a separate licensing fee.

    Though it sold instant cameras and film for decades and pioneered much of that technology, today, the Polaroid Corporation is merely a Minnetonka, Minn.-based rights holding company for the brand name. Unable to innovate as digital cameras displaced film cameras, Polaroid eventually filed for bankruptcy—twice, in 2001 and 2008.

    So in many ways, Stadlen and Blackford's startup could turn out to be the modern incarnation that Polaroid never reached on its own. And the startup is not stopping at a mobile app. It plans to eventually extend its technology to virtual reality, and recently started to work on a hardware product it says will translate its technology to "the physical world,' although it declined to elaborate further. A camera attachment for smartphone for capturing special photos could be one good guess, though we'll have to see.

    Still, whether Polaroid Swing becomes the next great thing in photos apps remains to be seen. While the app—currently available on iOS devices only—and its photo format are certainly attractive, the startup will still have to convince consumers to download yet another app. And there are already similar alternatives for "moving images." One of these—Apple's Live Photos—already comes as part of the tech giant's newer iPhones and a growing number of major services, like Facebook, as adding support for its format. Polaroid Swing has a long road ahead.


    Source: Is This Photo App The New Polaroid?

    Monday, July 11, 2016

    2016 iPhone Photography Award winners announced

    The organizers of the iPhone Photography Awards (IPPAWARDS), one of the longest running mobile photography contests, have announced the winners of the 2016 competition. The grand prize this year goes to an image titled 'The Man and the Eagle' by Chinese photographer Siyuan Niu.

    "The brave and wise Khalkhas live along the mountains in the south of Xinjiang and are companions with the eagles. They regard eagles as their children and train them for many years to hunt. This 70 year old man is rigid and solemn in front of family and friends, but when he is with his beloved eagle, the corner of his mouth would curve up. When the eagles reach mating age, although he is very reluctant, the man releases the eagles back into nature so that they can thrive. A mild heart and exquisite love are covered by his weather-beaten face. He is a tough man with a tender heart."

    The contest covers a wide range of categories and winning images were selected from thousands of submissions made by photographers from 139 countries. In the gallery above you can see the grand prize winning shot and some of the category winners. Head over to the IPPAWARDS website to see all winning images.


    Source: 2016 iPhone Photography Award winners announced

    Saturday, July 9, 2016

    Alabama sponsors free mobile photo identification voter drives

    By Andrea Williams | 

    Posted: Thu 1:45 PM, Jul 07, 2016  | 

    Updated: Thu 3:03 PM, Jul 07, 2016

    CHOCTAW COUNTY, Ala. (WTOK) - Efforts continue to ensure that all registered voters in Alabama will be prepared when they go to the polls. Newscenter 11 caught up with a representative from the Alabama Secretary of State's office as he and members of the Choctaw County Board of Registrars prepared for a Free Mobile Voter ID Drive in Butler Thursday.

    Two years ago a state law took effect in Alabama that requires all voters to show a photo ID when voting.

    "A photo ID is any state issued identification that has a picture on it," says Trevin Fluker, who is an intern with the Elections Division of the Alabama Secretary of State's office. "So, it could be a work related i-d or it could be issued from a school or a tribal ID."

    When it comes to needing a photo ID to vote, local officials say there's at least one exception to the rule.

    "If a person is elderly and they're bedridden, there are exemptions from getting the photo ID," says Kathy Adams, who is the chairwoman for the Choctaw County Board of Registrars. "So, they can vote absentee, and they can use other forms of identification to send in with their application, and information that way. Also, if a person has lost their birth certificate, there's a way that we can go in and request a copy of their birth certificate for our office only if they're born in the state of Alabama."

    The free mobile voter ID drives are being held throughout Alabama. For people who are not able to attend one, you can always go by the Board of Registrars' Office in the county where you live and get one there.

    Call 1-800-274-VOTE for more information on how to receive a free voter ID in Alabama, or click the attached link. It also has the mobile photo ID drive site schedule.


    Source: Alabama sponsors free mobile photo identification voter drives

    Friday, July 8, 2016

    It's a game of phones! Hidden mobile on this carpet is driving the internet crazy - but can you spot where it is?

  • Image of a floral carpet uploaded by Jeya May Cruz from the Philippines
  • It shows a camouflaged mobile phone hidden somewhere on the carpet
  • The photo has been shared nearly 16,000 times, reaching 120,000 reactions
  • The image is the latest in a string of viral puzzles confounding the internet 
  • 67

    View comments

    Are your eyes sharp enough to solve this brain teaser driving people crazy on Facebook?

    An image of a floral carpet, uploaded by Jeya May Cruz from Pasig, the Philippines, has been shared nearly 16,000 times and reached 120,000 reactions.

    Why? Because the photograph contains a camouflaged mobile phone that is devilishly hard to spot.

