Getting started with Snapseed photo editing

Snapseed is incredibly simple to use once you learn the basics. The first step, of course, is to download the Snapseed app and open it on your iPhone. From there, you simply upload your photos and start experimenting. Here’s how to upload your first photo to Snapseed:

1. Open Snapseed and give the app permission to access your photos.
2. Tap the + to open your photo library within Snapseed.
3. Scroll through your photos and choose one to edit. The photo will open on your screen with an editing menu below.

Can Snapseed edit RAW photos?

Yes! Once you import your RAW photo file into your iPhone photo library, Snapseed can use all of its editing tools and filters on your photo. When you export your edited RAW file, it will be saved on your phone as a JPEG image.

Does Snapseed reduce image quality?

The default setting in Snapseed saves your photo at 95% of the original quality. To save your photo at 100% quality, follow these instructions:

1. With a photo open in the Snapseed editor, tap the three dots in the upper-right corner.
2. Tap Settings.
3. Select Format and Quality.
4. Tap 100%.
5. Use the back arrows to return to your editing.

Adjusting colors and light with Snapseed

Now that we’ve got the basics down, let’s take a look at some of Snapseed’s most powerful editing tools.

Tune Image

The Tune Image feature on Snapseed is where you’ll find all the basic photo editing tools. Find these tools by tapping Tools at the bottom of the screen and then selecting Tune Image. Each tool is adjusted by sliding your finger across the corresponding slider. Here are the adjustments you can make within the Tune Image workspace:

• Brightness: This increases or decreases the exposure of your photo.
• Contrast: Upping the contrast makes the darks darker and the lights lighter in your photo.
• Saturation: This makes all of the colors in your photo more vibrant or saturated.
• Ambiance: Ambiance is a combination of Saturation and Brightness.
• Highlights: You can increase or decrease the brightest parts of the image to make your photo pop.
• Shadows: Adjusting the amount of Shadows in your photo (the darkest areas of the image) can drastically change the mood.
• Warmth: Increasing the Warmth in your photo will add warm tones to your color palette, while decreasing the Warmth will add cool tones to your colors.

White Balance

Because most light sources have certain color temperatures, the camera doesn’t always accurately capture what your eye sees when taking a photo. This is why a photo of a snowy scene will often have a blue hue, and indoor photos will sometimes appear yellowish. Fortunately, this problem can be easily addressed by using the White Balance tool. Here’s how to use it to correct the colors in your photo:

1. Open the photo you want to adjust and tap Tools.
2. Tap White Balance.
3. For a one-step correction, tap AW. Snapseed will automatically correct the white balance in your photo.
4. For more control over the adjustments, tap the slider icon, which will allow you to adjust the temperature and color tint in your photo.
5. Finally, use the eyedropper icon to adjust the white balance based on an area of your photo that you want to match your colors to. When you tap the eyedropper, a circle with a pointer will appear on the screen.
6. Drag the eyedropper across your screen to find the perfect white balance for your photo. Tap the checkmark when you are happy with the results.

Tonal Contrast

Tonal Contrast is one of those really powerful editing tools that let you pinpoint areas to increase or decrease fine contrasts for a more polished look that will bring out the details in your photo. Three separate sliders allow you to add contrast to the highlights, shadows, or middle tones in your photo. Two additional sliders allow you to protect the details in either the highlights or shadows while making adjustments. The best way to use the Tonal Contrast tool is to experiment with it until you have the results you’re looking for. Here’s how to access it:

1. Upload a photo that you want to work on, then tap Tools.
2. Select Tonal Contrasts.
3. Tap the slider at the bottom of your screen.
4. Use the first three sliders to adjust the level of contrast in the Highlights, Mid Tones, and Low Tones.
5. Use the second two sliders to protect the details from being lost when the other contrast sliders are increased.
6. Tap the checkmark to save your edits.

Brush

The Brush is a Snapseed photo editing tool that allows you to selectively adjust a photo’s saturation, exposure, light/dark areas, and temperature by using your finger as a brush. To selectively edit small sections of your photo, use your fingers to zoom in to the area you want to work on:

1. Open the photo you want to edit and tap Tools.
2. Tap Brush.
3. Choose the type of brush you want to use (Dodge & Burn, Exposure, Temperature, or Saturation).
4. Use the arrows at the bottom of the screen to choose how dramatic you want your adjustments to be.
5. Zoom in on your photo and use your finger to paint your adjustments where you want them.
6. If, at any point, you want to fix your adjustments, tap the eyeball icon to show your brushstrokes and adjust the arrows until it says Eraser. You can now erase your mistakes using your finger.
7. Tap the checkmark when you’re finished with the tool.

Curves

The Curves tool is a more powerful version of the Tune Image sliders, allowing you to make detailed adjustments to emphasize colors, tones, highlights, and shadows in an image. Unlike the Tune Image sliders, the Curves tool lets you make tonal adjustments to the light or dark areas of a photo without impacting the areas you want to remain unchanged. Here’s how to use it to make your photo pop:

1. Open the photo that you want to edit and tap Tools.
2. Tap Curves.
3. At the bottom of the screen, you will see an array of presets that make it easy to adjust your photo.
4. To make manual adjustments, drag points on the diagonal line. The upper-right point represents your brightest highlights, and your bottom-left point represents your darkest shadow. Dragging the line upward will make that portion of your photo brighter, while dragging the line downward will make that portion of your photo darker.
5. To see what your photo looks like without the diagonal line across it, simply tap the eye.
6. When you’re happy with your results, tap the checkmark.

How to use Snapseed to fix composition

The composition tools in Snapseed can be used to make adjustments to the fundamental layout of your shot. Cropping is the most common composition adjustment, but with Snapseed, you can also rotate your image, make subtle changes to the perspective, and even expand the view. Let’s take a look at some of these editing tools and how to use them.

Crop

You’ve likely used crop tools with other apps, and the Snapseed version works the same way. You can set a predetermined perimeter size for your photo or drag the perimeter edges to form a custom size. Here’s how to use Snapseed’s Crop feature:

1. Open the photo you want to edit and tap Crop.
2. At the bottom of the screen, you will see predetermined ratios to choose from. To create your own size, tap Free.
3. If you choose one of the preset photo ratios, you can drag the edges to make your crop smaller and move the cropped area around to find the perfect composition. (If you’re using the Free tool, you will be able to drag the edges to make them smaller until you’re happy with the results.)
4. Tap the checkmark when you’re finished cropping.

Rotate

The Rotate tool is useful for fixing skewed horizon lines or straightening your composition. Here’s how to use Rotate to fix your photos:

1. Upload and open the photo that you want to edit.
2. Tap Tools.
3. Choose Rotate.
4. If the photo is obviously skewed based on lines within the composition, the Rotate tool will make an automatic adjustment, which you can tweak.
5. Slide your finger across the photo to adjust the angle.
6. Tap the checkmark.

Perspective

Snapseed’s Perspective tool allows you to adjust perspective issues and further straighten elements that couldn’t be corrected with the Rotate tool. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open your photo in Snapseed and tap Tools.
2. Drag your finger across the photo in the direction you want to add your perspective distortion. (This takes some experimentation.)
3. Tap the dark square inside of a light square to change the edge healing. Tapping Smart will fill in the empty spaces with pixels from the surrounding photo. Tapping White or Black will leave the edges blank so they can be cropped out later.
4. Tap the checkmark when you are happy with the results.
5. If necessary, crop your image before saving.

Expand

The Expand feature allows you to expand the edges of your photo outward while filling in the frame with pixels from the surrounding scene. As you can imagine, this doesn’t work with every photo. The best candidates are photos with a strong pattern that won’t look odd after being expanded. Here’s how to use the Expand tool:

1. Open a photo and tap Tools.
2. Choose Expand.
3. Drag the edges that you want to expand outward. The area will be automatically filled in with the surrounding pixels.
4. Tap the checkmark.

Retouching your photo

In addition to the comprehensive editing tools we’ve already mentioned, Snapseed also provides powerful retouching tools that can remove imperfections, smooth skin, and even change the head pose of portraits.

Healing

The Healing tool allows you to easily remove unwanted elements from photos — whether it’s a fly on the wall, a facial blemish, or a rogue electrical cord. Because the Healing tool replaces your unwanted object with pixels from the surrounding scene, it works best when objects are located in uncluttered spaces. Here’s how to use the Healing tool in Snapseed:

1. Open the photo that you want to edit and tap Tools.
2. Tap Healing.
3. Use your fingers to zoom in on the area with the unwanted object.
4. Use your finger to tap on the object you want to remove.
5. If only part of the object disappears, tap again until the object is gone.
6. Use the back arrow if you are unhappy with the results and want to try again.
7. Zoom out and tap the checkmark.

Portrait

The Portrait tool is actually a whole suite of features you can use to retouch your selfies or portraits. When you open the Portrait tool, you will see several icons along the bottom of the screen. From right to left, they are Face Spotlight, Fine Tuning, and Portrait filters.

The Face Spotlight tool allows you to highlight your facial features using different tonal gradients. The Fine-Tuning tools consist of sliders that enable you to adjust the amount of Facial Spotlighting, Skin Smoothing, and Eye Clarity. Finally, use the filters to change the look of your portrait with the touch of a button.

Head Pose

Think of the Head Pose tool as the Perspective tool for portraits and selfies. It’s a great fix for making subtle adjustments to face shots. It works just like the Perspective tool, too. Simply tap Tools > Head Pose and then drag your finger across the face to change the direction your subject is facing.

The Fine-Tuning sliders can also be used within the Head Pose tool to adjust Pupil Size, Smile, and Focal Length.

Creative photo editing with Snapseed

Finally, let’s take a look at some of the more dramatic tools that will give your photos a bit of artistic flair.

Double Exposure

Double Exposure allows you to combine two shots into one. The controls within the Snapseed Double Exposure toolbox allow you to select a filter and adjust the opacity of that filter. To get the results you’re after, you may need to play around with combinations of different photos. Here’s how to use the Double Exposure tool:

1. Open the first photo that you want to use in your composition.
2. Tap the photo icon to add a second photo.
3. Now tap the filter icon, which gives you different blending combinations for your two photos. Experiment with the different effects until you are happy with the combination.
4. Select the water droplet icon to adjust the opacity until you like the results.
5. Tap the checkmark to complete your double exposure.

Lens Blur

One of the ways that portrait photographers draw attention to their subject is by using a shallow depth of field to blur the background. iPhone photographers can accomplish this with Portrait mode when taking a photo, but if you already have a photo that you’d like to blur, you can easily do it with Snapseed’s Lens Blur tool. Here’s how to use it:

1. Open a portrait in Snapseed and tap Tools.
2. Tap Lens Blur.
3. A circle will appear overtop of the face on your screen. (You can use your fingers to pinch the circle and make it bigger or smaller.)
4. The Fine-Tuning icon will pull up a menu where you can adjust the Blur Strength, Transition, and Vignette Strength.
5. Tap the checkmark.

Frames

Once you have finished all of the creative adjustments you want using Snapseed, the finishing touch is to add a frame to your photo.

1. Tap Tools, then select Frames.
2. Scroll through the frame menu at the bottom of the screen and choose one that fits your photo.
3. Use the slider to adjust the width of the frame.
4. Tap the checkmark when you are finished.

How to save an edited photo from Snapseed

After all of your experimenting, adjusting, and creating, it’s time to save your photos so you can share them with your friends and family. Here’s how to save all of your edited masterpieces to your phone:

1. When you’re finished editing your photo, tap Export. A pop-up screen will open with several menu options.
2. Tap Share to send a photo through text or email, or to share it directly onto a social media account.
3. Select Save to save the new photo to your iPhone. This will replace the original.
4. Select Save a Copy to save your edited photo alongside the original.

As you’ve probably learned through experimenting with the available editing tools in Snapseed, it is one of the most powerful, easiest to use editing apps available today. And the best part? Snapseed is 100% free to use. So take advantage of the Snapseed photo editing tools, and you’ll see how much they can do for your photos.

The post Snapseed photo editing tutorial: How to use the most powerful free editor appeared first on Backlight.

The best retouch apps for your iPhone

Looking for some new apps to add to your photo editing arsenal? The following retouch apps are indispensable for touching up your iPhone photos, whether they’re landscape shots, flat lays, or selfies. Many of these apps are free to use. Others can be purchased for a nominal fee. Here are our favorite photo retouch apps for iPhone, as well as instructions for using them to touch up your photos.

1. TouchRetouch: Best app for removing objects from a photo

Got a photo that would be amazing — if not for that background photo bomber, rogue seagull, or unsightly power line? There are numerous photo apps that can remove unwanted objects from an image, but the easiest to use is TouchRetouch. The TouchRetouch app has received more than 18,000 positive reviews on the App Store and is currently available for $1.99.

How to use TouchRetouch to remove objects from a photo

1. Download TouchRetouch and open it on your iPhone.
2. Tap Albums to access your iPhone photo library and choose the photo you want to retouch.
3. Choose Object Removal from the menu at the bottom of the screen.
4. Select the Brush or Lasso tool to remove your unwanted object. (The most effective tool will depend on the object you want to remove. Experiment with both.)
5. If you are removing something small, use your fingers to pinch outward and zoom in on the object.
6. To use the Lasso tool, draw a line around the object you want to remove with your finger. When you remove your finger, the object will be highlighted in green.
7. To use the Brush tool, paint over the unwanted object with your finger. This will also be highlighted in green. You can make the brush smaller or larger by tapping Settings.
8. Tap Go to watch the object magically disappear. The highlighted area will be filled in with pixels duplicated from the surrounding area.
9. To save your photo, tap the share icon at the top of the screen and then choose Gallery.

2. Snapseed: Best app for changing a head pose

Snapseed is a popular editing app created by Google. It’s easy to use, even for beginners, and one of its coolest features is the ability to change the perspective of faces in portrait shots or selfies. It’s a subtle fix, but one that can really make your portraits stand out. Remember those shots that would be perfect if you were only looking a little to the left? Snapseed can fix them! Snapseed is available for free on the App Store.

Using Snapseed to change the head pose on a selfie or portrait

1. Download Snapseed and open it on your iPhone.
2. Tap Open and choose a photo to edit.
3. Tap Tools and then scroll down and tap Head Pose. A smiling emoji surrounded by four arrows will appear on the screen.
4. Use your finger to slide the face in whatever direction you want it to point.
5. Tap the checkmark when you are done.
6. Tap Export to save your photo to your library.

3. AirBrush: Fun app for changing the shape of your body

AirBrush is a full-feature photo retouching app that includes many of the same features found in other apps along with some unique features you won’t find anywhere else. One such unique feature is the ability to use the reshaper to make your body slimmer, taller, and firmer in photos. AirBrush also has various filters, a skin smoother, and even digital makeup filters. The app is free to download, but premium features require in-app purchases.

How to create a slimmer shape using AirBrush

1. Download AirBrush and open it on your iPhone.
2. Choose a full-body portrait that you’d like to reshape.
3. Choose the Reshape tool.
4. Tap Light.
5. Zoom in on the area you want to reshape.
6. Use the circular tool with your finger to make fine adjustments to your shape.
7. Zoom out and tap the orange rectangle icon to see the before and after versions.
8. Use the back arrow if you need to redo any areas.
9. Tap the checkmark, followed by the share icon to save your retouched photo to your library.

4. Facetune2: Best app for smoothing your skin

Do you love taking selfies but aren’t always happy with the results? Facetune2 excels at retouching portraits and selfies and includes a skin smoothing tool, a teeth whitening tool, and even a face reshaper. You can up your selfie game with Facetune2 for just $5.99 a month.

How to use Facetune2 to retouch your next selfie

1. Download Facetune2 from the App Store and open it on your iPhone.
2. Choose a photo to edit from your library.
3. Tap Retouch.
4. For an overall smoother look, simply tap Auto.
5. If you want to do more retouching, choose an item from the bottom menu, then use the slider to adjust the intensity.
6. Tap the checkmark when you have finished editing.
7. Tap the share icon to save your edited photo to your library.

5. Photoshop Fix: Best app for healing imperfections in your photos

Photoshop Fix allows you to repair and refine imperfections in your image, change the shape of objects, and adjust shadows and highlights to certain parts of your image. Photoshop Fix is free to download and works seamlessly with other Adobe apps like Lightroom and Photoshop Express.

How to heal imperfections with Photoshop Fix

1. Download Photoshop Fix and open it on your iPhone.
2. Tap the plus sign at the top of the screen to import a photo.
3. Tap Healing to open the workstation.
4. A pop-up menu will appear where you can adjust the size of your brush and the “hardness” of the effect. The last icon will allow you to see the areas you’ve already touched up by toggling it on or off.
5. Once you’ve chosen your brush size and hardness, zoom in on the area you want to work on by swiping out with your thumb and forefinger across the screen.
6. Use your finger to paint over the imperfection.
7. You can tap the back arrow at the top of the screen to go back to the previous edit.
8. When you are happy with the results, tap the upload icon to save your photo to your library.

6. Photoshop Express: Great fine-tuning app for photos

If you’re doing basic retouches on your photos — such as changing exposure, highlights, and saturation — or you need to sharpen details, your best bet is to use Photoshop Express. This is an all-in-one photo editor that is easy to learn and to master. Photoshop Express is free to download and use, but there are some premium features that require a monthly subscription fee of $4.99 per month.

How to use Photoshop Express to retouch your photo

1. Download Photoshop Express and open it on your iPhone.
2. Give the app permission to access your photos and choose the one you want to retouch.
3. Tap Adjustments from the menu at the bottom of the screen.
4. From here, you can choose from another menu that lets you fine-tune light, color, effects, and details.
5. Choose a menu item and use the slider to add more or less intensity to your photo.
6. When you’re finished retouching your photo, tap the share icon at the top of the screen and choose Camera Roll to save your photo.

Retouching your photos is an extra step, but it is arguably a necessary one for making the leap from good to amazing. These apps help you get there without much effort or expense. Worth it? Absolutely.

The post 6 photo retouch apps and how to use them for perfect photos appeared first on Backlight.

The truth is that Instagram is constantly updating and refining its algorithm to create a better user experience. While you won’t even notice most algorithm updates on Instagram, you should still be following best practices on Instagram to increase your engagement and followers.

How the Instagram algorithm works in 2020

First off, what is an algorithm, anyway? That word seems to be thrown around a lot in the world of social media, but what exactly does it mean? In simplest terms, an algorithm is a mathematical formula. Instagram uses an algorithm to determine what posts, Stories, Reels, and videos to show users and when to show them. While the algorithm itself is a well-guarded secret, Instagram has unveiled the key factors that they consider when deciding what to post and when.

The Instagram feed algorithm and its criteria

According to Instagram, the following factors are important considerations when prioritizing posts on the Instagram feed:

• Past interactions and engagement: The more often a user likes, comments, and interacts with certain kinds of posts, the more likely it is that they will see similar content. That means the more your post is liked, shared, and commented on, the more likely it will be shown to a wider audience.
• Relationships: Instagram prioritizes posts from users that you interact with on a regular basis. That’s because they want your feed to include plenty of posts from people you care about.
• Timeliness: Instagram is more likely to show users posts that receive a lot of engagement soon after being posted. This helps keep the Instagram feed fresh.
• User frequency: An Instagram user’s feed will look different depending on how often they open the app. Someone who visits once a day will see the most popular posts they’ve missed since their last visit. Someone who opens Instagram multiple times a day, however, is more likely to see posts in chronological order. By the same token, Instagram will show the most popular posts to someone who only spends a few minutes on the app at a time.

The Instagram Story algorithm

The Stories you see at the top of your home screen are those of the accounts you interact with most often. Accounts that you build a relationship with are deemed more important and are therefore shown first. If you tap on your Instagram Story to see who has viewed it, the profiles that appear at the top of the list are those you interact with the most.

Was there an Instagram algorithm change in 2020?

While the Instagram team’s lips are sealed on the subject, it’s widely known that the Instagram algorithm is always changing. Instagram collects a huge amount of data daily. This information is used to fine-tune the algorithm to deliver a uniquely personalized feed to every user. While it might seem impossible to use such a system to your advantage, Instagram has always prioritized authentic content that sees lots of engagement, and will continue to do so.

How to get the Instagram algorithm to show your posts and Stories

So, can you “trick” the Instagram algorithm to show your posts and Stories to more people? Not exactly. Instead, the following tips can help you take advantage of Instagram’s algorithm to increase your engagement and followers. The following tips aren’t shortcuts, but they will help get your posts and Stories in front of more people.

Post when your followers are active on Instagram

The Instagram algorithm rewards posts that are popular during the first hour of being posted by showing those posts to even more people. Instagram’s goal is to show people what they want to see. So if you have a post that is popular with your most loyal fans, then the assumption is that others will like it too. Take advantage of this by posting when the people who follow you are most active on Instagram. How can you tell when your followers are most active? Head to Insights > Total Followers and scroll down to Most Active Times. This is when you should be posting to your Instagram feed.

Engage with your audience

Once you’ve posted your photo, video, or carousel to your Instagram feed, it’s time to immediately start engaging with your followers and with the people you follow. It’s important to do it right away because timeliness matters, and your engagement is most likely to be reciprocated if you jump on it as soon as you post. The key is to leave meaningful comments that will start conversations. Take the time to respond to every comment on your post, and be sure to return the favor by liking and commenting on the accounts that give you the most engagement. Not only will this please the Instagram gods, but it’s a great way to make friends!

Follow and engage with hashtags

Did you know you can follow hashtags that you use regularly? This is a great way to engage with like-minded Instagrammers, find new people to follow, and develop new relationships. Follow the hashtags you use the most, and make it a habit of scrolling through and engaging with top accounts that use them. Here’s how to follow your favorite hashtags:

1. Open Instagram and tap the magnifying glass at the bottom of the screen.
2. Tap Tags and search for a hashtag that you regularly use on your posts.
3. Select Follow. Posts that use that hashtag will now show up in your feed.

Add Alt Text to your posts

The Alt Text of an Instagram post is a text description for people with visual impairments. If you don’t include an Alt Text with your photo, Instagram will automatically create one based on what it thinks is the subject of your photo. A typical Instagram-generated Alt Text will say something like “may contain tree, grass, dog, and person.” Creating a more specific Alt Text will not only make your post more accessible but will help Instagram better understand what your post is about. It does not conclusively increase engagement on posts, but it doesn’t hurt your chances. Here’s how to add a custom Alt Text to your post:

1. Create a post to add to Instagram and add your filters, captions, hashtags, etc.
2. Before posting, tap Advanced Settings.
3. Scroll to the bottom of the screen and tap Write Alt Text.
4. Create a custom Alt Text that describes your photo.
5. Tap Done.

Post Reels and IGTV videos

Instagram wants people to spend time as much time as possible on the app, which is why they’ve created several ways for users to post videos. Stories came first, but don’t forget about IGTV or — the new kid on the block — Instagram Reels. The more you use all of these features, the more likely your posts will show up on Instagram’s Explore page, and the more people will see your posts.

IGTV and Reels both have a permanent place on your feed in separate tabs that can be viewed from your profile. Use IGTV for long-form videos between 1 minute and 15 minutes long (60 minutes when uploading from the web). Reels, on the other hand, are quick 15-second videos that are usually set to music. Using both — along with Stories, of course — is the best way to increase your engagement on Instagram.

Post Stories daily

Engaging with accounts on Instagram includes using all of the tools available to you: Reels, IGTV, and Stories. The more Stories you post, the more likely that your account will show up on your followers’ screens. Try to commit to at least one Story every day. If you can do more, even better! Use your Story Insights to find out what’s resonating with your community, and post similar content to your best-performing Stories.

Interact with your community on Stories

If more accounts interact with your Stories, Instagram is more likely to make your Stories visible to a wider audience. So, how do you get people to interact with your Stories? Simple — post Stories that ask for a response, such as questions, polls, and quizzes. Asking for simple engagement, like yes/no questions, will generate the most responses, but don’t be afraid to occasionally ask for longer responses. This is a great way to build community within Instagram.

Ready to take advantage of Instagram’s algorithm to give your account a boost? Our tips will help you get your photos seen so you can grow your following and find your Instagram family.

The post The secrets of the Instagram algorithm: How to get your photos seen appeared first on Backlight.

Instagram Archive is an ingenious little tool, not just for the indecisive among us, but also for when it comes to sharing memories, highlighting Stories, and increasing engagement on your posts. Here’s how to use Archive to your advantage on Instagram.

What is Instagram Archive, and how does it work?

So, what exactly is Instagram Archive? This nifty feature was rolled out in 2017 and enables users to remove photos and videos from their profile without deleting them entirely. With Instagram Archive, you can still see your archived photos, but the rest of the world won’t know they exist.

Instagram Archive stores both Posts and Stories, and while you have to archive posts manually, you can easily adjust your settings so that your Stories are automatically added to Instagram Archive after 24 hours.

How to archive posts on Instagram

1. Open Instagram and navigate to your profile.
2. Tap the photo you want to archive.
3. Select the three dots in the upper-right corner of your post.
4. Choose Archive.
5. Your photo will disappear from your profile.

Where to find your archived photos on Instagram

1. Open Instagram and head to your profile.
2. Tap the menu (three horizontal lines) in the top-right corner of the screen.
3. Tap Archive. All of your archived posts will show up here.
4. Tap on the drop-down arrow at the top of the screen to choose between archived posts or Stories.

How to automatically save Stories to Instagram Story Archive

You can enable automatic archiving of your Stories within your settings on Instagram. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open the Instagram menu on your Instagram profile.
2. Tap Settings > Privacy > Story.
3. Scroll down to Saving and toggle on the Save to Archive function. All of your Stories will now be saved in Instagram Archives.

How to put archived posts back on Instagram

Change your mind about a post you’ve archived? Here’s how to add it back to your profile:

1. Open Instagram and navigate to your profile.
2. Tap the menu in the upper-right corner.
3. Tap Archive.
4. Choose the photo that you want to return to Instagram.
5. Tap the three dots in the corner of the post.
6. Tap Show on Profile. The post will be returned to the original location in your Instagram feed.

5 ways to use Instagram Archive to engage your audience

Now that you know the basics of Instagram Archive, here’s how to use it creatively to engage your audience.

1. Highlight your best Stories

The Highlight feature on Instagram is a fabulous way to show off your best Stories right on your profile. Because all of your Stories are automatically archived, it’s easy to create and change your Story Highlights with a few taps. Here’s how to add archived Stories to your Highlights:

1. Open Instagram and navigate to the menu from your profile.
2. Tap Archive and choose Stories from the drop-down menu at the top of the screen.
3. Scroll through your archived Stories until you find one that you want to add to Highlights.
4. Tap on the Story and choose Highlight.
5. Choose the Highlight that you want to add it to, or tap + to create a new Highlight.

2. Post your memories to Stories

Did you know that Instagram keeps track of your post dates so that you can add them as Stories to increase engagement? Your Memories are located in your Instagram Archives under Stories. Depending on how long you’ve been posting to Instagram, you may see one or more Memories. Next to your post, it will say “On This Day – [x] years ago today,” followed by a Share button. To share your post to your Stories, simply tap the button and create your Story.

3. Test different Instagram themes on your account

An Instagram theme is simply a cohesive look for your feed based on a specific style, color, or type of photo. You don’t have to create a theme for your Instagram account in order for it to be successful, but Instagram accounts with recognizable themes often see more engagement and recognition. Want to try it for yourself without harming your account? Decide on a theme and choose the posts that fit within it. Archive the rest. It’s that simple. If you don’t love your new theme, all you have to do is return your archived posts to your feed.

4. Repost photos that didn’t see great engagement

Using Instagram Archive gives us opportunities to increase engagement by using the analytics from an archived post to repost for more engagement. By using Instagram Insights, you can easily see which posts got the least amount of engagement over the past year. Now, maybe those photos were subpar to begin with, but it could also be that you posted the photo at a weird time, your caption was humdrum, or you didn’t make good use of your hashtags. You can test your theory by archiving those posts and creating new posts from the same photos using a different technique to get more engagement.

5. Reuse photos without seeming repetitive

Like most social media platforms, the lifespan of a single Instagram post can be pretty short. You may see engagement for a few days, but after that, your views, likes, and comments will probably tank, and you will have to create a new post for your followers to enjoy. If you’re running out of new photos to post, you can reuse some old photos you particularly like by archiving them and posting them again? Not only does this breathe new life into your photos, but it frees up more of your time.

