Lisa Owen

Mobile phone photography has been booming over the last few years with exceptional improvement in smartphone technology. There have certainly been some amazing images taken on mobile phones which are now floating around the internet on social platforms and websites.

So here are a few smartphone apps you can download, use and practice with every day. The filters in these apps can create some really nice effects from old school black and white to warm vintage 70’s colours.

Instagram: available on iOS or Android

An obvious one to start with… Probably the biggest one in terms of reach and presence and it helps that Facebook bought the company for a cool $1 Billion which has helped push the user base to well over 100 million users. Instagram has now introduced 15-second video snippets to the app with a range of interesting filters to choose from, making it an even more versatile application.

Source: Instagram

Pudding Camera - available on iOS and Android

One of the best apps going around at the moment and it’s completely free! Pudding Camera features eight ‘film’ effect settings you can use including fisheye, 2X2 and Triplex effects.

Source: Pudding Camera

Picfx: available on iOS

For iOS users only… This app has a multitude of great filters and frames to help you make some great photo enhancements. If you like crazy ‘cardboard’ or ‘paint peeling’ or ‘outer space’ effects then this is the app for you…

Source: PicFx

Paper Camera - available on iOS and Android

Creates real-time cartoon and painting effects using your camera on your smartphone. It’s a paid app, but it does create some great effects. Check out the video demonstration and with over 1 million downloads, it’s an app worth considering. 

Source: Paper Camera

Pro HDR Camera: available on iOS and Android

If you’re not familiar with HDR photography it stands for High-Dynamic-Range and involves taking a set of images with high and low contrast and then molding them together to create a stunningly clear image.

Find out more about HDR photography – Stuck in custom

Source: EyeApps

Swankolab: available on iOS

This iPhone app is a ‘darkroom’ on your phone. Brought to you by the makers of Instagram, it comes with all the saturated, retro effects you’d expect. Pour the chemicals into your virtual bath, dim the lights and see your photo start to develop. This app brings an element of craft to the art of customising a digital photo

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