    Scroll down for the reveal! 

    Can you spot the phone? The image has been shared nearly 16,000 times and reached 120,000 reactions

    The image is the latest in a string of viral puzzles confounding the internet.

    If you are struggling, the phone has a floral pattern which does not quite match the carpet.

    Still confused? The device is just beside the right side table leg at the top of the photo.

    It may seem a simple find, but it has left thousands bewildered.

    Jeya captioned her image: 'Since I can't sleep, let's play a game. Look for the celphone.'

    She works as a sales representative at Dell, and studied Banking and Finance at Far Eastern University.

    Confused? The handheld device lies just beside the right side table leg at the top of the photo

    In another tricky quiz, created by a Playbuzz user, there are five pictures each containing one hidden image.

    According to the quiz creator, introverts are more likely to spot the disguised pictures than extroverts are.

    It's up to you to find all the hidden sketches - but be careful, as some are far easier to hunt down than others.

    In each image, a drawing is hidden - and it 's up to you to find them all

    The first image at first looks as though it's just a plain orange painting.

    However, after careful examination a figure can be seen in the left hand side of the rectangle.

    In the second image, a similarly faint drawing can be deciphered in the middle of the screen.

    And the third, fourth and fifth parts of the puzzle are particularly tricky.

    In the third, a drawing is hidden within a monochrome spiral, and in the fourth it's disguised within a mustard-coloured screen.

    In the fifth, a lion can be spotted in the bottom left hand corner of the green rectangle. 

    It's the latest teaser that tests the relationship between your brain and eyesight. 

    Another brain teaser revealed how even photographs a re not always what they seem.

    A picture emerged this month that appears to show a beautiful scene of a lake, with mountains in the distance. But can you spot what is really going on?

    The image appears to show a beautiful scene of a lake, with mountains in the distance. But can you spot what is really going on?

    If you look extremely closely you'll see that the landscape doesn't include any water at all. 

    What appears to be a the lake is in fact a concrete wall obscuring part of the scenery, with the shrub growing on the other side.

    It is one of the trickiest optical illusions on the web, that baffled many who simply couldn't spot what was really being pictured in the image.

    If you look extremely closely you'll see that the scene is not, in fact, of a lake. Instead, the photograph is showing a concrete wall

    People also had their brain tested by the 'perception test', that challenged quizzers to answer a series of quickfire questions. 

    The test began by setting out the rules: 'Answer the following questions loudly and as quickly as possible. Don't think too much and don't cheat!'

    The challenge, that was also created by Playbuzz, went through a series of animal pictures, asking you to name what each one is. 

    Internet users are being challenged to test their brain power in a new quiz - which the majority of people will fail 

    The quiz goes through a series of animal pictures, asking you to name what each one is 

    Quiz takers are required to answer the following questions loudly and as quickly as possible 

    The rules stated at the beginning of the quiz add: 'Don't think too much and don't cheat!'

    The test surprises the quiz taker by throwing out a completely different question: 'Name one city in the USA'

    The photographs feature a cute-looking cat, a guinea pic and a cow. 

    The test then surprises the quiz taker by throwing out a completely different question: 'Name one city in the USA.'

    So what did you say?

    According to the creators of the quiz, 92 per cent of people answer New York under pressure.

    But if you're one of the few people that named a different city, it shows you've got a creative and innovative mind. 

    Sometimes the easiest-sounding brain teasers are the most difficult ones.

    And one of the latest puzzle to sweep the web certainly plays by those rules. 

    Created by a PlayBuzz user, this colour photo depicts a grey car seat with a mysterious object hidden on it that it's up to you to find. 

    Created by a PlayBuzz user, this colour photo depicts a grey car seat with a mysterious object hidden on it that it's up to you to find 

    At first, the secret object is impossible to find.

    However, after a more detailed search you can spot a grey iPad lying flat on the back on the seat.

    The iPad is well-camouflaged because it's the same colour as the seat, with similar markings.

    At first, the secret object is impossible to find. However, after a more detailed search you can spot a grey iPad lying flat on the back on the seat

    Another brainteaser to have swept the web depicts a happy-looking h oliday scene. 

    A dad can be seen peacefully reading a newspaper while his two children fish beside him - one successfully managing to reel in a big one.

    But within the scene, six holiday-themed words have been hidden, and the challenge is to spot them all. 

    The latest brainteaser to have swept the web depicts a happy-looking holiday scene

    Four of the six words, including 'tree' and 'boy' are relatively easy to spot.

    However, the other two are slightly more difficult. 

    The version of the picture with rings around the words shows how many you got right - or simply failed to spot. 

    Within the scene, six holiday-themed words have been hidden, and the challenge is to spot them all


    Source: It's a game of phones! Hidden mobile on this carpet is driving the internet crazy - but can you spot where it is?