Ready to kick your Instagram game up a notch? It’s time to show off your best work, encourage engagement, and attract new followers, all with Instagram Archive.

The post Instagram Archive and 5 clever ways to use it appeared first on Backlight.

Making the subject stand out in a portrait is the most common reason to blur out parts of a photo. But blurring an image is also useful for making license plates unreadable or making faces unrecognizable. No matter what you want to use it for, blurring photos on your iPhone is a useful skill to keep in your back pocket.

How to blur the background of your photos on iPhone

When blurring parts of a photo on iPhone, you will most often be blurring the background while keeping the main subject in focus. Many iPhones make this easy to do through the use of Portrait mode, but even if you don’t have Portrait mode on your phone, there are other ways to create a gorgeously blurred background so your subject can really shine. Here are a few different ways to blur a photo background on iPhone.

Use iPhone Portrait mode

As previously mentioned, the easiest way to blur the background of your photo is by using iPhone’s Portrait mode, which is available on iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XS, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max. If you have an iPhone XR or a 2020 iPhone SE, you can only use Portrait mode to blur the background when photographing people. Capturing pets and inanimate objects won’t work in Portrait mode.

Here’s how to blur the background of your photo using Portrait mode on iPhone:

1. Open the Camera app on your iPhone.
2. Tap Portrait.
3. The default setting for portraits is Natural Light, but you can scroll through the different lighting options and tap on one before framing your shot.
4. Ensure that your subject is between two and eight feet from the camera lens.
5. Check your screen before pressing the shutter button. Your subject should be sharp and the background blurred.
6. Tap the shutter button to take a photo.

Shoot close to your subject

What if you have an iPhone model without Portrait mode? Can you still blur the background with your iPhone? Yes! Another option you can try is to simply move closer to your subject. Before pressing the shutter, hold your finger on your subject to switch on Auto Focus. The closer you are to your subject, the blurrier your background will be.

Blur the background using iPhone apps

If you now find yourself wishing that you’d used one of our first two suggestions to blur the background of your photo at the time you captured it, don’t worry. There are plenty of useful apps for editing photos after you’ve taken them. Here’s how to add blur to a photo after taking it using two tried-and-tested apps: Snapseed and Photoshop Express.

How to blur the background using Snapseed

1. Download Snapseed and open it on your iPhone.
2. Give permission for Snapseed to access your photos and tap anywhere to add a photo.
3. Tap Tools.
4. Scroll down and tap Lens Blur.
5. A circle will appear over your photo. Drag the circle across your photo to pinpoint the area you want to be blurry.
6. Pinch or widen your fingers across the screen to make the circle smaller or bigger, or to elongate it.
7. When you’re happy with the results, tap the checkmark in the lower corner.
8. Tap Export and choose Save to add the photo to your photo library.

How to blur a background with Photoshop Express

1. Download Photoshop Express and open it on your iPhone.
2. Choose a photo to edit.
3. Tap Adjustments and then scroll through the menu and tap Blur.
4. A circle will appear on the screen, which you can then drag over the top of your main subject.
5. Use the slider to increase or decrease the amount of blur, and use your fingers to make the circle smaller or bigger.
6. When you’re finished, tap the upload icon at the top of the screen to add the photo to your library.

How to blur parts of a picture on iPhone

Now let’s talk about other situations where you may need to blur part of a photo. Whether you’re blurring text, faces, or other elements of a snapshot, here’s how to do it using third-party apps.

Blur out part of a photo using Photo Un.blur

1. Download Photo Un.Blur and open it on your iPhone.
2. Choose a photo to work with and tap Blur.
3. Use your finger to paint the area of the photo that you want to blur.
4. You can also choose Filter to choose a blur effect with different intensities and patterns. After you choose the filter, tap Blur to paint on the new effect.
5. When you are finished, tap Share to save it to your photo library.

Blur out faces in iPhone photos with Blur Photo Effect Background

1. Download Blur Photo Effect Background and open it on your iPhone.
2. Under Editing Tools, tap Blur.
3. Choose the photo you want to edit from your photo library.
4. Crop if desired and tap Done.
5. Tap Effect to choose the type of blur you want to add. The free version lets you choose either a blur or motion effect. You can also use the slider to adjust the brightness and strength.
6. For a more detailed blur, use your pinched fingers to zoom in on your scene.
7. Use your finger to draw blurred lines to cover the part of the photo that you want to be blurred.
8. Tap Next to add a filter if desired.
9. Tap the upload icon to add your blurred photo to your photo library.

Knowing how to blur photos on your iPhone is a useful skill to have. Whether you use Portrait mode or a third-party app, the opportunities for creative experimentation are endless.

The post How to blur the background or parts of your photo on iPhone appeared first on Backlight.

You may find the answer by digging into Instagram Insights. This handy tool collects important Instagram metrics to help you figure out when to post, who your followers are, and what hashtags are working best. Let’s take a look at using Instagram Insights to promote your photography.

How to use your Instagram Insights

Let’s start with the basics, like how to access and use Instagram Insights. We’ll then look at what all those graphs, times, and numbers mean. Please note that you must have an Instagram business or creator account to gain access to your Insights.

How to view Insights in the Instagram app on iPhone

1. Open Instagram on your iPhone and navigate to your profile.
2. Tap the menu in the upper-right corner and tap Insights.
3. This will open up your Instagram Insights for the past 7 days. From here, you can navigate by tapping on Accounts Reached, Content Interactions, and Total Followers.

How to access Instagram Insights on desktop

Accessing your Instagram Insights on desktop isn’t as simple as doing it on the mobile app, but you can view your Instagram Insights by using Creator Studio by Facebook. Your account’s analytics will be available if your Instagram account is affiliated with a corresponding Facebook page. Here’s how to access your Instagram Insights on Creator Studio:

1. Head to Creator Studio.
2. Click the Instagram icon at the top of your screen.
3. Click on Insights from the left sidebar menu.
4. From there, navigate to Activity or Audience Insights by clicking on the menu item.
5. If you want to check analytics for individual posts, click on Content Library and navigate to the photo or video that you want to check up on.

What the Instagram metrics mean

When you open the Instagram Insights tab, you will see all your metrics for the past 7 days. At the top of the page, you’ll see your Recent Highlights, which usually focuses on your account’s successes. Highlights will tell you if you’ve reached more accounts than usual, gained new followers, or received a large number of likes and/or comments.

Below Highlights is a more detailed overview of your Instagram Insights. Here’s a look at what these metrics represent.

Accounts Reached: Find out who’s checking you out

The Accounts Reached tab is a treasure trove of information. Here, you’ll find out which days your posts and Stories reached the most people, how many impressions your posts and Stories received, and how many people visited your profile after viewing one of your posts.

With the Accounts Reached feature, you can also see how many people clicked on your website link and your email address. Finally, this tab shows you your top Instagram posts and Stories for the week, along with how many accounts those posts and Stories reached.

Content Interactions: Learn which posts and Stories get the most attention

While Accounts Reached examines who’s viewed your photos and Stories, Content Interactions takes it once step further, revealing which of your posts and Stories are attracting the most likes, comments, saves, and shares. The more interactions your posts and Stories get, the more likely that they’ll be shared with a wider audience.

Total Followers: Track the growth of your Instagram account

The Total Followers tab breaks down the numbers so you can see how many new followers you’ve gained, how many followers you’ve lost, and even the demographics for those followers — such as where they come from, how old they are, and when they’re most active on Instagram.

Viewing Instagram Post Insights

In addition to the Instagram Insights tab in your profile menu, you can also view Post Insights for individual posts by clicking on any of your posts and tapping View Insights below your photo. This will tell you the number of likes, comments, shares, and saves your post has received. And if you swipe up, it will give you the number of profile visits, the total reach, the number of interactions, and how many new followers were generated by your post.

How Instagram Insights help you grow your photography account

Now that you know what your Instagram Insights mean, it’s time to use them to your advantage. Here are some ways you can use those metrics to promote your photography and grow your account.

Create the right posts for your audience

The Total Followers tab provides important information about your audience. Where do they live? How old are they? Use these demographics to ensure that you are posting photos that your audience will love. On the flip side, if you’re trying to attract a certain type of demographic with your photography, you can use the analytics in this section to determine whether you’re hitting the mark. If you are a Florida landscape photographer, and most of your followers live in New York, then you might want to work on attracting a more local following to grow your account.

Discover the best time to post to Instagram

The Total Followers tab will also tell you when your audience is most active on Instagram. These days and times will provide a framework for when to post your photos. If weekdays at 3 pm are when most of your followers check Instagram, be ready at those times to engage them with a new post.

Increase engagement on your posts

The more engagement a post has, the more likely it is to reach a wider audience on Instagram. Engagement includes any action that is taken on a post, including likes, comments, saves, and shares. Not all types of engagement are created equal, but all of them are important.

In the Content Interactions tab, scroll down to view your top posts based on interactions. Do you see a trend? Perhaps you asked a question within your caption or asked your audience to comment with their favorite photo spot in Los Angeles. Posts with the most interactions are the ones you’ll want to emulate in your future posts.

Better connect with your audience via Stories

Your focus may be photography, but don’t neglect Instagram Stories as a way to connect with your audience. If you’ve already made Stories a part of your growth strategy, head over to the Accounts Reached tab and scroll down to Top Stories based on reach. What kinds of Stories are resonating with your audience? Are they personal Stories? Behind-the-scenes views of your photography? Videos? Post more Stories based on what is working best.

Understand where your views are coming from

Check your Post Insights weekly — at least — to discover which of your photos are doing the best and where your followers are coming from. Post Insights will tell you how many people have liked your post, commented, shared, and saved.

Scroll down to see where your views are coming from. If the highest number is from Home, that will tell you that most of the impressions you receive are from accounts that already follow you. Impressions from Hashtags and Explore are more likely to represent a brand new audience that you can tempt with more content.

While Instagram’s analytics won’t give you insight into specific hashtags, it will help you determine which of your posts used hashtags successfully so that you can create new posts with a similar hashtag strategy.

Your Instagram account won’t grow overnight, but the Instagram Insights feature makes it a little easier to develop a strategy based on what’s already working for you.

The post How to use Instagram Insights to promote your photography appeared first on Backlight.

Can you post GIFs on Instagram?

Although the process isn’t totally seamless, you can absolutely share your favorite GIFs on Instagram with just a few extra steps. This can be accomplished by using GIPHY, which is currently the largest collection of GIFs in the world, or by saving your GIF as a video before uploading it.

How to upload a GIF to your Instagram feed

Let’s take a look at your options for adding a GIF to Instagram. Both require an extra step or two, but once you get the hang of it, it’s a breeze!

Post a GIF on Instagram using GIPHY

GIPHY is a treasure trove of fun GIFs, so if you don’t already have the GIPHY app installed on your iPhone, take care of that ASAP. Once you’ve got GIPHY downloaded, here are the steps you need to take to post a GIF to Instagram.

1. Open the GIPHY app on your iPhone.
2. Browse or search for the perfect GIF on GIPHY.
3. Tap the paper-airplane icon located under the GIF.
4. Tap the Instagram button. A screen will appear asking for permission to open Instagram.
5. Once you’ve given permission, your GIF will open inside Instagram. Choose Feed to post a 15-second looped GIF to your Instagram feed as a new post.
6. Tap Next to add edits and/or filters to your Instagram post.
7. Tap Next again to add your caption and hashtags.
8. When you’ve finished creating your GIF post, tap Share.

Upload your own GIF as a video

Technically, Instagram doesn’t support GIF files, but you can turn your GIF into a video to easily share it on Instagram. Once you download your GIF onto your phone, you will need a GIF-to-video converter app like GIF Cracker. Then simply follow these instructions:

1. Open GIF Cracker on your iPhone and allow access to your photos.
2. GIF Cracker will automatically show you all of the GIFs that are stored in your photo library. Choose the one you want to share.
3. A screen will appear with video options, including playback speed, loop count, and number of frames. Adjust these to fit your needs.
4. When you are happy with the results, tap Start Conversion.
5. Tap Save.
6. You will now be able to share your GIF as a video on Instagram.

How to add a GIF to your Instagram Story

We’ve covered how to add GIFs to Instagram posts, but what if you want to add a GIF to your Instagram Story? It’s easy to do, and there are several ways to make it happen.

Post a GIF to Instagram directly from GIPHY

You can post to your Instagram Stories directly from GIPHY in much the same way you create Instagram posts. Here’s how:

1. Open the GIPHY app on your iPhone.
2. Find an awesome GIF to share to your Instagram Stories.
3. Tap on the paper airplane icon located under the GIF.
4. Tap the Instagram button and give GIPHY permission to access your Instagram. Once you have given permission, your GIF will open inside Instagram.
5. Choose Story to post a 15-second looped GIF to your Instagram Story.
6. Your GIF will appear in your Stories, where you can add additional features like text, drawings, and stickers.
7. Tap Your Stories to save your GIF to your Stories.

Make a GIF and put it on your Story with Boomerang

Another option is to use Instagram’s Boomerang feature to create a GIF-like animation to share to your Stories. Here’s how:

1. Open the Stories feature in Instagram by tapping on the camera icon in the upper right.
2. Tap the Boomerang icon on the left side of the screen — it looks like a horizontal figure eight.
3. Position your camera to begin filming your Boomerang. This works best with a bit of action, so try to capture something happening (water splashing, bees buzzing, or your dog jumping).
4. Tap the Boomerang shutter button to capture your footage.
5. Your Boomerang GIF will consist of 10 photos stitched together, sped up, and looped back and forth.
6. Tap Your Stories to share.

Add a GIF to your Instagram Story using a sticker

You can also add a little bling to your photo and video Stories by adding a GIF sticker, which provides all kinds of animated GIF stickers from GIPHY. This is probably the easiest and most addictive way to add GIFs to your Instagram Stories:

1. Open your Instagram Stories and add a photo or video.
2. Tap the sticker icon, followed by the search bar.
3. A screen will pop up with GIFs that are trending on GIPHY.
4. Choose a GIF from the options provided or search for a GIF in the search bar.
5. Tap the GIF you want to use, and it will appear on top of your photo or video.
6. Pinch your fingers to make your GIF larger or smaller.
7. Tap Your Stories to share to your Instagram Stories.

How to send a GIF on Instagram DM

You’re almost an expert at posting GIFs on Instagram. The last thing we’re going to cover is how to share a GIF as a DM on Instagram because, let’s face it, some GIFs are only meant for your favorite people. Share your favorite GIFs with just a few taps of the screen:

1. Open Instagram and tap the message icon in the top-right corner.
2. Choose the account you want to send a DM to.
3. Type your message and then tap the + icon.
4. Tap the sticker icon.
5. The GIFs trending on GIPHY will appear on the screen. If you don’t see something you like, search for your GIF in the search bar.
6. Tap the GIF you want to share with your friend.

GIFs are a fun way to relate and connect with people, and we’re grateful that they’re so easy to share on Instagram. Now that you know how to do it, your only problem will be finding the perfect GIF to post or send.

The post How to post and send a GIF on Instagram from your iPhone appeared first on Backlight.

Posting multiple photos on your Instagram Story

Instagram Stories are fantastic because they are less permanent and more casual than regular Instagram posts. If you’re looking for fresh ways to add content to your Instagram Stories, why not post multiple photos at once or create a unique collage with multiple images? Posting several images to your Instagram Story is incredibly easy, and it’s a great way to boost engagement and grow your followers.

How to add multiple photo Stories on Instagram

Creating a Story series consisting of multiple photos from your photo library takes only seconds on Instagram and allows you to add up to 10 photos at a time. Here’s how:

1. Tap the camera icon to open your Stories.
2. Tap the photo icon at the bottom of the screen.
3. Choose the multiple photo icon, which is located above your photo gallery.
4. Tap the photos that you want to add in the order you want them to appear in your Stories. A number will show up when you tap each photo so you know the order. You can add up to 10 photos in your Stories at a time.
5. Tap Next to begin adding stickers, text, or music to your photos.
6. When you have edited your photos, tap Next.
7. Tap Your Story to share your photos in order.

How to post several photos to the same Story

If you want your photos to appear on the same screen in one Instagram Story, you can use the sticker feature:

1. Tap the camera icon within Instagram to open up your Stories.
2. Next, tap the photo icon to add a main photo to your Story.
3. Then tap the sticker icon at the top of the screen.
4. Scroll down until you find the photo sticker, and tap it.
5. Your second photo will appear on the screen.
6. Repeat this until you have the photos that you want for your Story.
7. Drag your photos around to reposition them. Pinch or widen two fingers across the screen to make the photos smaller or bigger.
8. Add text, music, or drawings to complete your Story.
9. Tap Your Stories to add your photos to your Stories.

Why can’t I add several photos to my Story?

The multiple photos feature in Stories is still being introduced throughout the world, so it may not be available where you live. If you don’t see the multiple photo icon when uploading your Stories, try updating the Instagram app to the latest version. If the feature still doesn’t appear, hang tight. It’s only a matter of time before Instagram rolls out this new feature in your area.

How to post multiple photos as a collage

Have you tried Instagram Layout yet? This is a great tool that allows you to create Instagram Stories as collages of your favorite photos. Here’s how to use it:

1. Open Instagram Stories by tapping the camera icon in the upper left of your screen.
2. On the left side of the screen, tap the Layout icon.
3. Scroll through the different layout options located above the shutter button.
4. Tap the photo icon in the lower left to choose your photos for your collage.
5. Once you’ve created your collage, you can add stickers, text, music, or filters by using the icons at the top of the screen.
6. Tap Your Stories to share your creation with your followers.

Posting multiple photos as an Instagram post

What about adding multiple photos to a regular Instagram post? Fortunately, this is even easier than adding multiple photos to Instagram Stories.

How to post several pictures in one Instagram post

1. Open Instagram and tap the + at the bottom of the screen to create a new post.
2. Tap the multiple photo icon above your photo gallery.
3. Choose the photos that you want to appear in your post. They will be numbered in the order that you choose them (which is the order in which they will appear in your post).
4. When you are finished selecting your photos, tap Next.
5. You can add filters or edit each photo individually from the next screen.
6. Tap Next and type in your caption, add hashtags, tag accounts, and add your location.
7. Tap Share to post to your Instagram profile.

How to post multiple pictures without cropping

Once upon a time, you could only add multiple photos if they fit the square format that Instagram is famous for. Instagram no longer requires you to use square photos for multiple photos. The caveat is that all the photos will be created in the same aspect ratio as the first photo that you choose:

1. Open Instagram and tap on the + at the bottom of the screen.
2. Choose your first photo — horizontal, square, or vertical.
3. Choose all the consecutive photos that you want to post. (Note that if you select a photo with a different aspect ratio than the first photo you selected, Instagram will automatically crop it to match).
4. Use your finger to drag the cropped photo around until you are happy with the positioning.
5. Tap Next to add filters and make edits to each photo.
6. Then tap Next again to add a caption, hashtags, location, etc.
7. Finally, tap Share to create your post with multiple photos.

How many photos can you post in an Instagram post?

You can add up to 10 photos to your carousel post on Instagram.

Can you add more photos to an earlier Instagram post?

Unfortunately, you can’t add more photos to an Instagram post that has already been created and posted. Your only option is to delete the original post and create a new one with the additional photos.

How to post multiple photos to Instagram on desktop

Creator Studio is a new tool that allows you to schedule your Instagram posts from your desktop using Facebook. However, you must have a Facebook page in addition to a personal Facebook account in order to access Creator Studio. Here’s how to use it to create your post with multiple photos on Instagram:

1. Log in to Facebook on your computer and go to your page.
2. On the left sidebar menu, click Publishing Tools.
3. Under the tools on the sidebar, click on Creator Studio.
4. Next, click on the Instagram icon at the very top of the screen.
5. Then click Create Post > Instagram Feed.
6. Click Add Content to access the option to choose photos from your photo library on your computer.
7. Select multiple photos by holding down the command key (control if you’re using a PC) and clicking each photo.
8. When the photos have uploaded, you can add your caption and location.
9. Finally, click Publish to publish your post immediately, or click the arrow to schedule your post for some time in the future.

Once you get the hang of posting multiple photos to your Instagram posts and Stories, you’ll find that it’s an excellent way to spice up your account, tell a story, or create a theme within your posts.

The post How to add multiple photos to an Instagram Story or post appeared first on Backlight.

Want to find out if someone has blocked you? While the process isn’t totally straightforward, there are a few ways to tell if it’s happened to you.

How to tell if someone blocked you on Instagram

If you suddenly stop seeing someone’s posts and Stories on Instagram, you may jump to the conclusion that the user has decided to block you from viewing their content. While that may be the case, it’s also possible that they’ve just stopped posting or even deleted their account. Here are a few ways to tell if you’ve been blocked on Instagram:

• An account that has blocked you will not show up when you use the search bar to search for it.
• If you do manage to navigate to their profile page, you won’t be able to see posts from the account that has blocked you. Instead of a grid of posts, you will see the message “No Posts Yet,” even though you can clearly see the number of posts that they have in their account.
• Likes and comments from the account that blocked you will disappear from all of your posts.
• You will no longer be able to send DMs to or receive DMs from the account that has blocked you.

Did they delete their Instagram or block me?

There are times when you may believe that someone blocked you on Instagram, but in reality, the account has been deactivated or deleted. So how can you tell the difference?

Simple! A deactivated or deleted Instagram account will not show up in search results, and if you attempt to visit the profile via its URL, you will receive an error message. This is a sure sign that the account no longer exists.

Remember, accounts that have blocked you are still there; the profile page will say “No Posts Yet,” despite their post count still being visible at the top of the screen. Deleted accounts, meanwhile, simply disappear from Instagram.

What apps show you who has blocked you on Instagram?

If you’re really concerned about knowing who has blocked you on Instagram and don’t want to do the sleuthing yourself, you can use a third-party app to find the information you’re after.

A word of caution: Although Instagram does work with third-party apps to allow people to schedule posts and Stories, there is no Instagram-approved app for identifying users who have blocked you. Thus, use the following apps at your own risk:

• Sarman – Instagram Tracker: This app allows you to see who has blocked you on Instagram, as well as who has viewed your profile, the top viewers of your Stories, and users that don’t follow you back. Basic features are free, and premium features are $7.99 per month.
• Profile+ Reports & Insights: Not only can you keep track of blockers and unfollowers with this app, but it also allows you to discover detailed statistics about other accounts. The app is free to use for basic statistics. The premium version is $3.99 per month.
• Ins Tracker Followers Insights: The free version of this app allows you to find your most engaged followers and unfollowers. To see who has blocked you on Instagram, track users who have unfollowed you, and gain access to detailed statistics, upgrade to the pro version for $4.99 per month.

Can you see a list of who has blocked you on Instagram?

Without the use of a third-party app, discovering who has blocked you will require some investigation. That’s because there is no readily available list of accounts that have blocked you. This is because Instagram wants to make it easy to privately block accounts.

The apps listed in the previous section will make finding out who has blocked you on Instagram easier. That is, if you are willing to pay for the premium services and risk violating Instagram’s terms of service, that is.

What happens when you get blocked?

So, you’ve done some sleuthing and found out that someone blocked you on Instagram. What should you do next? Honestly, we’d recommend forgetting about it and moving on. But if you still have questions, we’ve got answers.

Blocking on Instagram is a privacy and safety feature designed to protect users from content and accounts they don’t want to see. Anyone can block anyone for any reason. Even if you discover that someone blocked you, you still won’t be able to do anything about it. Your best course of action is to let it go and move on.

The post Who blocked me on Instagram? Here’s how to find out appeared first on Backlight.

Let’s take a deep dive into hashtags. In this article, you’ll learn which hashtags are trending on Instagram, the best hashtags to increase followers, and how many hashtags to add to your post.

The best Instagram hashtags for iPhone photography

Proud of all those iPhone photo moments that you’ve expertly captured? Share your loyalty and increase your followers at the same time. These are the best Instagram hashtags for iPhone users:

• #shotoniphone
• #iphoneonly
• #iphoneography
• #iphonex (or #iphone11, #iphone7 — use whatever model you’re shooting with)
• #iphonephotography
• #iphonepic
• #iphone
• #iphonephotographer
• #iphoneshot
• #iphonepictures

Popular Instagram hashtags for travel photos

Instagram photographers excel at sharing beautiful photos from around the world. Some of these hashtags are branded hashtags that are used by large Instagram accounts that feature travel photos. In addition to the hashtags mentioned below, be sure to do a quick Instagram search for hashtags related to the location you are posting about (#california, #santabarbara, #pacificcoasthighway, etc.):

• #travelgram
• #instatraveling
• #stayandwander
• #thediscoverer
• #wildernesstones
• #roamtheplanet
• #ourlonelyplanet
• #destinationearth
• #escapeandwonder
• #forgeyourownpath
• #somewhereonearth
• #roamfeels
• #theadventureproject

The best food photography hashtags for Instagram

When posting photos of your awesome restaurant meal or culinary creation, choose a mix of trending hashtags, hashtags of foodie accounts, and hashtags describing what you’re posting (the name of the restaurant, location, type of food, etc.):

• #foodphotography
• #foodiesofinstagram
• #foodiegram
• #foodforbodies
• #culinarylife
• #gastroart
• #lovefood
• #buzzfeast
• #foodandwine
• #yougottaeatthis
• #gastronogram
• #bestfoodfeed
• #5stardesserts

Top Insta hashtags for street photography

Street photography is usually compromised of candid shots featuring daily life in urban areas. These photos tend to do great on Instagram, provided that you use the right hashtags. Be sure to use location tags as well as street photography hashtags for the best reach. Here are some great ones to use for all of your street photos:

• #streetgrammer
• #streetshooter
• #streetpics
• #ig_streetphotography
• #street_is_life
• #streets_storytelling
• #streetleaks
• #streets_unseen
• #raw_cityscapes
• #citygrammers
• #urbanromantix
• #streetmobs
• #sageofstreet
• #snapthestreetbeat

How to use Instagram hashtags effectively

Now that you’ve collected some hashtags relevant to your photography niche, it’s time to put them to work. We like to use a mix consisting of branded hashtags, trending hashtags, general hashtags that describe the post, and small hashtags with under 10,000 tags. We’re not too picky about the ratios, but 1/4 for each category is a good general rule.

As soon as you create your post, add your relevant hashtags to the first comment of your post. Now, click on each hashtag and engage with the top posts that you find by liking and commenting.

If you are using branded hashtags in hopes of being featured by a large account, be sure to follow that account, engage regularly with the content they post, and tag them with all of your relevant posts so that they get to know you.

How many hashtags should you use?

Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags for each Instagram post, but don’t feel like you should use the maximum every time you post. Instead, make sure each of your hashtags is relevant and that you are engaging with the hashtags you use. Some of your content may require 30 hashtags to cover all your bases. Others may only need 12.

How to find trending Instagram hashtags

The best way to find trending hashtags is to do some research on Instagram. Start by using the search feature to look for hashtags you’re already using or that are relevant to your post. From there, you will see a list of related hashtags, as well as the top posts for the hashtag you just searched for.

First, make a list of all the related hashtags. Next, tap on the top post for each and make a list of the hashtags that those top accounts have used in their posts. If the tops posts for the hashtags are similar to your own, then you’ve found a great hashtag to include in your post!

While you should spend time researching relevant hashtags when you have time, you don’t need to reinvent the wheel every time you post. Save lists of trending hashtags in the Notes app on your iPhone so you can quickly add them to relevant posts.

How and when to create your own hashtag

Creating your own hashtag is useful if you are trying to create a community, share relevant posts on your account, or build a business. Your hashtag can be as simple as your Instagram account name, but it should also be catchy, unique, and easy to remember. It should also be a hashtag that hasn’t been used much, if at all.

Once you’ve found the perfect hashtag, start using it across all of your social media platforms, and encourage others to use it too. When someone does use your hashtag, be sure to like and comment on their post, and repost on your feed or Stories if the content is relevant.

How to use Insta hashtags to get featured

With a bit of research, you can find large accounts in your niche that feature smaller accounts that use their branded hashtag. One way is to simply tag the brands that you’ve used in your post.

