Tag Archives: tuning photos

Photogene Updated To Version 4, Includes Pro Features At No Extra Charge

Photogene is one of those iPhone photo editing apps that I use a bunch, back shelf for a while then ‘rediscover’ it again. Once again using it a lot as a single app that give the ability to do all the work in one app without  silly clutter. Along with the update to the feature set in the new version 4, the app has also gone Universal so you can install it on your iPad for a larger view of your edits. The iPad interface is completely different, I’m only showing the iPhone version here.

Included in the version 4 update:

  • Photogene is now a universal app for both iPad and iPhone.
  • iOS 7 compatibility.
  • New look for iPad user interface. New icon.
  • The PRO package is now free! Everyone has been upgraded to PRO.
  • Enhanced RAW support. RAW files are now opened in full resolution.
  • Flickr export: can now choose a set.
  • New feature for exporting XMP sidecars.

Now, onto actually enjoying the power of the app – After importing a photo, Photogene 4 has a quick access tool pop up wheel to get right in and editing.

02 Photogene 4 iPhone

First off, there is a nice group of pre-built overall picture filters. These can be applied in layers when in a rush…

03 Photogene 4 iPhone

Fun overall filters that are quick and tunable. The real power of Photogene 4 though is the specific photo area tuning tools. Notice that at this level, there is also a row of fuzzy undo/redo/restore buttons along the very bottom of the screen for those times you want to throw a bunch of changes out and rethink the image.

04 Photogene 4 iPhone

Each effect can be chosen to be applied to a very specific area of the photo. Photogene lets you save/undo/cancel and move onto the next effect. So, you can brighten an area, darken another part of the photos, blur a bit, burn some light… and so on. It’s easy to move from one alteration to the next so doing simple to more detailed edits is pretty quick. When using a tool, don’t miss the ‘Options’ button in the upper area for more adjustments available for that effect.

05 Photogene 4 iPhone

Each of the effects have additional options from the dial. Usually, these start with the basic brush head used to apply the change. Choosing other tools will result in a different sub group of effects within the top level group. Notice the slider along the bottom, Photogene 4 is not an all-or-nothing filter app.

06 Photogene 4 iPhone

Every time you save adjustment, it is layered on top of the previous work. Returning to the work picker, notice that the features used have a check mark next to them. If you develop a workflow, this is handy to see where you are in the process and to assure all steps got covered.

07 Photogene 4 iPhone

When the image is as you like visually, Photogene offers the ability to adjust pixels to best fit the way you will be using the photo. As well, you can review the photo tags, then share through a large variety of options. Speaking of all-in-one without clutter, notice that you can water mark the photo without having to go to another app also… high on my list since I found a recent photo of mine on over 85 sites with no credit.

08a Photogene 4 iPhone

08b Photogene 4 iPhone

Those Magical, One Tap iPhone Photo Enhancement Apps

Many articles have been written about why cell phone photography is becoming more popular than using a purpose built camera. Generally, the articles lean towards cell phones are always handy, while a camera is a extra bit of hardware to carry. I agree with my phone camera always being handy compared to my camera. But, I see social sharing creating the need to touch up photos a bit prior to posting anytime/anywhere being a big part of phone photography.

01 iPhone enhanced

The above is far from what the original quick snapshot was (below). Using a couple different apps, the resulting image has a completely different atmosphere about it. I have written here about many apps and their feature sets to get a image updated for different effect. Most of the iPhone photo apps have a central feature they lean on when marketing the app. A sort of ‘one tap’ photo fix feature. Use the one feature and your photos will be made ‘better’. I don’t use a single app as a do-it-all solution, rather different apps for different results. But, how do the app’s with a leading enhancement tool do when a single photo is left to their one button? Every app offers additional tuning, but here we will just import a common iPhone photo and tap the one button. Starting with our original store front snap:

02 iPhone original

First up, Instaflash. “Patented LCE (Lighting and Contrast Enhancement) from ACD Systems International Inc. It adds natural-looking illumination to the dark areas of your photos while still preserving contrast and detail using advanced image processing algorithms from ACDSee.”

03 iPhone Instaflash

Next, Dynamic Light: Known for it’s HDR effect “Dynamic Light gives you the best and most vibrant HDR-like look on any mobile platform. And this is all accomplished from just a single image using only a single dial.”

04 iPhone Dynamic Light

Camera+ with it’s Clarity feature: “We partnered with professional photographer, Lisa Bettany, to bring you a slew of stunningly beautiful effects. With a single tap, you can transform a soulless pic into a work of art. There are dozens of 1-touch effects for you to experiment with so that you can get the perfect result every time. ”

05 iPhone Camera Plus

Perfectly Clear Automatic Photo Correction: “Perfectly Clear for iPhone & iPad – Intelligent Image Correction. Our lab-quality corrections make sure your photos are perfect… with just 1 click! ”

06 iPhone Perfectly Clear

There are many other app for the iPhone that allow for quick photo editing on-the-go. These are just the top players that let it be well known they have a single click enhancement for you. Others may offer a ‘magic wand’ but they are multiple clicks in and at that point in time you might as well be doing fine tuning on your own.

Which of the above short list is best? Sorry, but to each their own. I don’t mean that ‘per person’, I mean it more ‘per photo’. While having so many options will clutter up a few app folders on my iPhone, depending on the desired end result, the starting quick tap can be different. After all, every photo will tell a different story depending on the story teller.