Since the birth of the iPhone several years ago it has propelled mobile photography into the forefront of social media sites, blogs, and email alike. And for a long time the iPhone was the only device that actually had a halfway decent process for taking photos while you were on the go. Once the Android operating system was introduced it was the main contender for the iPhone in all respects. But up until recently there weren’t as many apps for Android photography as their were for iPhone. Now with the recent sale of Instagram to Facebook for 1 billion dollars a lot of companies are realizing that creating apps is a very viable market. So which app should you use to improve your photography? Which app gives you the coolest effects? Let’s take a look at my top 3 choices.
1.
Pixlr – O – Matic
– Free
This is my personal favorite. Honestly, I would probably put Instagram at the top of my list except for the fact that its still not working on quite a few of the popular new devices. Anyways, I really love Pixlr. My favorite thing about it is that it uses the native camera app on your camera and then imports it to add the filters and effects. The app also has a lot of effects options that look really great. Another cool thing that this app does is it not only can add an old “look” similar to Instagram but they also have a bunch of nice looking frames, and light effects. You can add particles, light leaks, vignette, etc. and using the download option you can download tons of more effects for free right from their server in the app.
2.
– Free
If you haven’t hear about instagram you’ve obviously never logged into facebook. Everyone has at least 2 or 3 friends who use this app. Its a very simple camera app that adds retro effects to your pictures. But my favorite feature is the built in social network. You can follow your facebook friends, add them by email, or just search for a username of your favorite singer, band, or celeb.
3.
Cartoon Camera
– Free
This app is kind of a one trick pony. But what it does, it does well. You take the built in camera, and snap a picture, and your picture is very cartoonish. You can add or subtract how strong you want the effect to be by adjusting the sliders on the sides of the app.