You can also search for accounts that regularly feature photographers. Using Instagram’s search function, type in a hashtag that you use often, only tap Accounts instead of Tags. This will show you if a hashtag that you use is tied to an account.

Another way to find large accounts that might feature you is to look on the Explore page where the most popular posts are located. Scroll through and tap posts that are relevant or that catch your eye. Check the account’s profile and look for either a hashtag or a mention that the account posts features of other accounts. Take note of the account’s style, and if it matches your own, be sure to jot down the name of the account so you can tag them in the future.

Instagram is a long game, and there isn’t really a shortcut to growing your account organically. Fortunately, Instagram’s use of hashtags makes it incredibly simple to find and engage with similar accounts. This is a great way to grow your followers and develop relationships on Instagram!

The post Top Instagram hashtags for iPhone photography and how to use them appeared first on Backlight.

So how do you get in on the action and make your own awesome GIFs? With an app, of course! There are dozens of GIF-maker apps that you can use to turn your videos into clever GIFs. Most are free with in-app purchases, while some include subscription fees. In this article, we’ll share a rundown of some of our favorites.

What are the best GIF-maker apps for iPhone?

The best GIF apps are easy to use and inexpensive, allowing you to create unique GIFs that you can share with your followers. Here are the GIF-making apps that we’d recommend:

1. GIF Maker
2. Giphy World
3. GIF Maker by Momento
4. ImgPlay
5. My Talking Pet
6. GIFO
7. GifYou

1. GIF Maker: For editing GIFs you already love

GIF Maker is a classic app for creating fun GIFs from photos, videos, and time-lapses, but the most-used feature is probably the ability to edit existing GIFs. GIF Maker works in conjunction with GIPHY to show you a whole database of GIFs that you can crop, reorder, filter, and add text overlays to. It’s the perfect app for creating unique GIFs without having to start from scratch.

GIF Maker is free to download with a limited selection of editing tools. GIF Maker Pro offers a 3-day free trial. After that, it’s $9.99 per month.

GIF Maker on the App Store

2. Giphy World: Create an AR experience to share with your friends

Welcome to the world of augmented reality! Giphy World is an addictive app that lets you turn your camera into a strange new world while creating fun GIFs with AR stickers.

With Giphy World, you can open your camera and add GIFs all around you by tapping them in the search results. You can drag GIFs in space by holding them with your finger and moving your device. Finally, you can record a video featuring your AR scene. Giphy World takes GIFs to a whole new level and is completely free to use.

Giphy World on the App Store

3. GIF Maker by Momento: A GIF-to-video app

The cool thing about Momento’s GIF maker is that when you open the app, it automatically animates your photos and videos so you can see, with a quick scroll, which ones would make awesome GIFs. From there, you have access to some pretty advanced editing tools that will allow you to customize your GIF with stickers and filters, trim and crop, or adjust the lighting.

Momento’s free editing tools are pretty awesome, but if you want to add music, frames, and certain special effects, you’ll have to shell out for the premium version, which is currently $9.99 a month.

GIF Maker by Momento on the App Store

4. ImgPlay: Make GIFs from Live Photos

ImgPlay can turn all your photos into GIFs, including Live Photos, bursts, and slideshows. You can also use the ImgPlay camera to take hands-free, stop-motion, and Boomerang videos that you can convert to GIFs before sharing on social media.

Editing tools on ImgPlay include captions and text, stickers and other overlays, and special effects and filters. ImgPlay is free to download and includes a nice selection of editing tools. To remove the watermark and ads, you will have to upgrade to ImgPlay Pro.

ImgPlay on the App Store

5. My Talking Pet: A GIF-maker for animal lovers

If your favorite GIFs to share are those that feature your favorite animals, then you’ll love My Talking Pet. The app uses AR technology to make your dog or cat’s mouth and eyes move to the sound of different voices and sayings. Choose from prerecorded sayings like, “Baby, you could charm the dew right off the honeysuckle,” or create your own with the voice recording software.

My Talking Pet is free to download, and the results can be hilarious. If you can’t get enough of it, you can upgrade to the pro version for $2 per month.

My Talking Pet on the App Store

6. GIFO: Create GIF collages

What’s better than creating your own GIF? Creating four at once! With GIFO, you make and share animated GIF collages with the custom GIFO camera and editing tools. You can create slo-mo GIFs, apply filters, frames, and text, and share your creation on social media.

GIFO lets you use both the rear and front-facing camera to film your video. The app is free to download with in-app purchases.

GIFO on the App Store

7. GifYou: Turn your selfie into a GIF

While GifYou’s applications are limited, it is aptly named — its most noteworthy feature can turn you into your next GIF! GifYou lets you take selfies or use the faces of your friends to create GIFs that will have everyone in stitches. Use the Giphy-powered library to choose the perfect GIF, then use the face application to superimpose your face onto the body of someone else.

This is another fun app that produces some amusing results. GifYou’s basic features are free. GifYou Premium is $8.99 per month.

GifYou on the App Store

Whether you’re hoping to create the next viral GIF or just want to kill a little time, these addictive GIF-creator apps will provide you with a fun creative outlet — with some unexpected results.

The post 7 GIF-maker apps to make GIFs from photos and videos appeared first on Backlight.

How to make a collage on iPhone for free

You don’t need to spend big bucks to create a simple photo collage. In fact, you probably already have the tools needed to create one — right on your phone. Both Google Photos and Layout by Instagram make it easy to create a photo collage on your iPhone.

Design your photo collage with Google Photos

1. If you don’t already have Google Photos, download it and open it on your iPhone.
2. From the Google Photos home page, tap Library at the bottom of the screen.
3. Tap Utilities.
4. Scroll down to Create New and tap Collage.
5. A screen will appear with all the photos from your Google Photo library with instructions to select 2 to 9 photos for your collage. Tap the ones you want to include in your collage. A checkmark will appear on each photo you select.
6. After you have chosen your photos, tap Create.
7. Your collage will be generated automatically. From there, you can tap the upload icon to add it to your iPhone photo library.

Make a photo collage with Layout by Instagram

1. Download Layout by Instagram from the App Store and open it on your iPhone.
2. Your photos will appear on the screen. Simply tap the ones that you want to use in your collage.
3. Different collage options will appear at the top of the screen above your photos. Scroll through them and choose the layout you like best.
4. You will then be directed to the editing screen, where you can replace individual photos, flip photos, create a mirror image of a photo, or add a border. You can also use your thumb and finger to zoom in on specific photos.
5. When you’re happy with the results, tap Save.
6. From the icons at the bottom of the screen, choose to save your photo to Instagram, Facebook, or your Camera Roll.
7. Tap Done.

How to create a collage with a photo collage app for iPhone

If you want some extra features for making your collage stand out, you may want to try one of these more advanced collage-maker apps. Here are instructions for making photo collages using two of our favorite apps.

Make your collage using LiveCollage

1. Download LiveCollage from the App Store and open it on your iPhone.
2. Tap Collage to begin creating.
3. Tap the + to choose a layout and quick-start your collage. (Any layout option with a pink crown in the corner requires a premium subscription.)
4. Once you have chosen a layout, you can tap the + to add photos to your collage.
5. Use the editing tools listed at the bottom of the screen to change the border, layout, and background.
6. When you’re happy with your results, tap the download icon to save your creation to your photo library.

Combine photos into a collage with Pic Stitch

1. Download Pic Stitch from the App Store and open it on your iPhone.
2. Choose your collage frame from either the classic layout or fancy layouts. Your collage frame will appear on the screen.
3. Tap the center of the frame to open your photo library and select your photos, and your photos will appear at the bottom of the screen.
4. Drag each photo to the position where you want it to appear in your collage.
5. The photo will pop up so that you can edit it with filters and/or text.
6. When you’re finished, tap Done, and your photo will appear in the collage.
7. Tap each photo to reposition it within the frame.
8. Change the aspect ratio of your collage by tapping Aspect.
9. When you’re finished, tap Export to save your photo to your Camera Roll.

How to make your photo collages stand out

Now that you have the basics down, here are a few tips to make your photo collages stand out from the masses.

Use a common color

You don’t want the photos within your collage to be so similar that viewers have to look twice to notice the difference, but using a common color throughout your photos will give your photo collage a cohesive look.

Try creating an abstract photo collage

There are lots of different ways to add a bit of an abstract look to your photo collage. With the apps covered in this guide, you can create wacky shapes and unusual borders. Or you can simply use the same photo multiple times within your collage. This photo was created using Layout from Instagram without any borders, producing what looks like one abstract image.

Photo collages are a fun and creative way to tell your story. If you’re looking for a new technique for displaying your photo collection, download one — or more — of the apps mentioned above, and get busy designing new and inspiring work to share on social media or with your friends.

The post How to make a photo collage on iPhone: Apps and ideas appeared first on Backlight.

Here’s what you need to know about the golden hour so that you can take advantage of warm, glowing light to create stunning photos.

What is the golden hour in photography?

The golden hour is the period just after the sun rises and before the sun sets. This is when you can expect a softer light with highlights of orange and red hues, as opposed to midday light, which can be harsh and unforgiving. Warm, golden-hour light is perfect for many different types of photography, including landscapes, cityscapes, macro photography, and portraits. 

When is the golden hour?

The golden hour isn’t exactly an hour — the timeframe for that beautiful light depends on your geographical location. The closer you live to the equator, the shorter your golden “hour” will be. If you want to take advantage of golden-hour lighting, schedule your photoshoots near sunrise or sunset with plenty of extra time to find a good location and set up your shot.

Golden hour calculator apps for iPhone

If you want to know exactly when to take advantage of the golden hour in your area, try an app. Free apps will work if you want a simple sun tracker that will help you choose the right time to go outside for a photoshoot. Premium versions of the apps below will add weather tracking, moon cycles, and accurate location tracking. Here are a few good ones that we recommend.

Alpenglow: Golden hour app that predicts the quality of the sunset

Alpenglow is a free app that gives you sunset and sunrise times and the golden-hour time frame but also predicts the quality of the sunset for your exact location for today and tomorrow. You can set notifications to alert you up to two hours before the golden hour so you never miss a shot. If you want to predict the reliability of visible sunrises and sunsets further in the future, you can purchase Alpenglow Pro.

Alpenglow on the App Store

Magic Hour: A free app for planning golden hour photoshoots

Magic Hour is a free app that pulls up the sun, moon, and weather information based on your iPhone’s GPS. All the information you need to plan your golden hour photography session can be accessed on a single screen that you can scroll through. 

The first thing you see when you open Magic Hour is a large countdown clock telling you how many hours and minutes remain until the golden hour begins. You can also see the position of the sun, the time the sun will set and rise, the current weather forecast, and the time of the moonrise and the moonset. 

The free version of Magic Hour gives you lots of information for your current location, but you won’t be able to look up information on other locations unless you pay for the premium version.

Magic Hour on the App Store

Solarwatch: A beautiful visual for predicting the golden hour

While Solarwatch provides the same information as the other apps mentioned here, it gets extra points for its beautiful graphics and its ability to predict temperature and weather patterns in your location. 

Solarwatch gives you information on sunrise and sunset times, civil and nautical twilight, and length of day for more accurate predictions. You can also change the location to view sunrise and sunset times for different parts of the world. Finally, Solarwatch allows you to view the shortest and longest days of the year for your location. The premium version of Solarwatch shows you the path of the sun and gives you the true sunrise and sunset based on your altitude and terrain. 

Solarwatch on the App Store

How the golden hour improves your iPhone photos

Using the golden hour is an easy way to take better photos without changing anything about your technique. All you have to do is adjust the time of day that you get outside with your camera. Here’s why the golden hour allows you to take better photos.

Shadows during golden hour are softer

Harsh shadows with distinct lines are common when the sun is high in the sky. If you don’t pay attention to these shadows when shooting, they can totally ruin your shot. During the golden hour, the shadows are softer and longer, and the contrast is less pronounced, allowing your camera to capture more depth and dimension in your photos

Blue light is filtered out

The atmosphere filters sunlight during the golden hour when the sun is lower in the sky. Hues of red and orange are highlighted, and harsher blue light is filtered out. This effect creates the warm glow that makes golden-hour photographs so inviting. 

Your photo will be more evenly exposed

As the sun sinks toward or rises above the horizon, the light becomes diffused with reduced intensity. In addition to softer contrasts, your photo will be blessed with shadows and highlights that are more evenly exposed. This magical effect will allow you to get by with very little editing.

Tips for golden hour photography

Are you ready to make the most of the golden hour to take better photos? Here are a few tips that will allow you to use that beautiful warm light to your advantage. 

1. Plan your golden hour photoshoot in advance

The golden hour may not be exactly an hour, but it certainly goes by fast when you’re taking photos. In preparation for your golden hour photoshoot, plan exactly where you’re going and what equipment you will be using. This way, you don’t waste valuable time trying to find the right spot or the right gear. Use one of the apps mentioned above to time your shoot, and be sure to arrive early to take in your scene and prepare without rushing.

2. Try lighting your subject from the side

When capturing a portrait or another strong focal subject, try positioning your camera so that the sun is hitting your subject from the side. This is one of the most striking golden hour positions for portraits because much of the subject’s face is washed in a warm glow, while part of the face is within a soft shadow. A similar effect can be achieved with architecture, trees, or other prominent landscape features.

3. Be prepared for cloudy days

Clouds will change the entire look of your photos. Sometimes clouds will further diffuse the light, making for some really interesting effects, but they can often block out the light entirely, making your golden hour photoshoot a total wash. Check the local weather report before planning your outing, and if the clouds don’t cooperate, simply modify your plan and hope for the best.

4. The morning golden hour is better for landscapes

Want to capture wild landscapes or nature scenes without crowds of people? Set your alarm for a morning golden hour photoshoot. Plenty of photographers venture out every day to capture the sunset, but far fewer are early risers. Head out with your camera during the early morning hours, while everyone else is still sleeping or getting ready for work. Morning lighting is especially effective when you are trying to capture a clean image without a lot of traffic or distractions.

5. Use a tripod when capturing the golden hour

Using a tripod during your photoshoot will ensure that your images are crisp and clear. Golden-hour light is always changing, and at some point during your photoshoot, you will be using your camera in low-light conditions. To avoid camera shake during this critical time frame, set your phone or camera up on a tripod and use a remote shutter to take your photos.

Are you ready to do a little “light stalking”? The more you prioritize the golden hour in photography, the more you will appreciate it, allowing you to use it to your advantage.

The post How to use the golden hour for stunning iPhone photography appeared first on Backlight.

With Instagram, you can apply filters and effects seamlessly before posting. And the best part is that it only takes seconds to edit and post your favorite shots. Here are some of our favorite filters and effects on Instagram, along with some tips for using them.

Our favorite Instagram Story filters and effects 

Want to make your Instagram Story stand out? Choose from several filters and effects (or both) before posting. 

You may be wondering what the difference is between effects and filters for your Instagram Story. Filters change the overall look of your photo and can make your photo warmer, cooler, or black and white. Effects, on the other hand, are more dramatic changes, adding new elements to your photo or video, including animation, digital makeup, or unusual patterns. Here are some of the effects and filters we love to love.

Oslo: The best Instagram Story filter for selfies

Oslo is our first choice for striking selfies. It gently warms up skin tones and increases contrast for a look that is both natural and subtle. If you like the look of Oslo, don’t stop at selfies — landscapes, food, and street scenes also look great behind the Oslo filter!

Tokyo: An amazing black and white Story filter

Black and white isn’t always the best choice for posting to Instagram Stories, but when you need to douse the color, you can do it easily and beautifully with the Tokyo filter. Tokyo is the only black and white filter available on Instagram Stories. It also adds dramatic shadows and bright whites for the maximum wow factor. 

Sunglasses: Like looking through vintage shades

Not only does Sunglasses by Instagram add vintage sunglasses to the person in your photo or video, but it also washes it with a warm tint for a few seconds. The sunglasses effect erases flaws, lowers saturation, and makes your Story look like a warm summer day in the 1960s. (If you don’t have a human subject in your photo, you’ll get the same photo effect, minus the shades.)

Prism Light: A subtle rainbow effect for skies and landscapes

Prism Light is another fun effect created by Instagram. With it, you can transform the darkest landscape shot with a horizontal beam of rainbow-tinted light. This is useful for those scenes where there isn’t really a strong subject matter or focus. Add Prism Light, and just like that, you’ve got some magic to work with.

Glitter: A story effect when you need a shower of glitter

Everyone could use a bit of glitter raining down on their favorite scene every now and then, and Glitter by Instagram does just that, highlighting your Story frame with yellow pricks of light that fade in and out as they gently fall across the screen. This one is perfect for a subject that you really want to highlight — your favorite dessert, a new hairstyle, or an adorable kitten. When used sparingly, Glitter is a fun way to show your viewers what matters most to you.

How to apply Instagram Story filters

There are 11 Story filters hidden within your Story screen. To find them, all you have to do is: 

1. Open your Stories.
2. Choose a photo or video.
3. Start swiping from right to left. 

When you find one you like, simply tap Your Stories to share it with your followers. 

Each Instagram Story filter is named after a city around the world. While we love Oslo and Tokyo, you may find that Paris or Melbourne is the perfect filter to make your Story unique. Experiment with Story filters to find out. 

How to access Instagram Story effects

Open Instagram Stories and add a photo or video. You can access effects by tapping the smiley face icon at the top of your screen. From there, all you have to do is scroll through the effects and tap on one to see it in action. 

You’ll notice that many of the effect icons show an oval in the center. These represent a blank face, meaning that the effects are intended to be applied to portraits or selfies. Once you’ve found the perfect effect for your Story, just tap Done to apply it.

The best Instagram filters for photo and video posts 

The filters available for Instagram photos and videos that you share as posts are totally different than the ones available for your Stories. This isn’t done to confuse you — just to keep you on your toes and to give you more creative options when posting to Instagram. Want to find the perfect filter for your Instagram posts? Here are a few that we’re loving right now.

Clarendon: A filter for everything

Clarendon is the most popular filter on Instagram, according to Lifewire, probably because of its slightly oversaturated look and high-contrast effect. The Clarendon filter adds an overall cool tint to your photo, but skin tones remain warm and natural. From landscapes to portraits, Clarendon is the filter to use when you don’t know what to use. 

Juno: A subtle pop of color for food shots and street scenes

Want a natural-looking filter that won’t change the overall look that you’ve already achieved with great photography? Try the Juno filter, which makes colors more vivid while bumping up the contrast. Juno will also intensify the warmer tones in your photo, which is great for colorful scenes like a picnic on the beach or a city streetscape. 

Rise: A warm filter for portraits

Think of the Rise filter as a dose of morning sunshine. It adds a warm glow to your photos, making this filter a great choice for selfies and portraits, no matter what time of day you choose to use it. 

Sutro: A strong vignette filter to highlight your subject

If you want to emphasize a central subject in your Instagram post, it’s worth checking out the Sutro filter, which significantly darkens the edge of your photo while adding highlights to the center. Sutro also adds drama to dark elements like storm clouds and is perfect for moody travel photos.

Hefe: A dramatic Instagram filter for awe-inspiring landscapes

Hefe is not a subtle filter, but it’s fabulous for adding drama to otherwise flat scenes. With Hefe, you can instantly make your photo sharper and more saturated with deeper shadows. Hefe landscapes are stunning and otherworldly when not overdone — perfect for majestic mountains, towering skyscrapers, or the setting sun.

How to use Instagram filters for posts

Using filters on Instagram is quick and easy — and a bit addictive. Here’s how to apply your favorite filter to your next photo:

1. Open Instagram on your iPhone.
2. Tap the plus sign at the bottom of your screen and choose a photo.
3. Tap Library and choose a photo.
4. Tap Next in the top-right corner.
5. The filter options will appear at the bottom of the screen.
6. Scroll through and choose one to add to your photo. 
7. If you like a certain filter but want a less dramatic look, tap the filter again, and a slider will appear.
8. Move the slider from 100, which is full-power, to the left for a more subtle effect. 
9. When you are happy with the results, tap Done and Next to add your captions and hashtags as normal. 

Creating unique Instagram posts and Stories is incredibly fun, and adding filters and effects is an easy way to make your photos and videos more unique. No matter what story you’re trying to tell, there’s a filter or effect to help you do it creatively.

The post The best Instagram filters for Stories and posts, and how to use them appeared first on Backlight.

Armed with your iPhone, some patience, and a bit of creativity, you can easily make a time-lapse video of your own. This guide will help you get started with creating beautiful and easy time-lapses. 

Understanding time-lapse on iPhone

Using your iPhone to capture a time-lapse video is made simple through Time-lapse mode in your Camera app. This feature allows your phone to automatically shoot 1–2 frames per second for as long as you want, making it easier than ever to capture unique time-lapse videos with the tap of a button. 

What is time-lapse, and what does the name mean?

Time-lapse is a popular photographic technique used to speed up the perception of time. By recording a series of photographs depicting a scene that usually changes slowly over time and then speeding up the playback, you can make the action appear to occur unnaturally quickly.

How time-lapse works on iPhone

Unlike shooting a time-lapse with a traditional camera, shooting with an iPhone means that all the preparation is done for you behind the scenes. When you choose Time-lapse mode on your iPhone, it will automatically shoot your scene at 1–2 frames per second, depending on how long you choose to shoot for. 

Most time-lapse recordings on iPhone play back in 20–40 seconds, regardless of how long you shoot. That’s because the longer you record, the fewer frames will be captured each second, and the more dramatic the final effect will be. 

How much faster is time-lapse?

Your time-lapse video will play back at 30 frames per second, and the final speed will depend on how much footage you’ve captured with your iPhone. If you’ve recorded for less than 10 minutes, the iPhone Camera app will capture 2 frames per second. When played back, this results in a final video that is 15x normal speed. 

If you record more than 10 minutes of footage using the Time-lapse feature, your iPhone will discard half of the frames you’ve already captured in order to keep the video short. Your final video will now be 30x normal speed. The more footage you shoot, the more your frame rate will drop, and the faster your final video will become. 

Shooting time-lapse photography

Now for the fun part — getting out and shooting your own time-lapse videos with your iPhone. You’ll find that the Time-lapse feature in the Camera app is quite intuitive to use. The more you create, the better your time-lapse videos will become. Here’s an overview of how to use your iPhone for time-lapse photography, as well as some tips for making your time-lapses stand out.

How to use the Time-lapse feature

1. Open your Camera app on your iPhone.
2. Scroll through the shooting options right above the shutter button and tap Time-lapse.
3. When you are ready to record, tap the red record button. 
4. Tap the red record button again when you want to stop recording. 
5. Your time-lapse video will be saved to your Photo library under Recents and Time-lapse.

How to shoot a better-quality time-lapse video

Time-lapse videos work best when you are shooting a slow-moving scene, like the change from day to night or a flower opening up to the sun. You can also get creative with your time-lapse videos by shooting street scenes with crowds of people, traffic at a busy intersection, or a DIY project at home. No matter what you choose as your subject matter for your next time-lapse, here are some tips to make it better:

• Always use a tripod. The key to an awesome time-lapse is capturing movement in several frames from the same spot, and the easiest way to do this is with a tripod and a remote shutter.
• Use AF/AE Lock. You want the focus and exposure to be the same for every frame in your time-lapse, so be sure to hold your finger down on the screen and lock the exposure and focus before shooting. 
• Shoot with a full battery. Not surprisingly, shooting a long recording like a time-lapse will require a lot of juice, and you don’t want your iPhone to die before you finish. Make sure your battery is fully charged before starting your time-lapse project.

Fresh ideas for a time-lapse video

Classic time-lapse videos include the setting sun and clouds zooming overhead, but that’s just the beginning. Once you get those creative juices flowing, you’ll find that inspiration for time-lapse videos are everyone. Here are a few ideas:

1. An urban street scene. Find an interesting vantage point where you can capture a busy part of your town or city. Shoot for at least 30 minutes and see what your camera comes up with. Try shooting the same scene at different times of the day.
2. The tides going in and out. Ocean tides go in and out twice a day at a cycle that is roughly 12 hours long, which means you can capture the time between high and low tide in about 6 hours. Look for a spot that will enable you to capture wildlife (crabs, birds, and insects), as well as the waves going in and out.
3. A fun art project. Seeing a work of art transform before your eyes can make for a mesmerizing time-lapse video. Set your camera up on a tripod aimed at a blank piece of paper and capture one or two frames per second as you sketch, draw, or paint.
4. A DIY or construction project. Whether you’re baking a new recipe or remodeling your bathroom, this process can be captured as a from start to finish. Find a good vantage point where your phone won’t be in the way, set it up, and get to work on your project. (This is a great one to share with other DIYers for inspiration.)

Editing a time-lapse video on iPhone

Shooting footage for your time-lapse video is only half the process — and only half the fun. Now you can do some editing to make your time-lapse really stand out. Basic edits can be made right within the Photos app, but some editing, like changing the speed of a time-lapse, will have to be done through a third-party app.

How to change the speed of a time-lapse video on iPhone

If your finished time-lapse video plays too fast or too slow and you want to change it, you’ll have to use a third-party app like Lapse It. To make your time-lapse play over a longer time frame, the Lapse It editor will simply add in duplicate frames to stretch out the footage. Or, to make a video shorter, the editor will shorten the frame rate. Here’s how to use Lapse It:

1. Download the Lapse It app and open it on your iPhone.
2. Tap import at the top of the screen and give the app permission to access your photos.
3. Tap the videos and/or photos you want to edit. If you select more than one, they will all be added to the app.
4. Use the minute and second indicator to set the time frame for your video. If you set it for longer than the original, new frames will be added. If you set it for shorter than the original, the frame rate will be reduced. 
5. Tap the play button on your video to play it back. 
6. When you’re finished changing the speed of your time-lapse video, tap export to save your new video to your Photos.

How to trim and crop a time-lapse video

You can trim or crop your time-lapse video on iPhone using your Photos app in the same way that you would crop any video. When trimming a video using the Photos app, you can only make the video shorter by trimming the ends. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open your time-lapse in Photos and tap Edit.
2. Slide your finger along the timeline at the bottom of the screen until a yellow box appears.
3. Use your finger to slide the arrows on either side of the timeline to trim parts from the beginning or end of your video.
4. Tap Done and choose either Save Video or Save Video as New Clip.

Here’s how to crop a video using Photos:

1. Open your time-lapse video in Photos and tap Edit.
2. Tap the crop icon at the bottom of the screen.
3. A white outline will appear around your time-lapse photo. You can drag the edges of the outline to adjust the size and orientation of your time-lapse.
4. You can use the features at the bottom of the screen to adjust your horizon line, as well as change the vertical and horizontal proportion. Simply choose the icon and slide your finger along the bottom to make your adjustments.

How to add a filter to a time-lapse video

There are several color and black/white filters you can choose from when using the Photos app. Here’s how to apply a filter to your time-lapse video:

1. Choose the video you want to add a filter to and tap Edit.
2. Tap the filter icon at the bottom of the screen.
3. Use the slider to choose one of nine filters. Keep in mind that the filter will be applied to the whole video, and there is no way to adjust the strength of the filter.
4. When you find one you’re happy with, tap Done.
5. The changes will be applied to your time-lapse video. 

The Time-lapse shooting mode on your iPhone is a fun tool to experiment with, allowing you to create fun videos and stop-animation at the press of a button. It’s an addictive photography tool, and once you start, you’ll be hooked on making time-lapse videos.

The post How to make an original time-lapse video with your iPhone appeared first on Backlight.

Whether you’re just starting your Instagram account or trying to revitalize a stagnant growth pattern, we’ve got lots of tips to help you kick it up a notch. 

How to gain your first 1,000 followers

Attracting the first 1,000 followers to a brand new Instagram account may seem like an immense undertaking. You struggle to gain a few followers each day, only to find that they’re gone the next day.

Take heart, friends — Instagram followers are fickle creatures, but if you’re willing to put in the work, you will increase the momentum to make things easier as you climb the Instagram ladder. Here’s how to attract your very first 1,000 followers on Instagram.

