Tag Archives: post to Facebook

Creating collages on the iPhone for Instagram using InstaCollage Pro

I have commented here a few framing and collage apps, generally referring to them as creators of  multi photo ‘images’. A new addition to the group (new to me) is InstaCollage. The iPhone app has the features of the many collage apps in the iTunes store, but tuned a bit more towards folks posting to Instagram. Pick a border/frame/template layout that matches the group of photos that you see being together to deliver the message.

It would be too easy to create a post that seemed endless if I try to cover all of the features. You choose a image layout, place images, resize, shake to remove all of them, add a frame, adjust backgrounds, adjust the round corners around the images, frame texture/thickness… Add stamps, text (more than 50 fonts), change style and adjust images with a variety of filters. While InstaCollage appears to be made for posting directly to Instagram, you can also post to Facebook, Twitter, attach to an email, or save to your iPhone’s photo library. For the more creative, there are collage options now where the images are shapes beyond simple squares too!

The filters and effects from many iPhone Photo editors, all available in one… Pixlr-o-matic PLUS

There are apps that give you a variety of ‘film’ effects, like Vintage, Retro, Unicolor and Soft tones. There are other apps that provide lighting effects either through disrupting like burning and leaking light or overlaying with fireworks or Bokeh.

There is an app I just started using called Pixlr-o-matic Plus that brings the many options other iPhone photo editors have to one place. The Universal app lets you use photos on your iPhone or snap new ones. In the work area, you can swipe across the photo or use the random button in the upper right corner to have an effected added for you. Along the bottom is a ‘film roll’ of options to manually choose. As you move left/right through those filter options, the effect being viewed is applied in real time.

Choosing the light bulb provides another group of filters, to the right of the light is frames and finally the ‘save/share’ button. At first glance, the available filter options are small in each group. Not to worry, Pixlr-o-matic Plus has many more in their online library.

Scrolling all the way to the right of the filters is a ‘more’ button (or you can use the film canister upper right corner button), tap to go to a long list of grouped effects. Notice at the top is a film and light icon, both contain their group of effects. Scroll up/down to view the groups, right/left to see the filters in each group. Each of the Pixlr-o-matic ‘packages’ has a download button to pull that group into your iPhone to use on photos.

As you add the different groups of film and lighting effects, they are included in the film roll on the editing screen. Also, Pixlr-o-matic has a ‘My Effects’ folder for a quick overview of what you have installed.

The finished image can be saved to the iPhone photo library, attach to an email, push to iTunes, store in Dropbox or post to Facebook and Flickr. After choosing a method, Pixlr-o-matic Plus gives you the option to choose what size the photo will be exported in size text, including the original full size 3264 x 2448… just right to share onto my 500px account.