Tag Archives: stop motion

Joby iPhone stand for still photography

I have played with a variety of grips for the iPhone in an attempt to produce better shots where the camera needs to avoid movement. The most popular ones are either cases that must stay on the iPhone or a edge mount that wont work with my iPhone since I have a thin vinyl protection sticker on the back. So, I set out with a friend to do our own with the help of our million friends on Kickstarter. About the time we were doing the video, the Joby GripTight was found. The expandable frame that will work with about any iPhone is really close to what we thought we would be cool, so we bought a couple Joby unites.

For this weekend, if your thinking you may need a mount for your iPad, Joby is offering 20% off!

There are three different versions of the GripTight kit available. All of them use the same ‘grip’ feature, but each have their own stand to best suite your needs. The little fold up tripod fits in about any bag so it’s handy when the need pops up.

A lot of others call these flexible three legged stands, Guerrillas. Great for those times you need to hold your iPhone to a pole or tree. The legs are much longer than on the solid tripod above.

If you already have a favorite tripod you may have for other equipment, GripTight is available with a standard mount on the bottom without being attached to an included tripod.

Creating those cool Clone photos using only the iPhone

A year ago, I was involved in a fun movie, “People in Motion“. The movie follows several very talented folks as they Parkour their way around the US. That is to say, they leap and jump their way around city obstacles while making it look so easy. When I first decided to get involved in Producing the movie, I was taken by a single photo where a person is doing a summersault in air. The single photo had the artist at several spots in the action like they where frozen in time at different stages of the leap. A special photography technique was used for the shots, which is now available to do with an iPhone!

The above photo was done using the iPhone app Clone Camera. A full feature, yet amazingly easy to use app. While there are a few tuning options, the app is ready to use right upon launching. You take 2 to 4 images, either manually or let the app auto snap for you. Then, trace the part of each photo that you want to carry forward to the final image. Clone Camera then uses the single background and pastes in the parts you chose into a single final output.

The ‘camera shake correction’ is a nice feature. Just because everyone else does, Clone Camera also includes 27 filters to apply to the output image. When done, save to the iPhone photo library in high-resolution or share out through Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or Flickr.

Wireless remote shutter control for the iPhone

Here is a nifty little bluetooth wireless device I saw over on PhotoJojo. It’s a small two part gadget that snaps apart to be a remove you have in your hand and a stand that activates the shutter on the iPhone’s camera. The text claims 30ft which is a pretty good distance for self shots or nature photography (a bit of food near the iPhone and snap photos of the little creatures that walk up – best to you that one of them squirrels don’t grab and run with your iPhone!).

The iPhone Shutter Remote description mentions using the stand to do stop motion photography being improved since your not touching the iPhone to snap the shots. In small print though, it reads Please note that The iPhone Shutter Remote requires the free “Belkin LiveAction App” – which to me sounds like the device requires photos be taken through a particular app. Removing the ability to use the wireless remote shutter device with apps like Frames.

 

New Stop Motion iPhone app from Studio Neat, creators of the Glif

Remember the Glif? Have you ever heard of the Glif? It is a tripod mount for the iPhone that started life as a Kickstarter social funded project by a couple guys that make up Studio Neat. The design of the Glif is simple… silly simple, but works great.

Generally there are two things you are doing when having your iPhone mounted to a tripod, both involve not moving the iPhone while taking a lot or long exposures. So, night/movement shots and stop animation shots. Staying with the ‘keep it simple’, Studio Neat has introduced their own Stop Motion app – Frames.

The use of the app doesn’t require you own a Glif, it just makes the process easier since you not worried about moving the iPhone between shots.

Frames offers a self explanatory interface where you snap photos (720p HD) to make up your animation. Focus/exposure can be locked, the speed of playback can be adjusted, and images can be added in between previously taken images if you need a change in detail or changed your story idea. The finished result is saved to your iPhone’s (and iPod Touch) photo library. Yup, not a ton of features in Frames for the pro but a killer app for all of us ‘would be’ stop motion movie lovers that want a inexpensive way of jumping in. Recordings don’t just have to be flip card like animations, imagine recording a sunrise or sunset that you can now share with others.

 

 
 

 

A DIFFerent case for the serious iPhone photographer

I’m always on the watch for a new case idea. The problem being is that I like the portability of the iPhone without a case, but like the features of many of the specialty cases. The Survivor from Griffin Technology is the case I use when I might be someplace the iPhone will get handled roughly. It does bulk up the iPhone 4 a lot though.

New to me is the Diff Case. The case is less about drop protect, which it does, rather it is more about protecting the faces and being able to mount your iPhone to a tripod. The Diff Case is currently $30, available directly from the manufacture.

The main ‘features’ of the Diff case is the doors that cover the flat sides of the iPhone 4, which can be opened tall or wide, and has a opening for the camera to work with the case still on. The two tripod mounts make it easy to set up for still or long exposure photographs.