Tip 1: Optimize your Instagram profile

Think of your Instagram profile as an overview of who you are and what you represent. You want to portray a clear message to potential followers. Your profile includes your username, name, profile photo, bio, and link. Use them together to help followers find you in a search and stick around after they’ve discovered you. Here’s how to optimize your Instagram profile to increase your followers:

1. Create a username that’s short and catchy. With a billion users on Instagram, many of the best usernames are taken. Spend some time brainstorming your name before choosing one that works. Try to steer clear of random letters and numbers, which are easily forgotten. A combination of your first and last name is a good choice, as is a combination of short words, a blog name, or something random that describes you. You’ve got 30 characters to be creative with.
2. Use your real name. When you create your profile, you will see a spot for your name, which is different from your user name. Use your real name, followed by a few keywords that describe what your Instagram feed is about. As with your username, your name is limited to 30 characters. 
3. Your Instagram bio can be up to 150 characters. Use it to sell yourself and your Instagram feed. Not only should your bio tell your viewers what your feed is about, but it should also convey a bit of personality.
4. Choose a crisp, bright photo of yourself. A photo of yourself lets your readers know that you’re a real person behind your phone and really helps attract followers. Feel free to use props to help tell your story — hold your cat, your camera, or your rolling pin to get your point across.
5. Choose your link wisely. Instagram allows one link within your profile. Use it to promote your work, whether it’s an Etsy shop, an online portfolio, your blog, or a YouTube channel.

Tip 2: Write authentic long-form captions

You’ve likely been told over and over again to post great photos for the best engagement, but that’s only half the story. You also need to write meaningful captions that will engage your audience. 

Your followers want to get to know you, and every time you open up with authentic captions, you will find that your viewers respond. The more engagement you get on your posts, the more people Instagram will show them to. Once you’ve captured your readers with a good story in your caption, end things with a question so that they feel compelled to respond. 

Tip 3: Tag locations and accounts that feature photos within your niche

You can tag accounts and locations to help get your content in front of more eyeballs. Your geotagged post will show up when someone is searching for photos from a certain area (great for travel content). If you post great content and tag relevant accounts, there’s a chance that those accounts will feature your work, putting it in front of more viewers who may become followers. 

There are thousands of accounts that will feature photographers that tag them, but finding them can be a chore. Try @pocket_family to choose from 31 different photography niche accounts you can tag, @iphonephotographycapital for shots taken with your iPhone, and @discoverearth for nature and photography photos. 

Tip 4: Cross-post your Instagram content on other social channels

Are you active on other social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube? In order to cross-populate these channels, you should periodically promote your Instagram account on your other platforms. You can also set up your Instagram account to automatically post to some of your other channels. Here’s how to do it.

1. From your Instagram profile, tap the menu in the upper-right corner.
2. Tap Settings > Account > Linked Accounts.
3. Tap the account that you want to link to your Instagram and add your login credentials.
4. Now, when you create a post, you will be asked whether you want to post to any of your other accounts before posting to Instagram.

Tip 5: Research and use relevant hashtags

We could write a whole book about using hashtags on Instagram. The purpose of hashtags is to connect relevant posts based on a single theme or niche. Brands use hashtags to promote themselves, and there are hashtags to promote everything you can imagine. 

There are thousands upon thousands of hashtags to choose from, and you are limited to using 30 for every post. So before using a hashtag in your posts, do a quick search on Instagram to see if the content using it matches your niche and the feel of your post. Make a list of the 30 hashtags that best suit your content and use them in your post.

Time-saving tip: You can copy hashtags from related posts on Instagram while on a computer and paste them into the comment field on your Instagram post. 

Tip 6: Spend time and engage

Engaging with your audience is one of the most critical aspects of growing your following. It’s also very time-consuming. The more time you have to invest in this part of your strategy, the quicker you will grow. 

To keep on task, we recommend setting a timer on your phone each day (or even several times a day) for whatever you can spare to engage with your Instagram community — 15 to 30 minutes is a good place to start. Comment on posts within your niche, follow other Instagrammers whom you admire, like your favorite photos, and respond to every comment on your posts. Keep it authentic and watch your numbers grow. 

How to grow your Instagram once you have an audience

Once you’ve hit 1,000 followers, you will have to shift a bit and focus on other tactics to grow your Instagram even further. Keep up with the strategies mentioned above, but also use the following tips.

Tip 1: Create Stories, Lives, and IGTV videos

Up until now, you may have been sporadic with your Stories and other video posts, which is totally fine when you’re just starting out. But once you develop your momentum, it’s important to take advantage of the extra traffic you’ll get by posting video content. 

Start with Instagram Stories. This will help you get the hang of posting videos and more personal content with your followers. Stories can be photos or videos under 15 seconds, but you can certainly post longer videos that have been cut into segments. To start, try shooting some behind-the-scenes videos showing your viewers how you create your Instagram posts. This can be a video of the setup behind your beautiful flat lays, a video of you packing your camera bag, or a series of photos describing how you edit your photos before posting. 

Stories don’t always have to be videos. You can also use the Layout feature in Stories to create a collage of your best photos. 

Once you’ve figured out Stories, try doing an Instagram Live. It’s really no different than Stories, except that you only get one take! Instagram Lives are awesome because they are the first Stories that show up in your followers’ home screens. Use them to show your community your camera gear, your home office, or your favorite spot to take photos. 

When you create a Live video, the top of the screen will show you how many of your followers you will be able to reach with your video. The more people you can reach with your Live, the better!

Finally, when you’re ready to get creative and put in the work, try out the IGTV feature. IGTV videos are longer than Instagram Stories — up to 10 minutes in most situations. Your IGTV videos need not be perfectly polished, but they should be engaging. Use Instagram’s search function to explore what other IGTV creators are doing in your niche before you get started.

Tip 2: Use analytics to your advantage

If you have an Instagram Creator or Business account, you will also have access to Instagram analytics. You can access it through your account menu under Insights. Creator accounts are available to everyone and are recommended for public figures, content producers, artists, and influencers. 

Your Instagram analytics will tell you where your engagement is coming from (your profile, hashtags, geotags, or the explore page). It will also tell you when your audience is most engaged, where they are from, their age, and their gender. Use this information to your advantage as you plan the content you want to post. 

Tip 3: Develop a cohesive Instagram theme

Giving your Instagram feed a cohesive “look” that is uniquely you will help you stand out from the crowd. Consider the look you’re going for, and create content that fits together within that look. In addition to creating specific content, you can also use a collection of your favorite filters to help your photos fit your theme. 

Tip 4: Follow and engage with relevant hashtags

In addition to following accounts within your niche, you can also follow hashtags. Accounts that use the hashtags you follow will show up in your feed when you scroll through. Choose a handful of the hashtags you use regularly and begin commenting, liking, and following other accounts that use those hashtags. This is a great way to build a community within your niche and attract new followers to your account. 

Tip 5: Collaborate with others

Once you have gathered an engaged following of your own on Instagram, you can start collaborating with others to get your content in front of new eyes. There are several ways you can collaborate with others on Instagram, depending on your niche and your goals. One of the easiest ways is to do Instagram Story takeovers, where you create content for a friend’s Stories and they create content for yours. 

Another idea is to create a challenge that you can promote with multiple accounts to share with your followers. You can also promote user-generated content from people who decided to take on the challenge. 

Organic Instagram growth vs. buying Instagram followers

So, by now, you may be asking why you can’t just buy followers to quickly grow your Instagram account. First of all, buying followers is frowned upon by Instagram and may result in your account being permanently suspended. Buying followers will only inflate your numbers. You will get very little engagement on your posts, and they won’t show up on the explore page or on the feeds of your real followers. 

By comparison, growing your Instagram organically allows you to build a real community that engages with your content and helps you grow as a creator. Yes, growing Instagram followers requires real effort. But you will find that your numbers grow consistently day after day, month after month. If the goal is to share your photography with the world and make authentic connections, then you should focus on attracting the people who are genuinely interested in the content you produce.

Remember the reason you hopped on Instagram to begin with? You loved the platform and wanted to connect with people. Growing your following may not be easy, but with great content and a strategy, it’s totally possible. 

The post How to grow your Instagram following as a rookie photographer appeared first on Backlight.

How slow motion works on iPhone

When you shoot a slow-motion video on your iPhone, you are actually playing back the video at a slower frame rate, creating the illusion that your video is moving more slowly than real life. You can use the Slo-mo feature to shoot cool nature scenes, sports footage, and intense action shots.

Slo-mo is a standard feature on iPhone camera models starting with the iPhone 5S. To access Slo-mo on iPhone, just open the Camera app and scroll through the menu above the shutter button. Tap Slo-mo, and you’re ready to go!

How slow is an iPhone slow-motion video?

The normal viewing speed on an iPhone is 60 frames per second (FPS). If you want to shoot a slow-motion video, you actually need to shoot it at a higher frame rate so that more footage is captured. When high-frame-rate footage is slowed down, it appears to be in slow motion.

All iPhone models with Slo-mo capability will record videos at 120 FPS, which is one-half normal speed. Newer models (iPhone 8 and newer) that are powered by the A11 Bionic chip can record Slo-mo videos at 240 FPS, which, when played back, will play at one-quarter normal speed.

Shooting slow motion with iPhone Camera

Now that we’ve gotten the details out of the way, let’s try some shooting techniques and tips to create cool slow-motion videos. Once you start experimenting, you won’t want to stop.

How to adjust Slo-mo settings on iPhone

Before we get started with making videos, let’s check out the settings on your iPhone. The FPS and the quality of your video will depend on the iPhone model you’re shooting with. You can adjust your Slo-mo settings to the highest quality for the best results, but be prepared — these amazing videos will gobble up a fair amount of storage on your phone. Here’s how to change your slow motion settings on iPhone:

1. Open your Settings on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down and tap Camera.
3. Tap Record Slo-mo.
4. Choose the highest frame rate for the best results — just remember that this will take up more room on your phone.

How to shoot a slow-motion video with your iPhone

Now comes the fun part. Here are the basics for shooting slow-motion videos with your iPhone:

1. Navigate to your iPhone’s Camera app.
2. Scroll through the shooting modes above the shutter button and tap Slo-mo to turn on the slow motion feature. (Unless you have an iPhone 11, you can only use Slo-mo with your iPhone’s rear camera.)
3. When you’re ready to shoot your film, tap the red Record button or one of your side volume buttons.
4. Tap again to stop filming. 
5. Your slow-motion video will be saved in your photo library.

How to make your slow-motion video stand out

You may have mastered the basics and practiced a few slow-motion shots of your kids playing in the sprinkler or your dog running through the woods, but if you want your Slo-mo videos to really stand out, you’ll have to get creative. Here are a few tips to get you started:

• Change your camera angle. For greater impact, look for camera angles that will highlight the action. Shooting a flying snowball? Try to capture it whizzing toward the camera. Filming your latest skateboard maneuver? Set your camera low to the ground for a worm’s-eye view of the road and wheels.
• Consider the video sound. When you slow down the playback speed, keep in mind that the sound will also play back at a slower speed.
• Shoot in bright light. Because you are recording your video at a higher frame rate than normal, it’s important to ensure that you have sufficient light. A video that is shot in dim lighting will appear even darker.

How to edit a slow-motion video

Once you’ve created some decent slow-motion footage, you can make edits to make your videos really stand out — change the speed of your video, crop it, trim it, or adjust the look with filters. The sky’s the limit here.

Can you change Slo-mo to regular speed?

Uh-oh. You shot what you thought would be an amazing slow-motion video of your friend’s stellar dance moves, but the results just aren’t flattering. Fortunately, you can easily turn your slow-motion video into a normal-speed video with a few taps of the screen. Here’s how to do it:

1. Go to your Photos app, open the Slo-mo video that you want to change, and tap Edit.
2. At the bottom of the screen, you will see two sliders. The first shows the frames within your video. The second shows where your video changes from regular speed to slow motion.
3. Drag the vertical white line across the second slider so that all the lines are the same width apart. This will change the Slo-mo parts to regular speed.
4. If you want to change just a portion of your video to regular speed, adjust the slider in either direction to make those sections regular speed.
5. When you’re satisfied with the results, tap Done.

How to speed up a slow-motion video

If you want to speed your movie up even faster than normal speed, you will need to use iMovie, which is free to download in the App Store. Here’s how to speed up your slow-motion video using iMovie:

1. Open iMovie on your iPhone.
2. Tap Continue in the welcome screen.
3. Tap + to start a new project and tap Movie.
4. Choose the slow-motion video that you want to edit and tap Create Movie at the bottom of the screen.
5. Tap the video to make the editing tools appear.
6. Tap the speedometer icon to speed up your video.
7. A slider will appear with a turtle on one end and a rabbit on the other. Sliding this all the way toward the rabbit will make your video play at 2 times normal speed.
8. Tap the play button to check your results.
9. Tap Done at the top of the screen.

How to slow down your video

You can slow down your Slo-mo video the same way you sped it up using iMovie. Simply follow the same directions, but move the slider toward the turtle instead of the rabbit to reduce the speed of your video.

How to trim, crop, and straighten your slow-motion video

Your iPhone’s Photo app has some basic editing tools that you can use to fix up your slow-motion videos. With these tools, you can easily trim, crop, and straighten your videos. Here’s how to do it.

1. First, open up the slow-motion video that you want to edit and tap Edit.
2. To trim the video, move the arrows at either end of the timeline slider toward the middle. You can trim the beginning or end of your video to make it shorter.
3. To straighten your video, tap the crop icon. The straighten feature is accessed by tapping the circle with the horizontal line through it. Now move the slider to straighten your video.
4. You can crop your video by tapping the crop icon and dragging the borders of your video to crop it to the desired size.
5. Tap Done.

How to adjust exposure, contrast, and color for a Slo-mo video

The iPhone Photos app can also change the appearance of your slow-motion video by adjusting the exposure, contrast, and color with individual sliders or ready-to-go filters. Here’s how to access these fun editing tools in Photos:

1. Choose the video you want to edit in Photos and tap Edit.
2. Tap the edit icon, which looks like a circle surrounded by small dots.
3. Above the slider are a variety of icons that will change the look of your video.
4. The exposure icon is a circle with a +/- inside it. Tap this and then drag the slider to increase or decrease the exposure.
5. The contrast slider can be accessed by tapping the contrast icon, which looks like a black-and-white circle bisected in half. Move the slider back and forth to adjust.
6. To up the saturation, tap the saturation icon (a colorful circle) and adjust the slider to achieve your desired color saturation.
7. If you want to add a filter to your video, tap the filter icon (three interconnected circles) and scroll through the options to apply them to your video.
8. Tap Done.

Now that you know the basics, there’s nothing stopping you from creating stunning Slo-mo videos with your iPhone. Use our guide to get creative with this underrated feature!

The post How to make spectacular slow-motion videos on iPhone appeared first on Backlight.

Can I post on Instagram from my computer?

You can certainly post to Instagram from your computer, although it’s not as straightforward as using the Instagram app on your iPhone. While you can visit Instagram from your PC, the app doesn’t allow direct uploads from the website. Until Instagram adds this feature, users have to take a few extra steps to post to Instagram from a computer.

How to upload photos to Instagram from your PC

While posting to Instagram from your PC is possible, you won’t have the full range of features that are available on Instagram’s mobile app. Currently, you can only post photos from your computer — in most cases, video posts still have to be uploaded using your mobile device.

Post on Instagram from a Windows computer using Edge

Is Windows Edge your browser of choice? Here’s how to post to Instagram using Edge:

1. Open your browser on your PC and log in to your Instagram account.
2. Right-click anywhere on the screen and click “Inspect element” to open the Developer Tools window.
3. Click the down arrow on the top menu and choose “Emulation.”
4. From the Device menu, choose your mobile device.
5. An Instagram interface will appear to correlate with the device you’ve chosen. Now you can scroll to the bottom of your feed and click the + symbol to upload your photo — just like you would on the Instagram app.
6. Click the Filter tab to apply a filter, add your caption and hashtags, and click “Share.” Your photo will be posted to your Instagram profile.

Post on Instagram using Google Chrome

If you use Google Chrome as your web browser on your PC, you can use a quick and easy workaround to post to Instagram from your PC. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open Google Chrome on your PC and navigate to Instagram.
2. Right-click anywhere on the screen and click “Inspect.”
3. A new developer tool panel will open up. In the top-left corner of this window, click on the icon that looks like a phone or tablet. This will show you Instagram as it appears on a mobile device.
4. You will now see the + symbol you are used to seeing at the bottom of the screen to upload a photo. If you don’t see it, simply click the refresh button, and it will appear.
5. This method won’t give you access to all of Instagram’s native editing tools, but you will be able to crop and rotate your photos, as well as take advantage of Instagram’s many filters.
6. When you’re happy with your photo, click “Next” to add your captions and hashtags before posting.

How to upload videos to Instagram from a PC

Once you get the hang of posting photos to Instagram using your PC, you may want to try uploading videos using a similar method. Unfortunately, the methods mentioned above can only be used to post photos. There are, however, a few ways to post videos to Instagram from your computer. (Bonus: Both methods are super easy.)

Post to Instagram from desktop with Facebook Creator Studio

It’s no secret that Instagram is owned by Facebook, but did you know you can post to Instagram directly from your Facebook account? This means you can easily post videos from your PC — all you have to do is add your video post through Facebook Creator Studio. Facebook Creator Studio is designed for people who manage multiple Facebook pages and/or Instagram accounts. If you fit into this category, it’s a super useful tool. Here’s how to use it to post your favorite Instavideos:

1. Before you begin, make sure your Instagram account is either a Business Profile or a Creator Account. This won’t work for personal accounts.
2. Open Facebook Creator Studio and log in with your Facebook credentials.
3. Click the Instagram icon at the top of the screen. If you’ve never used Creator Studio before, you’ll have to add your login credentials for Instagram to connect it to your account.
4. If you already have a Facebook page, you may be asked to link the two.
5. Click “Create Post,” and then click “Instagram Feed.”
6. Click “Add Content,” and then choose a video from the files on your computer. (Note that videos uploaded to Instagram must be between 3 and 60 seconds with an aspect ration between 4:5 and 16:9.)
7. Fill in your caption and location in the fields provided.
8. Check the box if you want to add your video to Facebook as well as Instagram.
9. When you’re finished with your video post, click “Publish.” You can also choose the drop-down arrow to schedule your post for later.

Upload to Instagram from your PC by scheduling a post with Later

Later is a great tool that you can use to schedule both photo and video posts to Instagram. Later’s free tool includes the ability to schedule up to 30 photo posts per month. If you want to be able to schedule video posts, you will have to upgrade to the plus version, but you will also gain the ability to post unlimited media, access Instagram analytics, and schedule your Instagram Stories. Here’s how to schedule Instagram posts using Later:

1. Sign up for a Later Plus account and log in.
2. Click “Upload Media” to find a video from the files on your computer. The video will appear in the media section on your screen.
3. Click the “Week” or “Month” tab to open your Instagram calendar.
4. Drag your video to the date when you want to publish it.
5. A window will pop up, allowing you to add captions and hashtags, as well as tag accounts and add the location of your video.
6. When you are finished, choose a time for your video post to be published on Instagram and click “Save.”

Post from your computer using Hootsuite

Hootsuite is another easy-to-use Instagram scheduling tool that allows you to post photos or videos from your PC. To get started, you’ll need to sign up for a free Hootsuite account and connect it to your Instagram account. The premium version will allow you to schedule posts to multiple social media accounts. Once you have an account set up, you can easily schedule photos and videos:

1. Navigate to Hootsuite and log in to your account. You will be redirected to your dashboard.
2. Click “New Post” at the top of the screen.
3. A new window will appear on your screen. In the “Post to” box, choose your Instagram account.
4. Drag and drop your image or video from your files to your Hootsuite dashboard or click the upload button.
5. Add a caption and hashtags in the text box provided.
6. If desired, add the location in the box provided.
7. When you are happy with the post you’ve created, click “Post Now.” You can also choose “Schedule for later” if you want your post to be published at a later date or time.

It’s true that posting to Instagram from your computer requires a few extra steps, but if you prefer editing photos and videos on your computer instead of a phone, it may be worth exploring some of these options.

The post How to post on Instagram from your PC appeared first on Backlight.

Let’s take a look at some of the best selfie sticks on the market today. Then we’ll share some of our favorite tips for awesome, frame-worthy selfies.

The 5 best selfie sticks to buy

The selfie stick is a fabulous tool for iPhone photographers, Instagram influencers, and travelers, but which one should you buy? The following selfie sticks are the best of the best, receiving stellar reviews that make them stand out from the competition. 

1. SYOSIN Selfie Stick: Best all-around selfie stick

The SYOSIN Selfie Stick is the perfect photography companion for capturing any shot, no matter where your travels take you. As a selfie stick, the SYOSIN model extends from 7.64 inches to 27.6 inches and can be rotated for an endless array of shooting angles. Use the detachable Bluetooth remote for maximum convenience. As a tripod, the SYOSIN provides stability for group shots and long-distance selfies at multiple angles. This compact selfie stick fits easily into your pocket or purse and weighs just five ounces. 

SYOSIN Selfie Stick on Amazon

2. Mighty Selfie Stick: Best selfie stick for a long reach

For the most epic long-distance selfies imaginable, check out the Mighty Selfie Stick, which extends up to 10 feet long for unique angles. While not as compact as some of the other selfie sticks listed here, the Mighty Selfie Stick uses quick-tighten and quick-release interlocking sections that adjust down to 26 inches. A Bluetooth remote with a one-click connection is included for ease of use and comes with a separate mount for a GoPro camera or even a small digital camera. 

Mighty Selfie Stick on Amazon

3. BlitzWolf Selfie Stick: Selfie stick with a 20-hour battery life

The Anker Selfie Stick is compatible with a multitude of smartphone models, including the newest iPhones. It offers a durable design, a tripod base, a Bluetooth remote, and a stick that extends up to 26.77 inches. The battery will hold a charge for 24-plus hours of active use and three months on standby, giving you days of selfies without having to worry about recharging. The BlitzWolf Selfie Stick head can rotate a full 360 degrees so you’ll never miss the perfect angle.

BlitzWolf Selfie Stick on Amazon

4. Yoozon Selfie Stick: Tripod and selfie stick in one

Several selfie sticks on this list have built-in tripod availability, but the Yoozon Selfie Stick stands out for its rugged design and ease of transition between selfie stick and tripod. As a selfie stick, the Yoozon is adjustable between 7.9 and 26.6 inches. As a tripod, the Yoozon provides a sturdy base for group shots and long-distance selfies. It includes a Bluetooth remote, weighs just 7.2 ounces, and can be used with GoPro and action cameras. The head offers 360-degree rotation, and you can also switch between horizontal and vertical rotation quickly and easily. 

Yoozon Selfie Stick on Amazon

5. Quik Pod SPORT Selfie Stick: Best waterproof selfie stick

If you are prone to taking selfies while boating, kayaking, SUPing, or fishing, you may want to consider the Quik Pod SPORT, which offers waterproof protection and can even handle deep water pressure if you’re using it with a waterproof sport camera. The telescoping arm extends from 15.5 to 39 inches, and the Quik Pod also includes a sure-grip handle, waterproof lanyard, a built-in selfie mirror, and a Bluetooth remote. Even if you drop your Quik Pod SPORT, you’re covered because its buoyant design means it will always float to the surface.

Quik Pod SPORT Selfie Stick on Amazon

How to use a selfie stick for next-level selfies

If you just ordered your brand new selfie stick and are ready to start shooting, start here. If you’ve had your selfie stick for a while but need a refresher course, we’ve got some tips for you too. 

How does a selfie stick work? 

A selfie stick is used to extend the reach of your arm and the view from your phone’s camera. Most selfie sticks come with Bluetooth capability to easily connect to your smartphone, but there are wired models that can be attached to your phone using an auxiliary cable if Bluetooth isn’t an option. Simply attach your phone to the selfie stick using the included clamp. Make sure it is secure before extending it. You may have to adjust the angle before framing your shot with your iPhone’s Camera app. 

How to pair your selfie stick to your iPhone 

The first time you use your selfie stick with your iPhone, you will have to manually connect the two, but after the initial pairing, it should happen automatically. Here’s how to do it:

1. Turn on your selfie stick or remote shutter. If you have a separate button for Bluetooth connectivity, turn that on too.
2. Now go to the Settings app on your iPhone and tap Bluetooth.
3. You will see a list of all the Bluetooth devices your phone has previously connected to, as well as your selfie stick. Tap the name of your selfie stick and wait for it to connect.
4. Frame your shot and press the shutter button on your Bluetooth remote. 

Can you use a selfie stick without Bluetooth? 

Using a Bluetooth connection is the most reliable way to take a selfie, and since all smartphones come with Bluetooth functionality, you should have no problem framing the perfect selfie and snapping a few photos. 

If, for some reason, you’re unable to pair your selfie stick with your iPhone and you’ve found the perfect spot for a selfie, take heart and use plan B. You won’t have a lot of time to perfect your pose, but you can bypass the Bluetooth connection by setting your timer on the Camera app, framing your shot with your selfie stick, and holding your pose until the camera snaps a photo. 

How to take better selfies with a selfie stick 

The best way to take awesome selfies is to take a lot of them. The more you take, the more you’ll have to choose from when it comes to sharing or posting on social media. Want to ensure gorgeous selfies every time? Here are a few tips to help you get the perfect shot: 

• Avoid harsh light and deep shadows. Taking photos on a sunny day at high noon is bound to cause problems. For a flattering selfie shot, try to capture yourself during the early morning or late evening. Make sure your scene is uniformly lit, without deep shadow lines from buildings, trees, or other obstacles. 
• Go for a slight head tilt with your chin up. Tilting your head in different directions will give your image more interest and make you look younger. You should also tilt your chin up slightly to avoid the double chin effect.
• Look away from the camera. Add an air of mystery to your selfie by staring off into the distance. 
• Hold your selfie stick above your head. Want to look like a model in your selfies? Do what models do and position your selfie stick so that the bottom of your phone is at eye level, shooting downward toward your face. This is a very flattering angle for most people.

Ready to jump on the selfie bandwagon? Even if you only snap a few shots with your spouse or your kids now and then, you’ll find the selfie stick an invaluable and affordable tool that’s 100% worth having. 

The post The 5 best selfie sticks for iPhone and how to use them appeared first on Backlight.

Using an iPhone tripod also allows you to put yourself in photos using the timer function on your phone. Simply set your phone on a tripod, set the timer, and tap the shutter. 

The iPhone tripods we recommend 

There are many iPhone tripods available with different features and at different price points. So we thought it would be helpful to recommend some tried-and-tested models. These are the best iPhone tripods for every type of shooting situation. 

1. UBeesize Phone Tripod
2. Kenu Stance
3. Fugetek Selfie Stick & Tripod
4. Joby GorillaPod Pro
5. Fotopro Tripod

UBeesize: Most affordable iPhone tripod

You don’t need to spend a fortune to find a decent iPhone tripod that will keep your camera safe while taking photos. The UBeesize phone tripod is designed to be stable on any surface, with bendable legs and no-slip feet. As a bonus, the UBeesize tripod comes with a wireless remote. That allows you to snap photos from up to 30 feet away, which is great for group shots or wide-angle captures. Every UBeesize iPhone tripod comes with a lifetime service guarantee.

UBeesize tripod on Amazon

Kenu Stance iPhone tripod: Best lightweight iPhone tripod for travel

Weighing just 1.2 ounces, the Kenu Stance is a micro iPhone tripod that is perfect for times when you need something compact. This tiny tripod is smaller than a pack of gum and fits on your keyring, so it’s always handy when you need it. 

The Kenu Stance connects directly to your iPhone’s lightning port. It can be tilted and rotated freely so you can find the perfect angle. Premium zinc-alloy construction and no-slip feet mean that your iPhone will remain secure and stable no matter where you take it.

Kenu Stance on Amazon

Fugetek Selfie Stick & Tripod: Best tripod/selfie stick combo

The Fugetek Selfie Stick & Tripod is made from heavy-duty aluminum. It includes a Bluetooth remote for Android devices and iPhone alike. As a selfie stick, the Fugetek extends 51 inches so you can find the best possible angle. A non-slip handle ensures a good grip in every situation. As a tripod, the Fugetek is stable and reliable, with no-skid feet. 

The Fugetek Selfie Stick & Tripod comes with a remote shutter, along with a rechargeable battery that lasts up to 300 hours on a single charge. It collapses down to 19 inches for easy storage.

Fugetek Selfie Stick & Tripod on Amazon

Joby GorillaPod Pro: Most rugged iPhone tripod

If you’re looking for something rugged that will keep your iPhone safe in extreme situations, look no further than the Joby GorillaPod Pro. This small tripod fits all iPhone models with or without a case and is built with durable ABS plastic and TPE grip pads. Adjustable, bendable legs provide a secure hold from all kinds of positions, including wrapped around tree limbs or furniture. The Joby GorillaPod Pro is quite compact and suitable for travel, backpacking, and other adventures where space is at a premium.

Joby GorillaPod Pro on Amazon

Fotopro Tripod: Best iPhone tripod for shooting videos

The 48-inch tall Fotopro Tripod works with your iPhone or your camera for incredible flexibility. The 360-degree smartphone tripod features a three-way pan head with an easily adjustable handle. Thanks to that, you can quickly follow your subject and change positions without introducing camera shake. 

Height is adjustable from 15 inches to 47 inches. And non-slip rubber feet provide stability in a variety of shooting conditions. The Fotopro tripod comes with a quick-release plate for attaching a camera, as well as a phone mount and a Bluetooth remote shutter.

Fotopro Tripod in Amazon

An iPhone tripod is a must-have accessory for every photographer, providing hands-free stability for many types of shooting situations. No matter what type of photography you practice, these iPhone camera stands are perfect for taking clear shots from every angle.

The post The best iPhone tripods for any photography purpose appeared first on Backlight.

What is double exposure?

In simplest terms, a double exposure is one image superimposed on top of another. One image is usually overlayed at a reduced opacity so that just a hint of one photo shows up. Double exposures are mainly used for creative endeavors, such as superimposing a creative landscape inside of a portrait. No matter what two photos you choose, you will usually need a base photo with the main subject and a neutral background, plus a layer photo with more intricate details.

Can you do double exposure on iPhone?

You can absolutely create stunning overlay pictures on your iPhone. All you need to do is download a photo editing app and start experimenting. We’ll go over the process using three different apps for creating your double exposure, but there are dozens of iPhone apps to choose from. The one you choose for your double exposure shots will largely depend on your budget and personal preferences, as the procedure differs slightly depending on the app you’re using.

How to superimpose photos on iPhone

The steps for creating your double exposure will vary from app to app, but in general,  you will need to take two photos (or find two photos, either stock or in your photo library). Before you begin the process, you should think about how you want your final photo to look. You can do a Google image search for double exposure or search the #doubleexposure hashtag on Instagram. 

How to create double exposure photos with Snapseed

Google Snapseed is a free photo editing app with tools that are intuitive and easy to use. Snapseed is a great app for photographers who are just beginning to experiment with superimposing images. Here’s how to create a double exposure using Snapseed:

1. Download Snapseed and open it on your iPhone.
2. Tap anywhere to open a photo.
3. Select your first photo from your photo library.
4. Tap Tools at the bottom of the screen.
5. Scroll down and tap Double Exposure.
6. Your first photo will appear on the screen with an icon menu at the bottom. Tap the photo icon with the plus sign in the corner and choose your second photo.
7. From here, you can use a variety of editing tools to adjust your image. 
8. When you are finished, tap the checkmark. 
9. Tap Export and then Save to save your finished image to your photo library.

How to do photo overlays in Photoshop Express

Photoshop Express is a robust photo editing tool created by Adobe. The overlay feature in Photoshop Express allows you to use a selection of predesigned overlays and superimpose them over your images. The current overlays in Photoshop Express include a variety of light-leaks, bokeh, grunge effects, raindrops, wallpapers, and patterns. 

You currently can’t superimpose one of your own images over another using Photoshop Express. Here’s how to create double exposures using overlays in Photoshop Express: 

1. Download Photoshop Express and open it on your iPhone.
2. Choose a photo to edit. The dropdown menu at the top of the screen will allow you to choose photos from your photo library, Facebook, Google Photos, or Dropbox.
3. Tap the overlays icon, which looks like two connected circles.
4. Scroll through the overlay options at the bottom of the screen. If you click on a theme, you will open up a menu of even more options to choose from.
5. Select your overlay and then use the slider to adjust the opacity.
6. When your design is completed, tap the share icon and save it to your Camera Roll.

How to superimpose photos using Enlight 

Enlight Photofox is another comprehensive photo editing app with a lot of great tools you can experiment with, including a really fun double exposure tool. You can download Photofox for free, but if you want to save your images, you will have to purchase a subscription, which is $7.99 per month or $35.99 per year. Here’s how to create awesome image overlays using Enlight Photofox:

1. Download Photofox and open it on your iPhone.
2. The home screen is the QuickArt section, where you can choose from a variety of easy-to-use effects. Scroll through the selections and choose Double Exposure. 
3. Choose a photo with a strong focal point or main subject for your double exposure and tap Start Now.
4. The main subject of your photo will appear with a stock image superimposed inside the silhouette. You can move the position of the overlay by tapping and using your finger to reposition it. 
5. To change the overlay image, tap Overlay, and then choose a new image.
6. When you’re happy with your edit, tap the share icon to save your photo or share it on social media.

Creating double exposures from two images opens up a whole new world of photo editing and is a way to be creative with photos you’ve already taken. Use the apps mentioned above to get started creating your photo masterpiece.

The post How to make creative double exposure photos on iPhone appeared first on Backlight.

Contrary to popular belief, photo editing apps aren’t just for Instagram influencers and professional photographers. Everybody who enjoys snapping photos can use and enjoy a photo editor. The best apps can make your photos more colorful, artistic, and stylized — or they can simply help you erase that rogue photo bomber.

The best photo editing apps for your iPhone photos 

Your choice of iPhone photo editor app will depend on a few factors. What do you like to take photos of? Where do you share your photos? Do you want to invest in a professional photo editing app or just play around with a free one? 

It’s okay if you can’t decide on the perfect editor just yet. Our list of the best editing apps for iPhone will help you choose one that’s perfect for you:

1. Enlight Photofox
2. Snapseed
3. TouchRetouch
4. VSCO 
5. Adobe Lightroom
6. Afterlight 2
7. Darkroom
8. Adobe Photoshop Express

1. Enlight Photofox: Best photo editing app for artistic creations

Enlight Photofox is a professional-level editing app with a free and premium version. We’ve found several free editing apps that outperform the free Photofox app, but if you’re willing to pay for a premium subscription, you will find a wealth of tools, including the ability to combine multiple layers, make tonal adjustments, and target small areas to make adjustments to. 

A robust set of tutorials makes it easy to learn new features, and artistic filters work to add unique elements to your photos. Enlight Photofox probably isn’t the best photo editing app for beginners, but it’s perfect for hobbyists who already have some editing hours under their belt. 

Enlight Photofox on the App Store

2. Snapseed: Best free photo editing app for iPhone

Google Snapseed came onto the photo editing scene in 2011 and has a dedicated following of novice and professional photographers alike. 

While Snapseed does make use of some powerful manual editing tools, its most popular features are its filters and enhancement tools, which allow users to quickly transform photos with the swipe of a finger. Users can also access their complete editing history with Snapseed, making it easy to tweak adjustments at any stage of the editing process. If you choose one free photo editing app for your iPhone, Snapseed is our recommendation.

Snapseed on the App Store

3. TouchRetouch: Best photo editor for removing objects

It doesn’t take much to ruin an awesome photo. Anything from power lines and low-flying birds to a misplaced thumb or a group of strangers can wreak havoc on an otherwise awesome composition. The good news is that unsightly objects can easily be removed with TouchRetouch. 

TouchRetouch’s object removal tool lets you choose from a brush or lasso to remove unwanted objects with exact precision. This is a photo editing app that should be in every iPhone photographer’s toolkit, and at $1.99, it’s a great deal.

TouchRetouch on the App Store

4. VSCO: Best iPhone editor for unique filters

VSCO is an extremely popular editing tool that is best known for its array of film-style presets. Several VSCO presets are available with the free version, which will at least give you a chance to try them out and get used to the interface. If you choose to sign up for VSCO’s premium subscription, you’ll gain access to more than 200 filters. 

Basic image adjustments can be made in combination with presets, and the VSCO social media platform is a great place to share your VSCO edits with followers and friends. 

VSCO on the App Store

5. Adobe Lightroom: Best iPhone photo editor for workflow with a Mac

If you already use Adobe Lightroom on your Mac, then using the Lightroom app will make your workflow seamless. The app gives you access to all of your photos stored in Creative Cloud and allows you to share presets and workflow between your phone and computer for editing on the go. 

The Lightroom photo editor for iPhone has a more streamlined interface than the desktop version, and using it in conjunction with Lightroom Creative Cloud gives you lots of flexibility that you can enjoy from just about anywhere. 

Adobe Lightroom on the App Store

6. Afterlight 2: Great editor for creating your own filters

If you’re looking for a powerful photo editing app with a simple interface, check out Afterlight 2. Many preset filters are included in the Afterlight app. But one of the most awesome features is being able to create your own. Not only does creating your own filters cut down on editing times, but it’s also a great way to create a cohesive theme across your social media channels. 

Afterlight 2 on the App Store

7. Darkroom: A must-have app for professional iPhone photographers

Using Darkroom is like having a professional editing tool in your pocket, with the ability to add beautiful filters, fine-tune images, and make minor or major adjustments to your photos before sharing on social media or exporting your image to your iCloud library. 

The app can edit RAW files or JPEGs with ease, and instead of forcing you to manually import images for editing, Darkroom integrates with your iCloud library for ease of use. Darkroom also allows you to batch-edit multiple photos at once, which is a huge plus for busy photographers.

Darkroom on the App Store

8. Adobe Photoshop Express: Best iPhone photo editor for quick edits

If you’re editing a lot of photos on your phone, one of the best available tools is Adobe Photoshop Express. This is a complete photo editing app for iPhone, making quick work of cropping, fine-tuning, and even blending photos with textures and overlays. 

You can also use Photoshop Express to add frames and text or create custom collages. It’s especially useful for people who are already familiar with Adobe’s photo editing products, as the interface is similar to Lightroom and Photoshop. 

Photoshop Express on the App Store

If you take most or all of your photos with your iPhone, then a great editing app is a necessity. The photo editing apps mentioned above are the best of the best. They are free or inexpensive to use and will make your best photos even better.

The post The 8 best photo editor apps for perfect iPhone photos appeared first on Backlight.

Understanding watermarks 

A watermark is designed to do a few things. First and foremost, it can make your images harder to steal or less desirable for thieves. Watermarks are also useful for promoting your work by branding your photo with a logo that is easily recognized as your own. 

Believe it or not, watermarks are pretty controversial in the world of photography, with some photographers believing that they are incredibly useful and others considering them to be a waste of time and a distraction from the photo itself.

What is a watermark in photography?

A watermark is a logo or text that is superimposed over an image. When designed and added correctly, a watermark should be nearly transparent and shouldn’t interfere with the composition. Watermarks are easy to apply to your photos digitally, but careful consideration should be made to ensure that the watermark isn’t too large and doesn’t distract from the overall image.

Does a watermark copyright-protect your photos?

The minute you create a photo, your work is copyrighted, whether it is watermarked or not. A watermark may deter thieves from using your work, but if your photo is posted online and someone wants to use it without permission, it’s pretty easy to do, with or without a watermark. 

Why you should watermark your pictures

Now for the controversial stuff. If you’re thinking about watermarking your photos, you owe it to yourself to read through the pros and cons before deciding. There are some compelling reasons to use a watermark on your photos, and for many photographers, it is worth the extra time to add them. Here are some reasons why adding a watermark to a photo makes sense.

You want to build brand recognition

When done correctly, watermarking your photos is a good way to build your brand. Your followers and clients will begin to recognize your watermark as your own, and when your work is shared, you may gain recognition because viewers will know exactly who took the photo. For some photographers, using a watermark is how they sign their artwork.

You want to discourage theft of your photos

Despite the fact that anyone who really wants to steal your photos will do so with or without a watermark, you may still want to add one to at least make the process a bit more difficult. Basically, this means that honest folk and lazy thieves will leave your work alone. On the plus side, pirates who do choose to use work with your watermark attached will give you some free marketing before you ask them to take down your photo. 

You don’t want paying clients to print their own photos from your digital proofs

If you are a professional photographer who sends clients digital proofs of photos, a watermark will discourage them from having the photos printed themselves. In this case, you’ll want your watermark to be prominent across the photo without distracting the viewer from the main subject. 

Why you shouldn’t watermark your images

There are just as many reasons why you shouldn’t watermark your photos. Here are the most compelling reasons to stay away from watermarks.

A watermark will detract from your photo

As a photographer, you spend a lot of time planning and executing the perfect composition, and even the most unobtrusive watermark will distract viewers. 

A watermark only keeps honest people honest

If someone wants to steal your photo and use it for their own purposes, they will either use it with the watermark or remove the watermark through the use of various editing tools. In other words, watermarks may discourage theft, but they definitely won’t prevent it.

A watermark may appear unprofessional

I’m sure there are plenty of lovely watermarks out there, but the majority are too large, too colorful, and positioned in a way that makes them look unprofessional. A badly designed or poorly placed watermark will make even the best photos look tacky. Producing beautiful photographs is the best way to earn your reputation as a professional.

Using watermarks

If you’ve read through the pros and cons of watermarking and still want to use one on your photos, use the following guidelines to ensure that your watermark is professional and unobtrusive:

• Your watermark should be simple and easy to read.
• Place your watermark in a spot where it won’t be a distraction.
• A monochromatic watermark — black, white, or gray — will get the job done without being too loud.
• Make your watermark transparent (but still opaque enough to see).

How to add a watermark to a photo on iPhone

There are numerous ways to add a watermark to your photos, from the most simple text option to fancy logos. Because we are advocating simple and unobtrusive watermarks, we’ll go over how to add a text watermark in the Lightroom app on your iPhone or another mobile device. 

Lightroom is free to download to use, but there are some premium features that require a monthly fee to access. Here’s how to add a watermark to your photos using the Lightroom mobile app:

1. Download Lightroom and open it on your iPhone.
2. Tap the settings icon in the upper-right corner. 
3. Tap Watermarking.
4. In the text box, type the text that you want to use for the watermark.
5. Tap anywhere on the photo example to move the watermark on your photo.
6. Use the sliders at the bottom of the screen to make your text bigger or smaller and to make your watermark more or less opaque.
7. To use your watermark in a photo, tap the share icon when you’re ready with your edits.
8. Tap Export as > More Options > Include Watermark.

How to bulk-watermark your photos using the Watermark Photo app

With the Lightroom mobile app, you can set up a watermark so that it appears on all of the photos you export and share, so you shouldn’t need to watermark your photos in bulk. If you do want to bulk-watermark your photos, you can use the Watermark Photo app. The basic version is free to use, but the premium version has extra graphic design features and removes the app’s own watermark for $39.99 per year. Here’s how to bulk-watermark your photos using the Watermark Photo app:

1. Download Watermark Photo and open it on your iPhone.
2. From the home screen, tap Watermark Multiple Photos.
3. Your photo library will open so you can select the photos you want to watermark.
4. Tap Done.
5. Choose from custom stickers, text, an imported logo, or a signature watermark.
6. Tap the checkmark when you are done, and your photos will automatically be saved to your photo library.

Whether or not you choose to watermark your photos is based on your own personal preferences. If you do choose to use a watermark, you’ll find that a basic text version is easy to apply with Lightroom or Watermark Photo.

The post Should you watermark your photos, and how do you do that? appeared first on Backlight.

The 7 best iPhone lenses for your arsenal 

No matter which iPhone you’re currently using, you’ll find a variety of external lenses for every purpose, from macro photography to landscape and wildlife photography. Here are the best iPhone camera lenses to meet your photography needs: 

1. Entry-level iPhone lens: Aukey Ora
2. iPhone lens kit: Olloclip CORE Lens Set
3. Telephoto lens for iPhone: Moment Tele 58mm
4. Macro lens for iPhone: Moment Macro Lens
5. Wide-angle lens for iPhone: Moment Wide Lens
6. Fisheye lens for iPhone: Moment 14mm Fisheye Lens
7. iPhone lens for 360-degree photos: Insta360 Nano

1. Aukey: Best budget iPhone lenses

Aukey iPhone lenses provide photographers with decent quality at an affordable price, making them perfect for novice photographers. These lenses use a clip-on mechanism to attach over the lens of your iPhone, so they are suitable for all models. The lenses are created with multiple-element coated glass to minimize reflections and aluminum alloy housing for longevity. 

Aukey currently makes several wide and ultra-wide iPhone lenses, as well as a few macro lenses. Their lenses come with a universal clip, a carrying case, and a cleaning cloth. 

Aukey lenses on Amazon

Olloclip CORE Lens Set: Best iPhone lens kit

Olloclip makes lenses to fit every model of iPhone, and while some are interchangeable, others are made specifically for certain models. The CORE Lens Set pictured is designed for the iPhone 7/7 Plus and iPhone 8/8 Plus and includes a fisheye, super-wide, and 15x macro lens. Lenses are created using multi-element coated glass, and the interchangeable lens mounting system makes it quick and easy to change between different lenses so that you never miss a shot. 

Olloclip lenses can be used with both the front and rear-facing cameras on your iPhone, so you can capture the perfect landscape shot and the perfect selfie, all in a single easy-to-use kit. The only downside to the Olloclip system is that you can’t use it with every phone case. You will either need to purchase a compatible Olloclip case or use the Olloclip lenses without a case.

Olloclip CORE Lens Set on Amazon

3. Moment Tele 58mm: Best telephoto lens for iPhone

When it comes to buying a top-quality lens for your iPhone, you can’t beat Moment lenses. They are made from the highest-quality coated and hand-polished glass, plus aerospace-grade metal. The Moment telephoto lens is equivalent to a 58mm lens if you are using a single-lens phone. If you are using a phone that has a dedicated telephoto camera, the Moment lens will be equivalent to a 115mm lens. 

This professional-quality lens creates photos that are crisp from edge-to-edge with no distortion, and all Moment lenses come with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. While all Moment lenses work with multiple phone models, you’ll need to purchase a dedicated Moment case for your phone before attaching the lens.

Moment Tele 58mm on Amazon

4. Moment Macro Lens: Best macro lens for iPhone

When shooting objects that are very close-up, the image quality becomes more important than ever. Because Moment lenses use cinema-quality glass, you can pretty much guarantee that photos will be incredibly crisp, even on the edges. The 10x Moment Macro Lens, for example, expertly magnifies your subject with no distortion. 

Because Moment lenses require you to purchase a dedicated case, it makes sense to stick with the same brand for multiple lenses. Macro photography is incredibly fun with an iPhone, and adding a dedicated lens drastically improves the quality of your shot. Plus, all Moment lenses come with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you’re going to splurge on one lens for your iPhone photography kit, this is the one we’d recommend. 

Moment Macro Lens on Amazon

5. Moment Wide Lens: Best wide-angle lens for iPhone

The Moment Wide Lens is one of the most popular iPhone lenses on the market, and it’s perfect for shooting architectural details indoors or incredible outdoor landscapes. The Moment Wide 18mm lens comes in a multi-element glass design that captures 2 times more of your image with superb clarity throughout. Moment lenses easily attach using custom Moment cases, which will vary depending on the iPhone model you’re using, and all moment lenses come with a lifetime warranty.

Moment Wide Lens on Amazon

6. Moment 14mm Fisheye Lens: Best fisheye lens for iPhone

If you’ve ever used a fisheye lens before, you know that it’s a super-wide-angle lens that distorts a photo to look spherical. Fisheye lenses are great for landscapes and extreme sports. You can also use them for adding an artistic element to photos. 

The Moment 14mm Fisheye Lens takes excellent 170-degree shots with no dark corners or vignetting. As with all Moment lenses, you’ll need to purchase a Moment phone case with a mounting system for the lens. This is a great lens for photographers looking to expand their horizons and get creative with new angles. 

Moment 14mm Fisheye Lens on Amazon

7. Insta360 Nano: Best iPhone lens for 360-degree photos

The Insta360 Nano isn’t a lens in the strictest sense of the word. Rather, it’s a digital camera that works in conjunction with your iPhone to create 360-degree images and videos. The Nano is compatible with the iPhone 6/6 Plus and iPhone 7/7 Plus, but there are versions for newer models as well. 

The Insta360 uses dual 4K cameras to capture footage before stitching it together to create 360-degree panoramas. The image quality is exceptional, and the compatible app has a great interface for shooting, as well as sharing on social media.

Insta360 Nano on Amazon

Using external lenses with your iPhone camera is, hands down, the best way to improve your iPhone photography. Your photos will be sharper and better focused. But what’s even better, external lenses will let you experiment with new angles that would otherwise be beyond the scope of even the most advanced iPhone cameras. 

The post Top 7 iPhone camera lenses for landscapes, macro, and more appeared first on Backlight.

How to turn a photo into a drawing

Playing around with different photo-to-sketch converter apps isn’t the worst way to pass the time, but if you’d rather just get to it, we’ve narrowed the process down a bit for you by narrowing down the best apps for the job. Here’s how to turn a photo into a sketch or line drawing using Painnt and Prisma, which are both easy to use. 

Convert your photo into a line drawing with Painnt

Painnt is a simple app with more than 2,000 art filters, 90 of which are sketch effects. The Painnt app is fun and easy to use, and many of the filters are included for free with your initial download. Premium filters can be accessed for a subscription fee of $9.99 per year. Here’s how to use Painnt to turn your favorite photos into incredible sketches.

1. Download the Painnt app and open it on your iPhone. 
2. Scroll through the massive array of filters and choose one you like. The newest filters will be available at the top of the screen, followed by the “Free only today” section. From there, you can scroll through filters by genres such as faces, modern, mosaics, nature, sketch, and more.
3. Tap Photo Library to open your photos and choose the one you want to convert to a drawing.
4. Tap Done to convert your photo to a sketch or drawing.
5. An editing screen will open up, allowing you to use sliders to adjust transparency, brightness, contrast, saturation, and more. 
6. When you are happy with the results, tap the download icon. Then choose whether you want to share your creation on social media or save it to your device. Unless you decide to purchase the premium subscription, your drawing will be saved with a small watermark in the corner. 

Turn a picture into a drawing with Prisma

Prisma is another app that is affordable and easy to use. By affordable, we actually mean free, but you will have to pay a subscription fee for premium filters. The Prisma filters are based on the works of famous artists like Pablo Picasso, Edvard Munch, or Salvador Dali, and a new, free Prisma filter is released every day. Here’s how to use Prisma to convert your photo to a drawing.

1. Download the Prisma app and open it on your iPhone.
2. Your photo library will open up inside the Prisma app. Choose the photo you want to edit.
3. There are 12 free artistic filters you can apply to your photo, plus several more premium filters. Choose one to have it applied to your photo. 
4. Tap the tuning icon to make further adjustments to your photo. 
5. Tap the checkmark. Then tap the share icon.
6. Choose whether you want to share your photo or save it to your device.
7. Your drawing will be saved without a watermark.

How to take a picture that looks like a drawing

Another way to experiment with photo-to-drawing conversion is to use apps that will automatically turn your photo into a sketch when you take a photo. This method gives you instant gratification and is great for easy social sharing. Use either your iPhone Messages app or Photo Lab to make it happen. 

Turn your photo into a drawing with Messages filters

Did you know that there is a hidden filter within your iPhone’s Messages app that allows you to take photos and selfies and then turn them into sketches that look like comic book drawings? It’s true! Here’s how to access them.

1. On your iPhone, open the Messages app and type the name of the recipient that you want to send your drawing to.
2. Tap the camera icon to create your image.
3. Before you snap a photo, tap the filter icon, which looks like three connected circles in different colors.
4. Scroll through the filters at the bottom of the screen and choose Comic Book.
5. Frame your shot and tap the shutter button.
6. Tap the arrow icon to send your photo drawing.

Turn your photo into a sketch with Photo Lab filters

There are a few different apps that will let you apply your drawing filter within their camera screen before you take a photo. We love Photo Lab because it is free and easy to use. With the free version, you can apply a variety of artistic features, from simple sketches to elaborate scenes that will totally make-over your photo. The downside is that the free version includes ads as well as a watermark on your finished photo. The pro version is $4.99 per month or $9.99 per year. 

Here’s how to use Photo Lab to take a photo and turn it into a drawing.

1. Download Photo Lab and open it on your iPhone.
2. Scroll through the screen of available filters. The premium filters will have the word Pro in the corner. Tap the filter you want to use.
3. Tap the camera icon to open the Photo Lab camera.
4. Frame your shot and tap the shutter.
5. Tap Use Photo if you are happy with the image. Otherwise, tap Retake.
6. The next screen will allow you to crop your photo or change the orientation. Tap the arrow when you are finished.
7. A processing screen will appear, followed by your finished sketch. From here, you can tap the + icon to add text. Some filters also allow you to modify the results or turn your photo into a GIF.
8. Finally, tap the share icon in the upper-right corner to save your photo or share it on social media.
9. If you have the free version, you can remove the watermark by tapping it. A pop-up menu will appear, asking if you want to watch a short sponsored video to have the watermark removed. Tap yes to watch the video. Now you can save your photo-to-drawing without the watermark.

Your iPhone can do much more than take pretty photos. Get creative with unique apps that will allow you to turn your picture into a drawing, painting, or other digital work of art. The opportunities are endless, and the process is totally addictive.

The post How to turn your iPhone photo into a sketch or drawing appeared first on Backlight.

5 must-have iPhone camera accessories

The following iPhone camera accessories are considered must-haves for anyone who’s passionate about photography. Here’s what you need to turn your simple snapshots into works of art:

1. An iPhone tripod
2. Clip-on lenses
3. A selfie stick
4. A protective iPhone case
5. A remote shutter

1. The best iPhone tripod: Joby GripTight 

A tripod is useful in many photography situations. Use it to reduce camera shake when taking photos in low light, to capture group shots with your iPhone’s timer, or to take photos that require a steady hand, such as wildlife, waterfalls, or action shots. 

There are many tripods available at every price point, but the best iPhone tripod we’ve come across is the Joby GripTight. Not only does the GripTight allow you to quickly change from vertical to horizontal orientation, but the GripTight legs will keep your iPhone steady on uneven surfaces and can even wrap tightly around tree limbs, furniture, and more. It’s truly a must-have piece of equipment for iPhone photographers.

Joby GripTight on Amazon

2. The best iPhone lenses: Moment

With each new iPhone model comes improved lens technology, reducing the need for external lenses. But we would still argue that even the most modern and up-to-date iPhone camera can benefit from an external lens. 

Moment lenses use the highest-quality glass for incredibly crisp and professional-looking photos. There is simply no comparison on the smartphone lens market. Yes, Moment lenses are a splurge, but they’re entirely worth the money. 

You can choose from standard lenses, such as the wide-angle or telephoto lens. But if you’re shooting with an iPhone that already lets you choose from multiple lenses, go for something more fun like the fish-eye, anamorphic, or macro lens. No matter which Moment lens you choose, you’re sure to make your photos a lot more interesting.

Moment lenses on Amazon

3. The best iPhone selfie stick: Mpow

Is a selfie stick a necessity? Absolutely! Even if selfies make you cringe, you’ll find endless opportunities to use the Mpow Selfie Stick, which is the best selfie stick for iPhone available on the market. Selfies and group shots will be easier than ever, but you can also use the selfie stick to find all kinds of new and exciting angles to shoot from — angles that wouldn’t even be possible without the amazing reach of the Mpow. 

This lightweight selfie stick is just 7.1 inches long and can easily fit in your pocket or purse. When extended, it reaches 31.9 inches, and the head is fully adjustable for endless options to frame the perfect shot.

Mpow Selfie Stick on Amazon

4. The best iPhone camera case: Nillkin iPhone Case with camera cover

Your iPhone is an investment, and a case that protects both your phone and your camera lens is crucial. The Nillkin iPhone Case for iPhone 11 Pro Max includes a sliding lens protection cover to protect your triple lenses from scratches and collisions. Simply slide the cover away from your lens before taking a photo. 

The case is ultra-thin, slip-resistant, and very compact, with support for wireless charging. Nillkin makes a variety of iPhone camera cases for every iPhone model. 

Nillkin iPhone case on Amazon

5. The best iPhone remote shutter: Xenvo Shutterbug

A remote shutter allows you to set up your iPhone anywhere and take photos remotely. This is a fabulous tool for selfies, group photos, time-lapses, and low-light photography. Use it whenever you need to snap your shutter remotely or want to reduce camera shake by not touching your phone. 

The Xenvo Shutterbug fits in your pocket or conveniently hangs on your keyring so you always have it on hand. The battery is long-lasting, it pairs instantly with your iPhone, and it can be used as a start/stop button for taking remote videos from up to 30 feet away. The Xenvo Shutterbug is the best remote shutter for iPhone and comes with a lifetime warranty. 

Xenvo Shutterbug on Amazon

Ready to kick your iPhone photography up a notch? iPhone camera accessories can make all the difference! These must-haves are the easiest and best gadgets to improve your iPhone photography. They also make fabulous gifts for new smartphone photographers.

The post 5 iPhone camera accessories for next-level photos and videos appeared first on Backlight.

If you’ve ever accidentally deleted a treasured photo, you know how anxiety-inducing it can be, and you may be wondering if you can recover deleted photos from your iPhone, how to retrieve deleted photos from a backup, and even how to recover deleted images from iCloud. 

Here are some steps you can take to recover photos that you’ve accidentally deleted. Step number one — don’t panic!

How to find deleted photos on iPhone

Where do deleted photos go when you tap the trash can on your iPhone? Because we all make mistakes, photos that are deleted from your phone are stored in a recently deleted album, where they are saved for 30 days. In other words, you can breathe your first sigh of relief.

How to recover photos from Recently Deleted

1. Open the Photos app and tap Albums.
2. Scroll down to the Other Albums section and tap Recently Deleted.
3. Here you will find all the photos you’ve deleted in the past 30 days. 
4. Choose the photo you want to recover and tap Recover. Your photo will be saved in your Photo Library.

Can you recover permanently deleted photos on iPhone?

The short answer to this question is maybe. Whether or not you can recover permanently deleted photos will depend on if your photo was saved in iCloud or if you have a backup from which you can recover your photo. In many but not all cases, it is likely that you will still be able to recover your photo.

How to recover deleted photos from iCloud

If you were signed in to iCloud when you deleted your photo, then your photos will remain on the iCloud platform for 30 days. If, for some reason, you were signed out of iCloud when you deleted your photo, you may be able to retrieve it past the 30-day mark. Visit icloud.com on the web and then follow these steps:

1. Sign in to iCloud and click on Photos.
2. Start your search by checking the Recently Deleted folder. 
3. Select the photo you want to retrieve and click Recover.
4. Depending on how long you’ve been signed out of iCloud, you may find your photo in your iCloud photo library. Open iCloud and click Photos.
5. Scroll through until you find the photo you’re looking for. Click the download icon at the top of the screen to save the photo to a folder on your computer. 

How to retrieve deleted photos from a backup 

If you’ve been backing up your iPhone data to your Mac, then you may be able to recover your photos that way. To help reduce the risk of losing a photo in the future, here’s a tip — back up your iPhone data to iTunes or Finder using a Mac. Apple Support has instructions on how to do this. 

The downside to this method is that iTunes only allows you to restore your entire backup, overwriting everything currently on your iPhone. This means you may manage to find your photo, but you also might lose more recent data from your phone. 

If you’re only looking to retrieve photos, the best way to extract them from your iPhone backup is to use a third-party app. Here’s how to retrieve deleted photos from your iPhone using EaseUS MobiSaver. 

1. Download EaseUS MobiSaver and open it on your computer (EaseUS makes this software for Macs and PCs).
2. Choose Recover from iTunes and then choose your iPhone from the menu and click Scan.
3. You will be able to preview your lost photos. Choose the ones you want to restore. Then save them to a folder on your computer. 

Can you recover permanently deleted photos without a backup? 

Okay, so you deleted your favorite photos months ago, and you haven’t backed up your iPhone. Have you reached the end of the road? There’s one more course of action you can try, and it involves third-party software. PhoneRescue is a professional data recovery tool that can be used as a last resort. The only caveat is that it will work only if your photos haven’t been overwritten by other data.

PhoneRescue can be downloaded to your PC or Mac. Plug your iPhone into your computer using a USB port and scan your device for your deleted photos using PhoneRescue. You can restore all of your deleted data, or you can choose to scan only for lost images. You will be able to preview photos before restoring them. 

Mistakes happen, and there’s a good chance that you will, at some point, accidentally delete a photo before realizing that you want to keep it. Hopefully, the solutions outlined in this article will help with the recovery. 

The post How to recover the photos you deleted from your iPhone appeared first on Backlight.

Digital iPhone photography is as simple as tapping your screen whenever the mood strikes, but what good is taking all those photos if you’re the only one who ever sees them? Enter the humble photo printing app, which allows you to order and print high-quality photos from your iPhone and have them delivered to your door. 

8 apps to print high-quality photos from iPhone 

Ready to take the next step and have your favorite photos printed from your iPhone? These are the best photo printing apps available right now for iPhone.

1. Shutterfly 
2. Snapfish
3. FreePrints
4. Mixtiles
5. Print Studio
6. Printastic
7. Walgreens
8. Nations Photo Lab

1. Shutterfly: Best iPhone printer app for cards and gifts

There are a lot of reasons to love the Shutterfly photo printing app. With the Shutterfly app, you can upload photos directly from your Camera Roll or from Facebook, Instagram, and Google Photos. Unique photo gifts include puzzles, magnets, fleece blankets, mugs, and more. 

Once you create an account, you can take advantage of sales and discounts on prints, cards, gifts, and calendars. Promotional deals change throughout the seasons, but it’s not uncommon to receive unlimited free prints, free photo books, and huge discounts on photo cards.  

Shutterfly on the App Store

2. Snapfish: Best App to Print Photos from Your iPhone

Snapfish is another reliable photo printing app that is very similar to Shutterfly, offering the ability to order prints from your iPhone, as well as a range of gift items including blankets, pillows, mugs, puzzles, and playing cards. Print options are also quite extensive, allowing you to choose from a huge variety of sizes and finishes for a personalized touch. 

Like Shutterfly, Snapfish offers deals and promos all the time, as well as free shipping if you spend over $29.

Snapfish on the App Store

3. FreePrints: Best free printer app for iPhone

With FreePrints, you can quickly and easily turn your photos into premium 4×6 prints for just the price of shipping and handling. To get started, choose which app you want to print your photos from — your Photo library, Facebook, Instagram, Google Photos, and many other platforms are supported. 

You can order up to 1,000 free prints every month, but large sizes will cost extra. Unlike many other apps, FreePrints does not have a huge line of photo gifts — just high-quality photo printing for an unbelievable price. It’s the perfect no-fuss app for simple photo printing.

FreePrints on the App Store

4. Mixtiles: Best photo printing app for Instagram users

If you are one of the millions of people using Instagram to document your days, you will love Mixtiles. Take those tiny squares that represent family, friends, and fun, and turn them into 8×8 tiles you can stick on your wall. 

Mixtiles are removable, reusable, and leave no marks, so they’re perfect for on-the-fly decorating of any space in your home or office. In fact, using Mixtiles is probably the easiest way to take your photos from your Instagram gallery directly to your at-home gallery. Choose from different frames and mat designs for a style that fits your unique space.

Mixtiles on the App Store

5. Print Studio: Best photo printing app for retro-style photo booth prints

On the surface, Print Studio may seem like just another free app to print photos from iPhone, but some of the prints and photo gifts are one-of-a-kind. Retro photo booth prints are just one example. 

With Print Studio, you can create fun film strips in various sizes that are perfect for sharing with friends and family. Other fun products include daily calendars, grid posters, and mini photo books. Of course, classic print sizes are also available, with an emphasis on high-quality, natural-looking photos that are suitable for framing. 

Print Studio on the App Store

6. Printastic: Best photo printing app for easy photo books

Printastic takes all the guesswork out of creating beautiful photo books from the photos on your iPhone. The Printastic app uses an algorithm to analyze your photos and find sets of related shots to create a photo book with a unique layout to maximize space. Photo prints, canvases, and magnets are also available. 

Photos are printed on premium Kodak paper in glossy or matte finish. The app is intuitive and easy to use, and prices are affordable, making Printastic a great app for printing photos from your iPhone. 

Printastic on the App Store

7. Walgreens: Intuitive app for quick photo printing

Need your high-quality photo prints quickly? If you live near a Walgreens, you can download the Walgreens photo printing app and have your photos printed for same-day pickup. This is one of the most popular ways to print photos from your iPhone, and it is especially useful if you need them immediately. 

At Walgreens, you can purchase prints in a variety of sizes, as well as photo books, calendars, and cards. Promo codes and discounts are widely available, making easy photo printing quick and affordable.

Walgreens on the App Store 

8. Nations Photo Lab: Best photo printing app for high-quality prints

Nations Photo Lab is passionate about creating the highest-quality photo prints available. The company prides itself on excellent customer service, a full money-back guarantee, and a variety of creative print options for amateur and professional photographers alike. Print options include a variety of sizes, including large-format prints, as well as many different creative finishes. Choose from linen, metal, canvas, or acrylic prints that really stand out from the competition. 

Nations Photo Lab on the App Store

With so many fabulous photo printing apps available for iPhone, printing photos is nearly as easy as not printing them. Photo prints are great for sharing, sending, gifting, and hanging. Give one of these apps a try to create memories that you can enjoy without looking at your phone. 

The post The best photo printing apps to print photos from your iPhone appeared first on Backlight.

HDR isn’t magic, but the results are near-magical, thanks to an iPhone processing technique that implements HDR in the background. This article will cover HDR and Smart HDR and how to use them on your iPhone.

Understanding HDR and Smart HDR on iPhone

No matter what iPhone you’re currently using, your camera has an HDR feature to help you shoot high-contrast scenes that are exposed properly. There is little guesswork to using HDR, as the post-processing takes place behind the scenes in your iPhone’s processor. 

What does HDR mean?

HDR stands for high dynamic range, which allows your camera to exceed its dynamic range by stitching several photos together that accurately capture the different exposures of a scene. Dynamic range is the difference between the lightest light and the darkest dark that your iPhone can capture in a photograph. When the scene you are trying to capture exceeds the dynamic range of your camera, the result will be washed-out highlights and shadows that are simply black.

What is HDR on an iPhone camera?

On an iPhone, the camera’s processor automatically blends photos together — one to capture the bright highlights, one to capture the dark shadows, and one to capture the mid-tones. All of this happens behind the scenes, resulting in an HDR image that is accurately exposed. 

What is Smart HDR on iPhone?

Newer iPhone models have what’s called Smart HDR, which uses Apple’s A12 Bionic chip to adjust the dynamic range using AI technology. 

With the Smart HDR features, your camera shoots “buffer” frames before and after you tap the shutter. Each frame is captured in a different exposure so that your iPhone can capture every highlight, shadow, and background object in great detail. Once you have taken your photo, Smart HDR takes the best parts of each frame to create a perfectly exposed, high-quality photo.

iPhone models that have HDR and Smart HDR

No matter which iPhone you’re currently using, you’ll be able to take advantage of HDR or Smart HDR. Check your model to find out which one you’re using.

iPhones with HDR

• iPhone 4, 4S 
• iPhone 5, 5S, 5C 
• iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6S, 6S Plus 
• iPhone SE 
• iPhone 7, 7 Plus 
• iPhone 8, 8 Plus 
• iPhone X 

iPhones with Smart HDR

• iPhone XS 
• iPhone XS Max
• iPhone XR
• iPhone 11
• iPhone 11 Pro
• iPhone 11 Pro Max
• iPhone SE (second generation) 

Using HDR on iPhone

If you are using an iPhone model with HDR, you will find the process fairly simple. The default camera setting enables you to keep HDR on or off for every photo unless you change it. Your camera will remember the setting that you choose.

How to turn on and turn off HDR

1. Open your Camera app on your iPhone.
2. Tap HDR at the top of the screen.
3. Choose between Auto, On, or Off.
4. Tap the shutter to take a photo.

Should HDR be on or off?

When you use the HDR feature, your iPhone will take two photos, one using HDR technology, and one without, so you will be able to choose the best photo. I almost always shoot with HDR on, which is what I’d recommend unless you are tight on space. HDR photos do take up more storage than normal photos.

Because an HDR photo is a combination of several photos stitched together, it will sometimes come out blurry. When that happens, simply delete it; you’ll still have a regular backup photo you can keep.

Are HDR photos actually better?

Not always. HDR photos work best when shooting high-contrast scenes with dramatic highlights and shadows. In low-contrast shooting conditions, you may not even notice the difference between an HDR photo and a shot taken without HDR. Having two photos stitched together may also cause blur, so be sure to hold your camera steady when using the HDR feature.

Why does HDR take two photos?

Using the HDR feature will add two photos to your Camera Roll. The first will be a normal photo without the HDR feature enabled. The second will be the HDR photo, which takes up a lot more space than the normal photo. Your iPhone does this so that you can choose the best-quality photo to keep. You can easily turn off this feature so that your iPhone only saves the HDR photo. Here’s how to do it.

1. Open the Settings on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down to Camera.
3. Under HDR, toggle off Keep Normal Photo.

Using Smart HDR on iPhone

Smart HDR is far more advanced than HDR, taking nine photos in under a second and stitching the best parts to make one incredible shot. 

How does Smart HDR work on iPhone?

The good news for iPhone users is that Smart HDR is totally automatic, which means you can spend more time framing the perfect shot and less time fiddling with your camera settings. Smart HDR uses the best parts of nine separate photos taken before and after you tap the shutter. 

Should I turn off Smart HDR?

If you are unhappy with the Smart HDR photos that your iPhone takes, you can certainly turn off the Smart HDR feature. When you disable Smart HDR, you will enable regular HDR, which works just like HDR in older iPhone models and must be turned on and off in the Camera app.

Here’s how to disable Smart HDR.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Tap Camera.
3. Scroll down to Smart HDR and toggle it off.
4. Exit the Settings app.

HDR and Smart HDR use the power of the advanced iPhone processor to capture incredible details in your photos. The best part is that both HDR and Smart HDR will improve your photos with virtually no effort on your part. What’s not to love about that?

The post HDR and Smart HDR on iPhone: What’s the difference, and how do you use it? appeared first on Backlight.

What is iPhone photography, aka iPhoneography?

You don’t need to be a skilled photographer to take amazing photos on your iPhone — a pastime also known as iPhoneography. In fact, the iPhone camera is so easy to use that beginners will love experimenting with it.

Can you be a photographer with an iPhone?

iPhones take incredible images, but it’s up to the photographer to find a suitable subject, create a striking composition, and maintain a steady hand to ensure a sharp image. With each new iPhone release, the camera gets better, but there are still a few limitations to shooting with an iPhone compared to shooting with a DSLR. 

A DSLR will be better at capturing distance, as well as changing shutter speed and aperture, and the overall resolution will be higher. Nevertheless, iPhones are more than adequate for most novice photographers, and there are even photographers who make a living shooting exclusively with an iPhone. 

10 cool iPhone photography tips you might not know about

Using your iPhone camera couldn’t be easier. Open the Camera app, point your camera at your subject, and tap the shutter. Impressive software and a powerful processor will ensure that your photos look good straight out of the camera. You can, however, take steps to make your photos even better. Here are some of our favorite iPhone photography tips to improve your shots.

1. Hold your finger on the screen to lock focus

When you frame a shot with your iPhone, the camera will work its magic to set the focus automatically. This feature is useful, but it’s not perfect. If you want to ensure that the camera focuses on what you want it to, you’ll need to use the lock focus feature. Point your camera at your subject and press your finger on the area you want the camera to focus on. Hold your finger until the focus locks in place. You will see AE/AF Lock on the screen. Tap the shutter button to take a photo.

2. Use the on-screen slider to change your exposure

When you use the Auto Focus Lock by holding your finger on the screen, you also bring up the Auto Exposure slider. It will appear next to the Auto Focus box on your screen when you are taking a photo. To adjust the exposure level, simply drag your finger up or down on the slider to make it brighter or darker. When you hold your finger down on the yellow box, it will lock the focus and the exposure you’ve set.

3. Snap your photo with the volume button to reduce camera shake

Using that big white shutter button on your screen is easy and useful, but it also tends to introduce camera shake when taking a photo, making your photos blurry. Did you know that instead of snapping a photo with the shutter button, you can use the volume button on the side of your iPhone to snap a photo?

This will help you keep your iPhone steady while taking a photo. For even more control, use the volume control on your earbuds as a shutter release or invest in a remote shutter so you can keep your camera super still when taking a photo.

4. Use burst mode to take action shots

Looking for that perfect action or wildlife shot? Ensure that you capture it perfectly by using burst mode on your iPhone, which will take a series of shots, allowing you to pick the best one later.

If you are using a pre-iPhone 11 model, simply hold your finger down on the shutter or the volume control to shoot continuously. If you are shooting with one of the iPhone 11 models, you’ll need to swipe left on the shutter button before holding it down to take a series of photos. The number of photos taken will appear in the shutter button.

5. Create depth using leading lines in your composition

There are many ways that you can compose your scene to make a more interesting photograph, but one of the most effective methods is to use leading lines in your photography. To do this, look for lines within your scene that will draw a viewer into your shot. Leading lines can be roads, rivers, fences, shorelines, or architectural lines. Once you start looking for them, you’ll see leading lines wherever you go. 

6. Use a tripod for sharper images

We mentioned earlier that when you tap the shutter button, you sometimes add a slight shake to your iPhone, which makes for a blurry photo. When taking selfies and simple snapshots, your photos will come out great when you point and shoot while holding your phone. But when it comes to taking trickier shots, like low-light photos, action shots, or photos of moving water, you may want to invest in a tripod to eliminate camera shake for sharp-as-a-tack images. 

7. Use your iPhone’s compass to set up shots on your tripod

When using a tripod to take sharp images, you’ll also want to make sure your camera is level so that your photos aren’t crooked. To do this, quickly open your compass app before framing your shot. Adjust your phone so that the small plus sign is perfectly aligned with the vertical line on the compass. Now you can open your Camera app to shoot your photo.

8. Look for an anchor in your composition

Composition anchors are especially useful in landscape photography, either to show a sense of scale or to highlight a pop of color within the frame. Vast scenes can be grand and beautiful, but finding an angle that shows a flower in the foreground will provide your viewer with more interest. Nothing beats an ocean sunset, but an expanse of water and sand can be boring. Look for a sailboat or a seagull to anchor your composition and make for a more interesting shot. 

9. Capture outside the frame

If you’re taking a photo with iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, or iPhone 11 Pro Max, your camera allows you to capture the scene outside your frame for better compositions. If you have this feature turned on in your Settings, your camera will automatically adjust your photo for the most striking composition. A blue Auto badge will appear in the corner of any photos that have been automatically edited in this way.

If you want to apply further edits, you’ll see that content taken outside the frame appears when you use the crop, straighten, or perspective tools in the Photos app. 

10. Look for unusual angles and perspectives

Most photographers automatically hold their cameras at eye level to capture a scene in front of them. While this is perfectly acceptable, you can instantly add interest to your photos by shooting from above or below your subject. Buildings look larger and more imposing when shot from a worm’s-eye perspective, and images shot from above lend a whole new perspective to the scene. Before you snap your photo, consider all the angles and find the one that creates the most interest for your viewer. 

iPhone photography is simple, but mastering the craft requires practice — not only with your camera settings and tools but with composition and lighting. Use the iPhone photography tips outlined in this article to help you get started taking amazing images with your phone. 

The post 10 surprising iPhone photography tips for beginners appeared first on Backlight.

How to fix your composition in the Apple Photos app

You can easily crop, rotate, and straighten photos to improve the composition of your image using the Photos app. The Photos composition tools are useful for fixing skewed horizon lines, cropping your thumb out of a photo, and rotating photos for a new perspective. 

How to straighten a photo on iPhone

1. Open the Photos app and navigate to the photo you want to straighten. 
2. Tap Edit in the upper-right corner.
3. Tap the crop icon at the bottom of the screen.
4. The first editing icon is the Straighten tool (it looks like a circle with a horizontal line going through the middle).
5. Tap the straighten icon and then use your finger to straighten the elements of your photo.
6. When you are finished, tap Done.

How to crop photos on iPhone

1. To access the Crop tool, open the Photos app and tap on the photo you want to crop.
2. Tap Edit.
3. Tap the crop icon at the bottom of the screen.
4. If you want your photo to be a certain aspect ratio, tap the resizing icon in the upper right. This looks like a box with smaller rectangles inside it.
5. Choose whatever aspect ratio you want from the menu, then use your fingers to change the borders on your image.
6. When you are happy with your crop, tap Done. 

How to flip, skew, and rotate photos on iPhone

1. Open the photo you want to edit in the Photos app and tap Edit.
2. Tap the crop icon.
3. To flip your photo (create a mirror image), tap the bisected triangle in the top-left corner of your screen.
4. To rotate your photo, tap the rectangle with the arrow above it in the upper-left corner. 
5. Your photo will make one turn clockwise. Continue tapping the rectangle until you’ve rotated your photo to the desired position.
6. To skew your photo, either from right to left or top to bottom, use the two perspective icons next to the straighten tool. 
7. Choose the icon with the vertical line to change the vertical perspective. Choose the icon with the horizontal line to change the horizontal perspective. 
8. Move your finger across the slider and then tap Done.

How to edit pictures on iPhone with its editing tools 

The Photos editing tools all work by sliding your finger back and forth on a slider until you achieve your desired results. These editing tools allow you to make subtle or dramatic changes to a photo quickly and without navigating out of your Photo Library. 

Below are the editing tools available in the iPhone Photos app, as well as a short description of what they can be used for. To locate the individual editing tools, open your editing screen and scroll through the icons under your photo. The name of the tool will appear over each icon.

Exposure

The Exposure tool is for making your photo as dark or as bright as you want. It’s useful for bringing out more details in an image that was taken during low-light or toning down a photo that was taken on a bright, sunny day.

Brilliance

Want to make your photo look richer and more vibrant? Check out the Brilliance tool, which makes details clearer while brightening shadows and toning down highlights.

Highlights

The Highlights tool adjusts the details in the brightest part of a photo. This is useful if you are shooting in bright light and have a photo with blown-out highlights. Reducing highlights with the Highlights slider will introduce detail into an otherwise bright white part of your photo. 

Shadows

The opposite of the Highlights tool, the Shadows tool adds detail to the darkest part of your photo while making the shadows less prominent. It’s useful for brightening up a dull foreground and bringing out details in subjects that are very dark. 

Contrast

In certain shooting conditions, your final images will appear flat and lifeless. This is often because the scene you were trying to capture didn’t introduce a lot of contrast. If the foreground and background are similar in tone and color, you may need to add a bit of contrast by moving the slider to the left on the Contrast tool. By comparison, if your photo has prominent contrast already, you can tone it down by moving the Contrast slider to the right. 

Brightness

The Brightness tool is similar to the Exposure tool, but it brightens or darkens all of the colors within your photo. Brightness is best used with a light touch, as moving the slider too far to the right or left will make your photo look unrealistic. But, then again, that may be the look you’re going for. 

Black Point

The Black Point tool sets the point where the darkest part of your image becomes completely black, without any detail at all. If your image is washed out, without a lot of contrast, you can use the Black Point tool to increase the contrast in relation to the point you’ve set. 

Saturation

Saturation is useful for uniformly increasing the intensity of all the colors in your photo. A little saturation goes a long way to improve drab, washed-out photos. Be careful when upping the saturation on portraits or group photos of people, as it tends to impart an orangish tint to skin tones.

Vibrance

Vibrance is also used to increase the saturation of your photo. The difference is that it only increases the saturation in subdued, washed-out colors while leaving the bright colors alone. If you’re editing a portrait or a shot featuring people, increasing the vibrance creates a more natural image than upping the saturation. 

Warmth

If your photo seems a little too blue or too yellow, you can use the Warmth tool to make adjustments. Moving the slider to the left will increase the blue tones in your image. Moving the slider to the right will increase the warmer tones.

Tint

Use the Tint tool to add color tints over your entire image. This can be useful for correcting photos with a sepia cast, or you can use it creatively to add unrealistic drama to your photos. 

Sharpness

The Sharpness tool brings out details along the edges of your subject, making them appear crisper and clearer. It doesn’t actually make blurry photos sharp; it simply highlights the edges for an illusion of more detail. Introducing too much sharpness to your image, however, will make it appear grainy.

Definition

This is another tool that is useful for making your photos clearer and sharper. Definition increases contrast and texture so that your main subject stands out from the background of your photo. 

Noise Reduction

When you take a photograph in a low-light setting or with your camera’s digital zoom, you will capture a lot of variations between pixels, making your photos appear grainy. This “noise” can be decreased with the Noise Reduction tool, which will smooth out the pixels, but also make your photo appear less sharp. 

Vignette

The Vignette tool simply darkens the edges of your photo, drawing attention to the center. You can use this to focus your viewer’s attention on your photo’s main subject or to give your photo a more vintage look. 

How to edit photos on iPhone by using filters

Filters are an easy way to change the look of your photos without making lots of little adjustments with the tools mentioned above. With Filters, you simply tap a button and adjust the strength of your filter by using the slider. 

To access your Photo Filters on iPhone, head to the editing screen, then tap the icon with the three intersecting circles. From there, you can try out different filters to see which you like best.

Vivid

The Vivid filter is an overall brightener that also ups the saturation of your image. 

Vivid Warm

This filter brightens your image, ups the saturation, and increases the warm tones in your photo.

Vivid Cool

Vivid Cool increases the cool tones in your photo while making it slightly more saturated.

Dramatic

The Dramatic filter decreases the saturation slightly while increasing the clarity and texture. Just as the title implies, this edit adds drama to your image.

Dramatic Warm

Dramatic Warm brings the saturation way down on the cool tones while increasing warm tones. At the same time, it adds more definition to your photo.

Dramatic Cool

Dramatic Cool brings the saturation down on the warmer tones while increasing the cool tones in your photo. It also increases the texture and clarity for a more dramatic image.

Mono

This black and white filter is a low-contrast option with beautiful details and soft tones. 

Silvertone

Silvertone is a warm black and white filter with dark shadows and high contrast. 

Noir

The Noir filter is another great black and white filter featuring cooler tones, low contrast, and intense details. 

How to use the Markup tool in iOS Photos to add text and draw on photos 

If you’re searching for photo editing tools that go beyond image adjustments, Photos has you covered. The Markup tool is a fun way to add text, drawings, or shapes to your photos. Here’s how to use it to do all of the above.

How to draw on photos on iPhone

1. Open a photo that you want to draw on in the Photos app.
2. Tap Edit.
3. Tap the ellipses in the upper-right corner and choose Markup.
4. Choose a tool from the bottom of the screen. There are simulated markers, pens, and eraser tools. 
5. Choose the thickness of your line from the pop-up screen.
6. Use your finger to draw on your photo. Pinch your fingers together across the screen to zoom in on your photo for more detail. 
7. Tap Done.

How to add text to an iPhone photo

1. Open the photo you want to add text to in the Photos app.
2. Tap edit.
3. Next, tap the ellipses, then Markup.
4. Press + in the bottom-right corner, then choose text.
5. A text box will appear in your photo, and you can type your text in the box.
6. Change the color of the text by choosing a color at the bottom of the screen.
7. Change the size of your text and the font by choosing the aA icon.
8. You can change the placement of the text by moving the box with your finger.
9. When you’re finished adding text to your photo, tap Done.

The iPhone Photos app isn’t just for scrolling through your favorite images. It’s also an incredibly powerful editing tool that rivals the most expensive photo editing apps. 

The post How to edit photos on iPhone with iOS Photos and nothing else appeared first on Backlight.

The 7 best filter apps for iPhone

There are dozens of photo filter apps available for iPhone, but they aren’t all created equal. The following 7 filter apps are easy to use, fun to experiment with, and either free or available at low cost. These are our favorite filter apps for creating quick and stylish edits to all of our photos:

1. VSCO: The most popular filter app right now
2. Retrica: Film-like filters for retro photographers
3. Snapseed: A feature-packed filter app for photographers
4. A Color Story: Create custom filters for your photos
5. PS Express: Pops of color and nature-based filters
6. Instagram: The first filter app on social
7. iPhone Photos: iPhone’s native photo filter app

1. VSCO: The most popular filter app right now

The premium version of the VSCO app includes more than 200 filters, called presets within the app. Many filters are based on vintage film looks, but there are also dedicated filters for landscapes, selfies, urban scenes, and more. 

VSCO filters allow a lot of flexibility, and new presets are added all the time, making them perfect for fashion photographers, Instagram influencers, and small businesses.

VSCO on the App Store

2. Retrica: Film-like filters for retro photographers

Want to turn your iPhone into a retro camera with the look of film? Look no further than Retrica, an app that lets you apply retro filters before taking a photo. More than 190 filters can be applied in real-time, which means you can take photos without any additional editing. 

Exclusive filters are released periodically to premium members, and Retrica also includes fun editing tools that you can use before and after taking a photo. 

Retrica on the App Store

3. Snapseed: A feature-packed filter app for photographers

Snapseed is one of the most comprehensive free photo editing apps, with a great mix of filters that can be endlessly adjusted and combined. Unique filter categories include black-and-white options along with vintage, grunge, grainy film, Retrolux, and Glamour Glow. The nondestructive editing feature means that you can change any aspect of your edit without having to start over. 

Snapseed on the App Store

4. A Color Story: Create custom filters for your photos

A Color Story includes more than 100 endlessly adjustable filters, plus the ability to create custom filters for your own unique look that can be saved for future use. Motion effects include lens flare, bokeh, light leakage, glow, and texture, and you can change every aspect of the effects so that they fit your photo perfectly. 

A Color Story on the App Store

5. PS Express: Pops of color and nature-based filters

Adobe Photoshop Express is a fast and easy photo editor with a variety of interesting filters that can’t be replicated anywhere else. The app is free to download, but premium features require a subscription fee. Our favorite filters allow you to add pops of color to otherwise black and white photos, create replicates of black-and-white film photos, and create HDR looks with a single tap. 

PS Express on the App Store

6. Instagram: The first filter app ever

We can’t talk about photo filter apps without mentioning the one that started it all. Instagram began in 2010 as a way for users to upload photos, add predesigned filters, and share them with followers and has since become one of the world’s largest social media platforms. 

While Instagram doesn’t offer dozens upon dozens of filters like many other photo apps, the filters that it does offer are well-loved by their users. Just about every Instagram user has a favorite filter, but the most widely used filter, according to Shutterstock, is Clarendon. 

Instagram on the App Store

7. iPhone Photos: iPhone’s native photo filter app

For casual photographers and folks who don’t want to download a dedicated app just to add filters on their selfies, we recommend going with the Photos app. The editing tools and filters available are great for casual sharing, and there’s no uploading or downloading because your photo library is already built right in. Nine filters are currently available in the Photos app, providing a variety of looks in color and black and white. 

Once you discover your favorite photo filter app, you’ll find that it is both fun and addicting to use. You’ll want to start editing every photo you’ve ever taken just so you can add your favorite filters. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!

The post 7 photo filter apps to give your photos a final touch appeared first on Backlight.

The 10 iPhone camera settings and features to master

The camera features available on your iPhone will obviously depend on which model you’re using, but even the older models have a decent camera with cool settings. Here are 10 iPhone camera settings to play around with right now:

1. The ultra-wide camera
2. Night mode
3. iPhone Camera Live
4. iPhone Portrait mode
5. Optical zoom
6. iPhone Camera timer
7. Burst photos
8. The iPhone Camera grid
9. Exposure/focus lock
10. iPhone HDR

The iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro camera features 

iPhone’s newest phone models have some features we’ve never seen until now, including the ultra-wide camera lens and Night mode. If you’ve been using the iPhone 11 or iPhone 11 Pro, check out these features. If you haven’t upgraded yet, skip to the section on features for earlier models.

1. The ultra-wide camera

The ultra-wide camera on iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro enables users to capture a much greater field of view than the standard iPhone camera lens and is equivalent to a focal length of 13mm. This lens is useful for shooting landscapes when you want to capture the scale and magnitude of a scene, as well as urban streetscapes, architecture, and building interiors. 

How to use iPhone’s wide-angle lens

1. Open the Camera app on your iPhone 11.
2. Tap 0.5x just above the shutter button on the screen to enable the ultra-wide camera.
3. If you press and hold one of the zoom buttons, you can adjust it even further, between .5x for ultra-wide and 2x for telephoto. 
4. Hold your camera steady as you tap the shutter button. This is especially important when using your ultra-wide camera because it doesn’t have built-in image stabilization like the other two lenses. 

2. Night mode

Night mode on iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro is great for shooting in low-light settings where most cameras would produce blurry photos. It will automatically take a series of photos at different exposures for a set amount of time and then pull elements from all of the frames to create one crisp image. 

How to use iPhone’s Night mode

Night mode is an automatic feature that turns on whenever you try to take a photo in less than optimal lighting. It can only be used with the standard wide-angle camera, not the telephoto or ultra-wide lenses.

Tapping the moon icon in the upper corner of your screen within the camera app will allow you to access the Night mode settings, where you can choose to turn the feature off entirely or set the amount of time you want the shutter to remain open for your photo. If you don’t adjust these settings, your iPhone will use its processor to automatically adjust the settings to suit the lighting conditions.

Crucial iPhone camera settings on earlier iPhones

Earlier iPhone models may not have all the latest bells and whistles, but they still have lots of features and settings that you can use to take awesome photos. Here’s an overview of some of the camera settings you’ll want to check out.

3. iPhone Camera Live 

Live Photos is a feature that allows photographers to take a short three-second video that captures movement, sound, and still frames on your iPhone. It’s a standard feature on every iPhone model starting with the 6S, and it is the default camera setting for the iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone SE, iPhone 7, and iPhone 7 Plus. Live Photos are great for capturing photos with movement or group photos where you want to ensure that everyone is looking at the camera. 

How to use Live Photos 

1. Open the Camera app on your iPhone.
2. Tap on the Live Photos icon at the top of your screen, which looks like a series of concentric circles. The icon will be highlighted in yellow when it is activated.
3. Your Live Photo will be automatically saved to your Photos library. 
4. You can access all of your Live Photos by tapping Albums within your Photos library and scrolling down to Live Photos. 

4. iPhone Portrait mode

Portrait mode can be used to take portraits, selfies, and photos of objects that stand out from the background by gently blurring the background and keeping the subject matter crisp and clear. This is especially useful when you are trying to capture a portrait in front of a distracting or cluttered background. 

Portrait mode was rolled out with the iPhone 7 Plus and is available on the iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max.

How to use iPhone’s Portrait mode

1. Open your Camera app on your iPhone.
2. A selection of shooting features will appear above the shutter button. Scroll through and tap Portrait.
3. Make sure your subject is 2 to 8 feet from your camera before tapping the shutter button.

5. The optical zoom 

If you are shooting with an iPhone 7 Plus or later model, you can make use of the optical zoom feature, which allows you to zoom in on an object without a loss of quality. This is a far better way to zoom than using the digital zoom (which you access by spreading your pinched fingers outward across the screen). 

How to use the optical zoom on iPhone Camera

1. Open your iPhone’s Camera app.
2. You will see 1x above the shutter button.
3. Tap the 1x to toggle to 2x, which will zoom in closer to your subject.
4. If you hold your finger on the 1x, you can adjust the zoom settings, but this will implement your camera’s digital zoom and will result in a lower quality photo.
5. Tap the shutter button to take a photo.

6. iPhone Camera timer 

The iPhone Camera timer was one of the Camera app’s earliest features and is available on all iPhone models. The timer is useful for capturing selfies or group photos where the photographer is to be included. The timer can also be used to reduce shake when taking photos in low-light settings.

How to use iPhone’s photo timer

1. Open the Camera app on your iPhone. 
2. If you are trying to take a selfie or group photo, attach your iPhone to a tripod and frame your shot without you in it. Leave room in the frame for where you want to position yourself.
3. Tap the timer icon at the top of the screen. (It looks like a clock with only one hand.)
4. Choose 3 or 10 seconds. If you want to be in the photo, choose 10 seconds to give you plenty of time to pose yourself. If you’re trying to reduce camera shake, 3 seconds is fine.
5. When you are ready, tap the shutter button. The camera will count down and take a photo after 3 or 10 seconds.

7. Burst photos 

Burst photos allow you to capture and save photos of fast-moving subjects so you can choose the best one later on. In Burst mode, your camera captures images at 10 frames per second. When you are finished recording your photos, you can scroll through them to find your favorite shots.

How to use the Burst feature on iPhone

Burst mode for iPhone works differently depending on which model you have. If you are using an iPhone XS, iPhone XR, or earlier model, all you have to do is hold down the shutter button to enable Burst mode. With these phones, Burst mode will not work if you are also using the timer, HDR, or the flash.

If you are shooting with the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, or iPhone 11 Pro Max, simply slide the shutter button to the left when taking a photo to activate Burst mode. 

8. The iPhone Camera grid

Did you know you can set gridlines within your Camera app to help you frame a more pleasing composition? Gridlines divide your screen into thirds both horizontally and vertically. Once you’ve used it for a while, you’ll hardly even notice it’s there. 

How to turn on gridlines on iOS Camera

1. Go to your Settings on your iPhone and tap Camera.
2. Toggle on Grid.
3. Frame your photo using the gridlines to make sure your horizon is straight and the elements in your photo sit along the lines on your screen.

9. Exposure/focus lock

Your iPhone camera comes with a cool feature that allows you to automatically choose and lock your focus and exposure when shooting your photo. If you do not choose your focus and exposure, the iPhone will do it for you, but the results may not always be what you’re expecting. The AE/AF Lock (Auto Exposure/Auto Focus Lock) feature enables you to set your focus and your exposure and then lock in your settings for the current photo. 

How to lock focus and exposure on iPhone Camera

1. Open your Camera on your iPhone and frame your shot.
2. Find the part of your photo that you want your camera to focus on and tap it on your screen. This will set your focus.
3. If you want to change the exposure, you can slide your finger up for lighter and down for darker.
4. To lock your focus and exposure, hold your finger down on the yellow square on your screen. Now, even if your subject moves, it will remain in focus.
5. Tap the shutter button to take a photo. 

10. iPhone HDR 

HDR stands for High Dynamic Range, and using it allows you to create properly exposed photos in all sorts of tricky lighting conditions. Your iPhone uses HDR to take a series of photos that highlight different areas of the scene you are shooting. HDR will give you more detail in the shadows and bright highlights that aren’t washed out. It’s great for landscape photography, bright sunlight, and street scenes.

How to use HDR on iPhone Camera

The following instructions are for iPhone models earlier than iPhone X models. Newer models have Smart HDR, which is used automatically in scenarios when it would be most effective:

1. Open the Camera app on your iPhone.
2. At the top of the screen, you will see an HDR icon. Tap it and then tap On. 
3. Frame your shot and take your photo by tapping the shutter button. 

Using your iPhone camera settings correctly will drastically improve the quality of your photos. Fortunately, these settings are super easy and intuitive to use, even for novice photographers.

The post 10 iPhone Camera settings that radically improve your photos appeared first on Backlight.

The good news is that yes, it’s possible to crop a video on an iPhone using either Photos or iMovie. The not-so-good news is that the size recommendations for videos are different depending on what social media platform you want to post on, and you may have to crop to multiple different sizes before uploading to different platforms.

How to crop a video on iPhone using Photos 

The simplest way to crop a video on an iPhone is to do it within the Photos app. Here’s how to do it.

1. Open the Photos app and navigate to the iPhone video you want to crop.
2. Tap Edit in the upper-right corner of the screen.
3. From the bottom menu, tap the crop icon.
4. A white frame will appear outlining your video. Use your fingers to drag the outline to your desired crop. 
5. When you are happy with the results, tap Done.

How to crop a video for Instagram 

The aspect ratio for videos is different for every social media platform, so you may have to adjust your video crop depending on the platform you want to upload it to. 

Instagram allows video placement in three different areas on the platform. You can upload a video to Instagram Stories and IGTV, or you can upload a video as an Instagram post. Here are the different video size requirements for Instagram. 

• Instagram Stories: For Instagram stories, you should upload videos in portrait orientation at a 9:16 aspect ratio with dimensions of 1080 x 1920 pixels. Landscape videos (16:9) will work too, but they will show up much smaller on the screen. 
• Instagram posts: For Instagram posts, you can upload square (1:1), portrait (9:16), or landscape (16:9) videos. Square videos are still the most popular size for an Instagram feed.
• IGTV: IGTV video dimensions should be 1080 X 1920 pixels with an aspect ratio of 9:16. This is the same as the recommended size for Instagram Stories.

You can crop a video for Instagram to an exact aspect ratio using the Photos app. The method is slightly different from the method for more general video cropping.

1. Open the Photos app on your iPhone and navigate to the video you want to crop.
2. Tap Edit.
3. Tap the crop icon at the bottom of the screen.
4. Tap the aspect ratio icon (which looks like a segmented rectangle) in the upper-right corner.
5. Scroll through your aspect ratio choices and choose the one that best fits Instagram.
6. Tap Done to save the video to your Camera Roll.

How to crop a video for Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Snapchat 

You can use the method above for cropping videos before uploading them to any social media platform. To make things easier, we’ve compiled an overview of common dimensions and aspect ratios for Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Snapchat.

• Facebook: You can upload videos to Facebook that are either portrait (9:16) or landscape (16:9) orientation. 
• Twitter: Twitter allows you to directly upload landscape (1:2.39) or portrait (2.39:1) videos. 
• YouTube: For YouTube, you should crop your videos to 16:9 in landscape orientation. 
• Snapchat: Snapchat primarily uses portrait orientation at a 9:16 aspect ratio.

Can you fix a vertical or horizontal video by cropping? 

What happens when you accidentally record a vertical video when you actually need a horizontal one or vice versa? While this solution may not be ideal, you can easily crop your photo from vertical to horizontal or horizontal to vertical. The downside is that you’ll lose a lot of the scene you were trying to capture. In many cases, it won’t make a huge difference, but you may occasionally lose important footage. In many cases, it will be easier to just reshoot your video. 

How to crop a video in iMovie

Another way to crop a video on your iPhone is by using iMovie, which allows you to zoom in on your video, crop out unnecessary elements, or emphasize an element within the video. Cropping a video in iMovie is useful when you are also editing other elements of your video, stitching multiple videos together, or adding music. Here’s how to crop your video using iMovie on your iPhone.

1. Open iMovie and tap on the video you want to crop.
2. Tap Create Movie.
3. Tap the video timeline to open the video editor.
4. Tap the small magnifying glass next to the video player.
5. Use your pinched finger and thumb to zoom in or out on your video. The aspect ratio will automatically change as you do this.
6. When you’re happy with the results, tap Done.
7. Tap the upload icon and then tap Save Video to add the edited video to your Photo Library.

Cropping your video may take some additional time, but it is well worth the results, especially if you’re uploading your creation to a social media platform like Instagram or YouTube. Fortunately,  iMovie and Photos make this a relatively painless task.

The post How to crop a video on iPhone with Photos and iMovie appeared first on Backlight.

One of those workarounds involves sharing your photos to Instagram from your Mac. Unfortunately, it’s not as straightforward as using the mobile app, but once you get the steps down, it almost becomes second nature. 

Is there an Instagram app for Mac?

There is not an Instagram app for posting photos to Instagram from your Mac. You can, however, go to Instagram.com on any computer and log in to your account to view and comment on photos. Uploading photos is another story altogether.

Upload to Instagram from Mac using your browser

Depending on which browser you use on your Mac, the technique for uploading photos to Instagram will be slightly different. In this article, we’ll provide instructions for using the two most popular Mac browsers: Safari and Google Chrome.

How to post to Instagram from Mac using Safari

If Safari is your browser of choice, you can use it to upload a photo to Instagram using developer tools, which will allow you to view Instagram exactly as if you were using the mobile app on your phone:

1. Open Safari on your Mac.
2. From the top menu, choose Safari > Preferences.
3. Choose Advanced from the menu tabs at the top of the window.
4. Check the box next to “Show Develop menu in menu bar.” 
5. Now go to Instagram.com in Safari. 
6. From the top menu, click on Develop > User Agent > Safari > iOS (current version) > iPhone.
7. You should see Instagram exactly as it would appear on your iPhone.
8. To upload a photo, tap the + icon at the bottom of the screen, just like you would on the mobile Instagram app. This will open your files on your Mac so you can choose a photo to add.
9. The rest of the process works just like it does within the Instagram app. The only limitations are that you can’t add videos or gallery posts, just single photos. 

How to upload to Instagram from Mac with Google Chrome

If you’re using the Chrome browser with your Mac, there’s an equally easy way to upload your photos to Instagram on your computer:

1. Open a tab in Google Chrome.
2. Click on the three vertical dots in the upper-right corner and click on More Tools.
3. Click on Developer Tools.
4. Developer Tools will open on the right side of your screen. You will see a phone/tablet icon in the upper-left corner of the Developer Tools Screen. Toggle this icon so you see the mobile view in your main window.
5. If you don’t see the + icon at the bottom of the screen, click on the refresh button, and it should appear.
6. When you click on the + icon, a window will appear with your Mac files. Choose the photo you want to upload and proceed as you normally would to upload your photo.  

Post to Instagram from Mac using third-party apps

Using Developer Tools in Chrome and the Develop menu in Safari is relatively straightforward, but it does require a few extra steps. If you want to set something up that you can use over and over again without any hassle, consider using a third-party app. 

Two Instagram posting apps stand out for their ease of use and beautiful interface — Flume and PhotoDesk. Here’s how to post to Instagram using both of them. 

How to post on Instagram from Mac using Flume

Flume makes it possible to navigate Instagram from your Mac and includes the ability to like and comment on photos, follow and unfollow accounts, and direct message accounts. In order to use the upload feature, you will have to purchase the premium version of the app. 

Here’s how to use Flume to upload a post to Instagram from your Mac:

1. Get the premium version of Flume on your Mac.
2. A window will appear with your Instagram feed.
3. Scroll to the bottom of the window and click on the camera icon.
4. A separate window will appear. You can drag a photo or video from your Mac into this window, or you can click on the camera icon to open your files and choose a photo.
5. Once you’ve loaded your photo, you can type a caption, add hashtags, and tag accounts. You can also use Instagram’s native filters and edit screen before uploading your photo.
6. When you are finished creating your post, click the Post button to upload it to Instagram.

How to upload to Instagram from Mac with PhotoDesk

PhotoDesk is another feature-packed app that is perfect for doing all of your Instagram tasks from the comfort of your Mac. It even provides detailed statistics so you can see how your posts are doing within the app. You can start by accessing a free trial, but after that, you’ll have to purchase the premium version. 

Here’s how to upload to Instagram using PhotoDesk. 

1. Download PhotoDesk and open the app on your Mac.
2. At the bottom of your dashboard, you’ll see your username with a camera icon next to it. Click on the camera icon.
3. Choose a photo from your files and click Open a New Image.
4. A new window will appear with a variety of editing tools. These are similar but not identical to Instagram’s editing tools. 
5. When you’re finished editing your photo, click Post to go to the next screen.
6. Now you can add your caption and hashtags.
7. When you’re finished, click Export to save your photo to Instagram.

Whether you choose to upload photos to Instagram using your browser or a third-party app will depend on the features you want to use. If you’re using a browser, you will have limited functionality and won’t be able to post videos or gallery posts. Using one of the apps mentioned above will give you more features,  but, of course, you’ll have to pay for them. While neither method is perfect, they’ll have to do until Instagram adds the ability to upload from its web browser or develops an app just for Mac users. 

The post How to post on Instagram from Mac, with and without apps appeared first on Backlight.

The best photo apps for iPhone as of 2020 

1. VSCO: More than 200 filters for quick photo editing
2. Gemini Photos: A photo gallery cleaner for iPhone
3. GIF Maker: Convert your photos and videos into GIFs
4. NightCap Camera: Take stunning long exposures with your iPhone
5. Snapseed: A free photo editing app for all types of photography
6. Adobe Lightroom CC: A photo editing app for professional photographers
7. Adobe Spark Post: Perfect editing app for creating quick graphics
8. Camera + 2: A camera app packed with advanced features
9. Airbrush: Best selfie app for iPhone

1. VSCO: More than 200 filters for quick photo editing

If you want to quickly edit your photos with beautiful, professionally designed filters without a lot of fuss, check out VSCO. There are more than 200 filters to choose from for all types of photography, from landscapes to portraits. 

Save your favorite VSCO presets to use again and again or combine them to create your own unique looks. VSCO is one of the most popular photo editing tools for Instagram, and the results are truly stunning. 

VSCO on the App Store

2. Gemini Photos: A photo gallery cleaner for iPhone

The more storage your iPhone comes with, the harder it becomes to keep your photo library clutter-free. That’s where Gemini Photos comes in. With this app, you can tackle photo clutter in bite-sized pieces. Gemini Photos will start by helping you find duplicate photos, then will go on to find and delete blurry shots and help you choose the best of similar shots so you can delete the rest. Using the Gemini Photos app weekly is a great way to keep your photo clutter to a minimum.

Gemini Photos on the App Store

3. GIF Maker: Convert your photos and videos into GIFs

Are GIFs a part of your everyday conversations on social media? If you answered “yes,” then maybe it’s time to stop searching for the perfect GIF and start making your own. GIF Maker is a free app that allows you to turn your favorite photos or videos into one-of-a-kind GIFs. With it, you can create loop-style videos, add custom text, adjust the frame speed, and add beautiful filters before sharing. Now, all you have to do is find your best GIF-worthy shots.

GIF Maker on the App Store

4. NightCap Camera: Take stunning long exposures with your iPhone

If you’ve been playing around with low-light photography, you will love NightCap Camera. This app allows you to shoot long-exposure photos, time-lapse captures, and star trails with an array of settings that are easy to use. 

NightCap’s Long Exposure mode is great for amazing motion blur effects in low light. It also has an ISO Boost feature that allows for a 4-times higher ISO setting than any other app, producing bright photos in very low light. NightCap is a fun app for more advanced photographers who want to experiment with new techniques and settings. 

NightCap Camera on the App Store

5. Snapseed: A free photo editing app for all types of photography

Snapseed’s editing tools are free to use and provide professional-quality effects that are as simple as they are beautiful. Choose from a range of ready-to-go filters or fine-tune your edits by using powerful tools like HDR Scape, Healing, or Brush features. 

Snapseed is one of the easiest photo editing apps available — the tools are intuitive to use, and even if you’re a novice photographer, you can dramatically improve your shots.

Snapseed on the App Store

6. Adobe Lightroom CC: A photo editing app for professional photographers

If you have been taking your photography seriously for a while, you probably have some experience using Adobe Lightroom on your computer. Now, you can take those professional editing tools and use them on your iPhone. 

The Adobe Lightroom app uses an interface similar to its more powerful desktop editing software, and if you already use Adobe’s Creative Cloud, you’ll have access to your entire photo library on your phone. The Lightroom app is free to use with in-app purchases. If you aren’t already a subscriber, there are a variety of packages available for photographers. 

Adobe Lightroom CC on the App Store

7. Adobe Spark Post: Perfect editing app for creating quick graphics

Another of the many photo apps for iPhone by Adobe enables you to create quick promotional projects to post on social media. 

With Adobe Spark, you can make collages and add custom-colored borders and text overlays. You can also make custom posts for all of your social media platforms using a personalized color and font palette for easy edits, or you can choose from a variety of templates that are ready to personalize and post.

Adobe Spark Post on the App Store

7. Camera + 2: A camera app packed with advanced features

Despite the hardware and software upgrades that make new iPhones awesome, manual controls are still lacking on the native Camera app. That means if you want to play around with long shutter speeds, aperture, or ISO, you’ll have to install a camera app that can go the extra mile. 

Our recommendation is Camera +2, which enables you to utilize all the features of a fancy DSLR on your phone. You can virtually change lenses, set your shutter speed, focus manually, and shoot in RAW for maximum editing capabilities. This is an advanced camera app for experienced photographers and can be downloaded for $3.99. 

Camera+ 2 on the App Store

8. Airbrush: Best selfie app for iPhone

While Airbrush is a great general photo editor, it really excels at perfecting selfies and portraits. Before you post your photo on social media, edit your selfie to get rid of blemishes, smooth out wrinkles, and even out your skin tone. 

For even bolder effects, you can use Airbrush to add volume to your hair, enlarge and brighten your eyes, and whiten your teeth. Whether you want to fine-tune imperfections or change your look entirely, Airbrush will work wonders on all of your selfies and portraits.

Airbrush on the App Store

Even with all the amazing features available with your iPhone camera, you can still dramatically improve your photos with some of these amazing apps. Our favorite photo apps for iPhone make life easier and photography more fun, which is something we can all appreciate. 

The post 9 photo apps for iPhone that every photographer needs appeared first on Backlight.

Understanding iPhone Live Photos 

Live Photos on iPhone were introduced in 2015 with the rollout of the iPhone 6S series. This was one of the flagship features of this series and caused quite a bit of excitement when it was first introduced. Live Photos are now considered a staple of every iPhone, and they’re a great way to bring your still photos to life.

What is a Live Photo?

A Live Photo is like a photo/video hybrid, capturing a still image and also a 1.5-second video on either end of the still photo. You can take a Live Photo with any iPhone starting with the iPhone 6S. You can set your iPhone to always take Live Photos, or you can turn the feature on whenever you want. 

What’s the point of Live Photos on iPhone?

Live Photos capture a short video with sound, so they are perfect for capturing movement, wildlife, or active toddlers. They’re also great for capturing group shots because you can scroll through and find a still photo where everyone is actually smiling and looking at the camera. You can use Live Photos to create long-exposure images and GIFs, too!

Do Live Photos have sound?

Yes, sound is captured in your Live Photo for about 1.5 seconds before and after you press the shutter button. 

Using the iPhone camera’s Live feature  

Ready to use iPhone Live Photos to capture fantastic moving images? The feature is easy to turn on and off using your iPhone’s native Camera app. Here’s how to use Live Photos on your iPhone. 

How to take a Live Photo

Taking Live Photos is easy. In fact, it’s the default setting for taking photos on your iPhone. You can also turn it on and off as needed. Here’s how:

1. Open your iPhone’s Camera app.
2. You will see a series of concentric circles at the top of your screen. If the circles icon is yellow, it means the Live Photos feature is already turned on. If the circles icon is white, the feature is off. Tap the circles to turn on Live Photos.
3. Once Live Photos is on, all you have to do is snap a photo by tapping the shutter button.

How and when to turn on Live Photos

You toggle Live Photos on and off by tapping the concentric circles icon before taking a photo. Because Live Photos take up a significant amount of space on your phone, it’s probably smart to only use Live Photos when you are hoping to capture movement and/or sound. Toggle the feature on just before taking a Live Photo and off when you are finished. 

How to play a Live Photo on iPhone

Viewing a Live Photo on iPhone or iPad is easy: 

1. Open the Photos app on your iPhone.
2. Navigate to the Live Photo that you want to view.
3. Hold your finger down on the Live Photo, and it will automatically begin to play.

Getting creative with iPhone Live Photos

Now that you know the basics, let’s take it a step further. Here are some creative ways to use your Live Photos. 

How to edit a Live Photo on iPhone

You edit a Live Photo on your iPhone in much the same way that you edit any photo using the Photos app. You can use all the same photo editing tools that you would use for a still photo. Plus, you can extract the Key photo, trim the length of your Live Photo, and mute the sound. Here’s how to access the iPhone Live Photo editing tools: 

1. Open the Photos app and navigate to the Live Photo that you want to edit.
2. Tap Edit.
3. Choose the Live Photos icon from the bottom of the screen. 
4. Scroll through the series of still photos on the bottom to choose your favorite. Tap Make Key Photo on your favorite. This still image will be the one that shows up in your Photo Library. 
5. To make your Live Photo shorter, drag the arrows on either side of the scroll until your Live Photo is the desired length. 
6. To mute the sound, tap on the speaker icon in the upper-left corner. You can toggle the sound on or off using this icon.
7. In addition to these tools, which are specific to Live Photos, you can also access the regular photo editing tools by tapping on the icons at the bottom of the screen.
8. When you are finished editing, tap Done.

How to extract a still from a Live Photo

To extract a still photo from your Live Photo, you don’t even have to go to the editing screen. Here’s an easy way to do it:

1. Open the Photos app and choose the Live Photo that you want to extract a still from.
2. Tap the share icon at the bottom-left corner of the screen.
3. Tap Duplicate.
4. Tap Duplicate as Still Photo.

How to turn a Live Photo into a video

Making a video from your Live Photo is just as easy. Here’s the easiest way to save your Live Photo as a video file:

1. Open the Photos app and choose the Live Photo that you want to turn into a video.
2. Tap the share icon at the bottom-left corner of the screen.
3. Scroll down and tap on Save as Video.

How to take long-exposure photos using Live Photos

To create a long-exposure photo from a Live Photo, you will essentially be stitching multiple photos together to create a special effect. This will work best with a tripod because you want the still portions of your photo to remain still while capturing some sort of movement, such as running water, clouds, or traffic. Once you have framed your shot, you can take a long exposure image using the following method:

1. Before shooting your photo, toggle on the Live Photo feature within the Camera app.
2. Take your photo by tapping the shutter button, being careful not to shake your phone. If you want to ensure a steady shot, use the self-timer by tapping on the timer icon at the top of the screen.
3. Once you’ve taken your photo, open it in the Photos app.
4. Swipe up across your photo, which will open the effects menu.
5. Scroll through and tap Long Exposure and watch your photo transform.

How to create looped or Boomerang-like GIFs with Live Photos

You can use Live Photo effects to also create looped GIFs (similar to the Boomerang feature on Instagram). To make a custom GIF, you use the same effects screen that you used to create a long exposure:

1. Open the Photos app on your iPhone and navigate to the Live Photo you want to edit.
2. Swipe up to reveal the effects screen.
3. Tap Loop, which will create a looped video that will play over and over again.

Ready to start experimenting with Live Photos and the cool effects they create? Keep this guide handy for your next Live Photo shoot. 

The post How to use iPhone Live Photos for creative photos and videos appeared first on Backlight.

For basic tasks like trimming or shortening videos and cutting out unwanted clips, you don’t need fancy editing software. In fact, most simple video editing tasks can be done in either the Photos app or iMovie. Here’s how to use both apps to easily trim a video on iPhone.

How to trim a video in the Photos app

The Photos app is not an advanced video editing tool, but it does allow for some easy video edits when all you want is to make a quick fix before uploading to social media. One thing that the Photos app does very easily is trimming a video to make it shorter. Using the Photos app, you can trim from either end of your video clip by following these instructions:

1. Open the video you want to edit in the Photos app.
2. Tap Edit. 
3. Tap the video camera icon at the bottom of the screen.
4. See the slider underneath the video? Hold your finger on either of the arrows and slide them inward to effectively shorten your video clip. 
5. When you’re finished, tap Done.
6. A pop-up menu will appear. Choose Save Video or Save Video as New Clip, depending on your preferences.

How to trim an iPhone video for Instagram

Sharing your video on Instagram? To keep videos in line with Instagram’s length restrictions, move the yellow slider bar on either side of your clip within the timeline at the bottom of the screen. You’ll be able to see how long your video is on the main video screen. Here’s an overview of video length limits for Instagram:

• Instagram Stories: Each individual Story card can be a maximum of 15 seconds. If you upload a longer video to Stories, the video will automatically be segmented into 15-second clips.
• Instagram Posts: Any video that is uploaded as an Instagram Post can be between 3 seconds and 1 minute long. 
• IGTV videos: Most videos have to be between 15 seconds and 10 minutes. Some accounts do have special privileges and can create videos up to an hour in length.

How to cut a video on iPhone into parts

You can cut a video into separate clips by using the Photos app, which is useful if you want to make several short clips to use for different purposes. Here’s how it works:

1. Open the Photos app on your iPhone and tap the video you want to edit.
2. Hold your finger on one of the arrows on either side of the video timeline and slide it to adjust your clip.
3. Press play to watch your clip and adjust as necessary. 
4. Tap Done. 
5. A pop-up menu will appear. Tap Save Video as New Clip. To save multiple clips as separate videos, you will have to go back to the original video and repeat the above steps for every clip.

How to split and rearrange clips using iMovie

The method mentioned above is useful for using your clips for different purposes, but what if you want to cut and rearrange clips within the same video? iMovie is the easiest way to split and rearrange clips. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open iMovie on your iPhone and select or add the video clip that you want to cut.
2. Your video will appear with the timeline underneath. The vertical white line is called the playhead, which is where any current editing will take place. Use your finger to move the playhead to the spot where you want to cut your video.
3. Tap the playhead, then tap Split at the bottom of the screen.
4. iMovie will create a cut between the two newly created clips.
5. Hold your finger on the clip you want to move and drag it to the left or the right on your movie timeline. When you have it in the proper position, take your finger off the clip.
6. Tap Done to save your video in iMovie.
7. Tap the upload icon to save your video to your photo library. 

How to cut a clip out of a video

Want to edit out that giant sneeze or some other blooper from your latest video? It’s easy to do using iMovie. 

1. Open iMovie and tap the + icon to add your video clips to iMovie.
2. When you have chosen your video clips, tap Create Movie. Your movie will appear on the screen with the timeline beneath it.
3. Scroll through your timeline until you come to the start of the scene you want to delete.
4. Tap the playhead and then tap Split.
5. Play the clip until you come to the end of the scene you want to delete.
6. Tap the playhead and tap Split one more time. 
7. The clip you want to delete will now be split on both ends. Tap the clip so that it’s highlighted in yellow. 
8. Tap Delete to remove the clip from your video. 
9. Tap Done to save your movie within iMovie. 
10. To save your video to your photo library, tap the upload icon and select Save Video.

Yes, editing video clips takes a bit of practice. But fortunately, you can do most simple edits with a combination of the Photos app and iMovie. All you need are your video clips and your creativity. 

The post How to trim a video on iPhone appeared first on Backlight.

While VSCO offers 10 free filters for users who download the app, the premium subscription offers more than 200 gorgeous filters to choose from. Here are the best VSCO filters, free and paid alike, for all of your best photos.

The best VSCO filters for portraits and selfies

Looking for a VSCO filter that will maintain an even skin tone and hold on to detail while still emphasizing the background and color palette? Check out these VSCO presets, which are great for portraits.

1. AV4/Agfa Vista 400: Bring back the look of film

Agfa Vista was a brand of camera film originally created for amateur photographers. In the VSCO app, the Agfa Vista filter ups the blue tones in your photo while highlighting natural tones and colors. Skin tones are a bit brighter, shadows are darker, and the overall feel is vintage with a look that is reminiscent of film. 

2. KP5/Kodak Porta 400NC: Another film simulation from VSCO

Kodak Porta film was originally designed to offer a smooth color palette with vivid hues to work well on all skin tones. The VSCO filter KP5 tries to emulate that look, with cooler skin tones, lighter blues, and shadows that are just a tad darker than normal. Portraits taken with KP5 are on the dreamy side and are perfect for professional-looking shots indoors and out. 

3. AGA1/Agave: A VSCO preset for outdoor portraits

For fabulous-looking outdoor portraits, look no further than AGA1, which features deeper contrast, sharper details, and cooler overtones. AGA1 makes highlights a little brighter to give a pop of color to portraits within the natural landscape. This is a stunning choice for candid shots and photo shoots.

4. AL6/Mixed Boost: A pop of color for portraits and street photography

AL6 ups the saturation while still managing to keep skin tones looking natural. The overall look is cooler but with warm highlights and skin tones. AL6 is a unique filter that is perfect for busy street scenes, festivals, portraits of kids, and even pets. It’s worth experimenting with other types of photography, too.

5. J6/Minimalist: A great undersaturated VSCO filter

If you are seeking to capture detail in your portraits without saturated color, check out J6, which brings the saturation way down so that you can let the personality of your subject shine through. Shadows are a little deeper and highlights are a little brighter, but the overall effect is more like a muted wash. 

VSCO filters for landscapes and nature 

Editing landscape shots can be tough, especially if you’re trying to create a cohesive theme for your Instagram feed or portfolio. Fortunately, these VSCO filters make it easy. You may have to adjust the sliders to reduce the strength for some shots, but for the most part, these presets are fabulous for landscape and nature shots. 

6. DOG3/Isle of Dogs: A nice VSCO filter for warm overtones

Want to create a subtle pink sky that says sunset even in the middle of the day? DOG3 warms up your landscape shots while decreasing shadows. DOG3 is a bit otherworldly, introducing hints of orange and purple while still retaining a natural feel. DOG3 is part of the Isle of Dogs series, based on the film of the same name.

7. L5/Forest: A VSCO preset especially for trees and gardens

To really bring out the green in your forest shots and highlight leaves and other plant life, check out L5, which is part of the landscape series designed by VSCO. L5 ups the saturation and adds depth to otherwise boring landscapes, and the landscape presets are intuitive and perfect for all of your nature photography. This is a great choice for photographers who love color and aren’t afraid to show it. 

8. L8/Beach: The perfect VSCO preset for deep contrasts

VSCO’s landscape series is designed to work with different types of landscape photos, from mountains and forests to beaches and deserts. Using the L8 VSCO preset will make the darkest parts of your photo really pop while bumping up the saturation and increasing the contrast. 

L8 is bright and sunny. This makes it a great filter for all landscape shots but especially attractive when photos have natural blue and green hues. 

9. IND2/ Indigo Soft: A VSCO filter for dark and moody shots

IND2 may not be for everyone, but it’s a great VSCO preset for making even the most cheerful landscape shot look like it was plunged into nighttime. IND2 produces cool tones, dark shadows, and muted colors, so it’s great for otherwise bright landscape shots without people in them. It’s also a fun way to create a bit of mystery. 

10. V3/Valence: A VSCO filter for low contrast and added warmth

V3 is a subtle filter, but it’s perfect for taking drab, dark scenes and giving them a little added brightness while reducing shadows and highlights. V3 is quite versatile and is perfect for street scenes, landscapes, still-life shots, and even portraits, but we particularly love how it accentuates natural scenes. Use it to accentuate multiple photos for a cohesive Instagram theme.

The best black-and-white VSCO filters 

If you’ve been under the impression that all black-and-white filters look the same, you ought to experiment with some of these VSCO filters. No matter what you’re shooting, there’s a great black-and-white filter for you. 

11. B4/B&W Classic: The top black-and-white filter on VSCO

They don’t call it B&W Classic for nothing. This VSCO filter is great at retaining detail, adding contrast, and really making your photos pop. It’s great for everything from landscapes and cityscapes to portraits and pet photography. If you want a black-and-white filter that does it all, B4 is the one.

12. X2/B&W Fade: Subtle black-and-white VSCO filter

X2 reduces contrast for muted tones of gray that are reminiscent of old-fashioned black-and-white photography. While X2 may not be great for retaining details in landscapes and buildings, it’s lovely for creating a soft mood and capturing macro shots, vintage portraits, and artistic captures.

 13. KT32/Kodak T-Max 3200: A warm VSCO filter for black-and-white portraits

KT32 is a bright black-and-white filter with warm tones and dynamic highlights. It’s a great choice for capturing a single subject, such as a portrait without a busy background. The foreground is accentuated, and the background fades away. Shadows are lightened up a bit, too. 

14. IHF/Ilford HPF: A fun VSCO filter for winter scenes

The IHF VSCO filter lets you step back in time to an era when photographic details were less important and capturing the essence of a scene was critical. IHF does retain crisp edges, but it does so while minimizing tonal contrast for shots that seem like they were created decades ago. Buildings thrive under the IHF treatment, as do pastoral scenes, still-lifes, and macros.

15. FN16/Fuji Neopan 1600: Great VSCO filter for retaining details

If your photo has a lot going on, you’ll want to choose a black-and-white filter that will maintain all those different tones so that the details can be preserved. FN16 does a great job of this and is nice for street scenes and busy landscapes. 

If you’re looking for ways to easily edit photos with the press of a button, VSCO is a fun and thoroughly addictive choice. There are more than 200 presets to choose from, and you’ll no doubt find your own favorites after some time on the app.

The post 15 gorgeous VSCO filters for different kinds of photos appeared first on Backlight.

Our favorite mini printers for iPhone

Mini printers are portable, easy to use, and won’t make a mess in your purse or pocket. They may not have the crisp photo quality that you’ll get from pricier desktop printers, but they are great for printing decent photos on the fly. Here they are — the best photo printers for iPhone pictures:

1. Canon Ivy Mobile Mini Printer: Great for printing directly from social media
2. Polaroid Zip Wireless Mini Printer: Ink-free printing on the go
3. HP Sprocket Select: Print straight from social media
4. Canon Selphy CP1300: A mini printer for high-resolution prints
5. Fujifilm Instax Mini Link Smart Phone Printer: Print photos from your videos
6. Victure Portable Photo Printer: One-touch printing from your smartphone
7. Lifeprint Portable Photo Printer: Make your videos come to life with augmented reality

1. Canon Ivy Mobile Mini Printer: Great for printing directly from social media

This super-portable printer creates 2×3 photos with a peel-and-stick backing for fun on-the-go prints that you can share with your friends and family. 

To use the Canon Ivy, you need to connect via Bluetooth and install the Canon Ivy Mobile Mini Print app. The special photo paper used in the Canon Ivy is smudge-proof, tear-proof, and water-resistant, and at 5.6 ounces, it is truly pocket-sized. 

Canon Ivy Mobile Printer on Amazon

2. Polaroid Zip Wireless Mini Printer: Ink-free printing on the go

The Polaroid Zip Mini Printer enables you to print your photos no matter where your adventures take you. There are no messy ink cartridges, just special full-color ZINK photo paper that is water-resistant and smudge-proof. 

Download the free Polaroid mobile app to unlock fun editing features, including stickers, borders, and text overlays. The Polaroid Zip connects to your iPhone with a Wi-Fi connection to create lasting memories from your favorite photos.

Polaroid Zip on Amazon

3. HP Sprocket Select: Print from social media

With the HP Sprocket Select, you can print your photos directly from social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook. All you need is a Bluetooth connection and the HP Sprocket App. 

Curate your photos within the app and access fun features, frames, filters, and stickers to add to your photos before printing on HP ZINK photo paper. Ink-free technology makes it easy to print full-color photos on sticky-backed paper that you can use for all of your creative projects. 

HP Sprocket Select on Amazon

4. Canon Selphy CP1300: An iPhone photo printer for high-resolution prints

The Canon Selphy CP1300 is a bit larger than other mini printers on this list. It uses Canon’s dye sublimation printing process to produce 4×6 prints at a crisp 300×300 dpi resolution. 

The Selphy uses Wi-Fi to connect to your iPhone or computer and also works with Apple Airprint for an easy connection. With the Canon Selphy, you can print up to 108 photos using precut photo stock and a Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery. 

Canon Selphy CP1300 on Amazon

5. Fujifilm Instax Mini Link Smart Phone Printer: Print photos from your videos

The Instax Mini Link is a small smartphone printer with a sleek and light body design. It connects to your iPhone through Bluetooth and includes fun social features to connect up to 5 smartphones for printing photo collages using the party print feature. 

The user-friendly app includes 30 colorful frames, as well as unique customization features to personalize your photos. Photos can be printed from videos using special paper. Printing time is just 12 seconds, with another 90 seconds of developing time. 

Fujifilm Instax Printer on Amazon

6. Victure Portable Photo Printer: One-touch printing from your smartphone

The Victure Portable Photo Printer uses a convenient printer dock, allowing you to print directly from your phone. A stable connection is maintained using Bluetooth technology, printing 4×6 photos in brilliant color with great detail. 

Victure uses dye sublimation thermal transfer technology to create fade-proof, water-proof, and tear-resistant prints. You can use the Victure Photo Printer app to add stickers, create collages, or make your own greeting cards. 

Victure Portable Printer on Amazon

7. Lifeprint Portable Photo Printer: Make your videos come to life with augmented reality

The Lifeprint Portable Photo Printer is designed with social connection in mind. With Lifeprint, you can print photos from the next room or across the globe, sending a photo to any connected printer as easily as sending a text. Using a process called Hyperphoto, Lifeprint makes photos come to life like magic in your hands. 

Connect your iPhone over a Wi-Fi connection to print from anywhere onto 3×4.5 sticky-backed photo paper. Photos can also be customized before printing using the Lifeprint app. 

Lifeprint Portable Photo Printer on Amazon

With miniature iPhone photo printers, you can print photos to hang on your wall, use in creative projects, or send to friends. Unlike photos stored on your phone or computer, printed photos are memories you can hold in your hand for a physical reminder of your most special moments.

The post The best iPhone photo printers that fit in your backpack appeared first on Backlight.

For more flexibility, consider purchasing a small tripod so that you can use a self-timer for your selfies. This will make for more natural-looking photos and get the camera a little farther away from your face. 

We have divided these poses into categories for women, men, and couples, but feel free to experiment with all of them, no matter which category you fall into.

Cute selfie poses for girls and women

There are many selfie options for girls and women that are both cute and flattering. If you’re stuck trying to figure something out, try these ideas.

1. The pensive profile

There’s something about a portrait of the subject looking away from the camera that makes for a more natural capture. Side-profile selfies leave the viewer guessing — what is the person thinking, and where is she looking? This is also the perfect selfie pose for people who are a bit camera shy. 

2. The fun reflection selfie pose

There are a million ways to use reflections to create fun selfies that are totally unique. Think beyond the bathroom mirror, a selfie that has been done to death. Reflections can be created using mirrors, of course, but lakes, puddles, and windows can also be used. Find a reflective surface and let your creativity run wild. 

 3. The looking-over-the-shoulder pose

While this is a common portrait pose for weddings, senior portraits, and the like, you rarely see over-the-shoulder selfies. This type of shot may not feel entirely natural, but it stands out with a unique look that is perfect for everyone — girls, women, boys, and men. For the most natural look, shoot the over-the-shoulder pose at eye level and crop as closely as you are comfortable. 

The best selfie poses for boys and men

Who takes the most selfies — men or women? The verdict is out and pretty difficult to calculate, but these awesome selfie poses are perfect for guys who want to give it a go. 

5. The closely cropped pose shot from below

One of the problems with traditional selfies is that it’s tricky to find a background that isn’t busy and overwhelming, and you’ve always got the weird shoulder hunch from stretching your arm out to capture your face. You can solve both of these issues by getting in close and shooting from below so that the sky becomes your background. 

 6. The classic headshot

If you’re having trouble coming up with ideas, try this: Hold the camera an arm’s length away at eye level. Look straight into the camera and press the shutter. Smiling is optional. When you’re finished, crop as tight as you wish to limit background distractions. The classic headshot looks great in black and white or color and is great for showing off that new haircut.

7. The partial shadow selfie

This type of selfie is similar to the classic headshot. The only difference is that you want half of your face to be in shadow. To do this, stand next to a sunny window so that the natural light shines on half of your face. Artificial light also works. The goal is to have a deep contrast between light and dark. Hold your phone off-center with the light source shining behind the lens.

Great selfie poses for couples

It can be tricky to nail down a natural-looking couple pose. On the one hand, having two people in your photo takes some of the pressure off, but on the other hand, now you have to pose two people in a way that is natural and attractive. Our advice is to use the following couple posing suggestions as inspiration and experiment with what works best for you.

8. The piggyback selfie

For something less romantic and more fun, try out the piggyback selfie. It’s an awkward pose to get right, but even the bloopers make great memories. For this one, we recommend a tripod, a timer, and a lot of patience. Don’t forget to smile!

9. The adoring gaze selfie pose

For this pose, one of you should be looking at the camera while the other stares adoringly at his/her partner. It doesn’t matter who does what, and it’s fun to try this one both ways. It’s way less awkward than both people staring into each other’s eye, making this one easier to share.

10. The foreheads touching profile pose

For this pose, you’ll need a tripod and a self-timer. Stand facing your partner, hold hands, and lean into each other until your foreheads are touching. Close your eyes, enjoy the moment, and snap a photo. For the best results, shoot this one from mid-thigh up. (Ambiance from a nearby fountain is totally optional.)

Hopefully, these unique selfie poses will encourage you to get out there and start shooting, no matter what type of camera or phone you’re using to capture the moment.

The post The 10 best selfie pose ideas for natural-looking selfies appeared first on Backlight.

Getting started with iMovie editing

Some parts of iMovie are intuitive and simple to use — others, not so much. When you open iMovie, you’ll see a question mark icon in the lower-right corner. If you get stuck on something, simply tap on the icon to access a short iMovie tutorial. 

iMovie can be used to stitch together video clips and photos, set them to music, or add sound effects and voiceovers. All of your movies, both finished and in progress, will be saved on the Projects screen for easy access.

How to create a new project in iMovie

Ready to make your first iMovie? Let’s get started.

1. Open iMovie on your iPhone. You will be taken to the Projects screen.
2. Tap the large + icon in the upper-left corner.
3. You will be able to choose between creating a Movie and a Trailer for your first project. A movie allows you to combine videos, photos, and music to create a custom movie. A trailer follows a template to create a Hollywood-style movie trailer.
4. Your Photo Library will appear on the screen. Here, you can choose video clips and photos to add to your movie. Simply tap on the ones you want, and a blue checkmark will appear. Don’t worry — you can always add or delete clips later. (At the bottom of the screen, you’ll see a tally of how many items you’ve selected and an estimate of how long your movie will be.)
5. When you are finished selecting clips, tap Create Movie.

How to edit an iPhone video in iMovie 

Once you have chosen clips and photos for your movie, you can begin editing. Editing may include cropping your movie so that it fits the social media platform you want to share it to, cutting out bloopers or mistakes, flipping or rotating videos, and shortening clips so the finished product is nice and tight. Here’s an overview of the most popular iMovie editing techniques.

How to crop a video in iMovie

Your iMovie will have a 9:16 ratio because this is the most popular size, and unfortunately, you can’t change this within iMovie. You can, however, crop unwanted features out of your video by using the pinch and zoom method. 

Here’s how to crop your video in iMovie:

1. Open iMovie on your iPhone and choose the video that you want to crop.
2. Navigate to the clip you want to crop by scrolling through the timeline at the bottom of the screen. 
3. Tap the clip you want to crop. If the clip was taken in a different aspect ratio than your video, you will see a black border surrounding the clip.
4. Tap the small magnifying glass in the upper-right corner.
5. Pinch and spread your thumb and finger across the screen to zoom in on your video. This will crop out portions on the outer edges of your clip.
6. When you’re finished cropping your clip, tap Done.

How to cut out parts of a video in iMovie on iPhone

Cutting out parts of your video is an important step to help keep things flowing. Not only can you cut out mistakes, but you can also shorten long, awkward pauses, cut out coughs and sneezes, and delete photo-bombers. Here’s how to cut out parts of a video clip in iMovie:

1. Open iMovie and open the project that you want to edit.
2. Scroll through your movie’s timeline to find the mistake or area that you want to cut out.
3. Position the vertical white line to the frame just before the scene you want to cut.
4. Tap the timeline to open up the menu at the bottom of the screen.
5. Tap the scissors icon and then Split to make a cut.
6. Press play, then pause your video at the end of the mistake you want to cut.
7. Tap the timeline again, then tap the scissors and Split to make another cut. Now you should have a cut line on either side of the clip you want to delete.
8. Tap Delete to get rid of the scene.
9. When you are finished, tap Done.

How to rotate a video in iMovie

If you’re making your masterpiece and find that your video is sideways, don’t despair. It’s quite easy to turn it around in iMovie.

1. Open iMovie and tap the video you want to edit.
2. Tap Edit.
3. Scroll through the timeline to find the clip you want to edit. 
4. Using two fingers, hold them on the video and turn your fingers to the right or the left to rotate the video. 
5. Turn again in the same direction to rotate it another turn. (Note that this will only rotate one clip at a time. If you want the entire video rotated, you’ll have to follow the steps above with each clip.)
6. When you are finished rotating your movie, tap Done.

How to shorten clips in iMovie

Shortening clips is one of the easiest ways to tighten up your movie and keep the action flowing. You want to keep your viewers watching, and with so many videos out there, attention spans are shrinking. The beginnings and ends of your video clips are easy targets and are the easiest to shorten. Here’s how to shorten clips in iMovie:

1. Open iMovie and open the video you want to shorten.
2. Scroll through your video and tap on the clip you want to shorten.
3. The clip will be highlighted in yellow. You can now drag the yellow bar on either side to make the clip shorter. 
4. If you find a space in the middle of the clip that you want to cut to make your video shorter, follow the instructions above on how to cut out parts of a video in iMovie.
5. When you are finished shortening your clips, tap Done.

Can you flip a video in iMovie on iPhone?

If you want to mirror a video clip, otherwise known as flipping your clip, you will need advanced features that iMovie doesn’t provide. You can download an app like RFV on the App Store to do this. RFV is used exclusively to flip and rotate videos, so you won’t have to weed through a bunch of editing tools to find what you’re looking for. 

The iMovie tutorial for putting together your movie

As you can imagine, there’s more to creating your iMovie than just editing clips. You can use templates to create overarching themes, add transitions between clips, and add the perfect soundtrack to bring it all together. Here are some ways to polish your iMovie before sharing.

How to use iMovie templates (themes)

Themes in iMovie are templates you can use to create a cover photo for your video. You can choose from seven themes: Modern, Bright, Playful, Neon, Travel, Simple, and News. 

1.  Open the app and tap the Project you want to edit.
2. Tap the settings icon at the bottom right.
3. You’ll see an area for Project Filters and Themes. Scroll through the themes and choose one of the seven offered. 
4. Tap Done.
5. Tap Done again and then tap Projects to see how your cover thumbnail looks. 
6. If you aren’t happy with the results, repeat steps 1–5.

How to add iMovie transitions

A transition is how iMovie handles the brief period between clips. By default, a transition is half a second long and looks like a sharp cut between clips, but you can change the transition based on the scene to zoom in or out, fade out, or dissolve. You can easily experiment with different transitions to see which ones fit your clips best. Here’s how to add iMovie transitions to your video.

1. Open iMovie and tap the video you want to edit.
2. Tap the split on your movie timeline.
3. A menu will appear along the bottom of your screen with different transitions you can choose from. 
4. Tap a transition and play your movie to see how it looks. 
5. When you have added transitions between all of your clips, tap Done.

How to add music to iMovie on iPhone

Your movie won’t be complete without a soundtrack to accompany your masterpiece. Audio files that you can add to your movie include built-in sound effects and soundtracks that come with iMovie, songs that have been downloaded to your iPhone, or audio files you have recorded in an app like GarageBand. 

Here’s how to add music to your movie on iPhone.

1. Open the video you want to edit in iMovie.
2. Scroll along your timeline until you come to the spot where you want your music or sound effect to start.
3. Underneath your video, you will see a small + sign. Tap it to add media.
4. Tap Audio.
5. Choose from Soundtracks, My Music, or Sound Effects. Tap the + sign next to your choice to add it to your video.
6. Your music/soundtrack selection will appear below your video timeline. 
7. Tap Done when you are happy with the results.

How to add subtitles in iMovie

Adding subtitles to your movie will make it more accessible. You can also add text to your videos to highlight certain aspects of your video or add more information. If you want to add subtitles, it’s really easy to do.

1. Open the video you want to edit in iMovie.
2. In your movie’s timeline, tap the clip you want to edit. It will be highlighted in yellow.
3. Tap the T icon to open the text menu.
4. Choose a font from the menu. If you are using a custom iMovie theme, you will also be able to choose the text that matches your theme. 
5. Tap your video to make a custom text box appear. 
6. Add your custom text or subtitles. The more text you add, the smaller the font will become.
7. When you are finished adding your subtitles in iMovie, tap Done.

Hopefully, these basic iMovie instructions will encourage you to give the app a try. There are many benefits to using iMovie for your next project. Not only is it entirely free to use, but it integrates with your iPhone photo and video library and creates professional-quality results without a steep learning curve.

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