iPhone Photography - Discounts Codes for Hipstamatic Guide

The Hipstamatic app is one of my favorite iPhone Photography apps. There are so many options and combinations of lens and films. It can be a bit overwhelming. I have often found myself thinking "Now what does that lens do again?" So I decided to write a guide. I included a sample picture of all the lens/films combinations for easy reference. It's a 32 page e-book that you can download for just 99¢. It's free to the first 10 people who use the code cynthiahip. Click here for information about the Hipstamatic Guide.

Don't have the Hipstamatic app yet? Tap the App Store button. Hipstamatic is a terrific way to add "umph" to your iPhone photography.

iPhone Photography - Icelandic Poppies

iPhone Photography - Geisha

The App Tutor Guides - Kind of Like Cliff Notes For Your Apps

I am in awe of the fabulous apps being created for the iPhone, iPad and iPod. However sometimes their instructions are . . . to put it lightly . . . lacking. I kept thinking what I needed were Cliff Notes for my apps. So I decided to write them myself. Check them out at the App Tutor. They are easy to understand, have pictures and all are under $1.

iPhone Photography - Two Women at the Art Gallery

I took this picture of two women in an art gallery. They were looking at three pieces that were painted all white. I was curious about what they were saying. What is there to say after you say, "Oh look three all white canvases."

The picture was photographed and edited with my iPhone.

iPhone Photography - How Did I Do That?

Golden Gate in the Fog

I took this photograph of the Golden Gate Bridge with my iPhone, using the Hipstamatic camera. I had the lens set to Salvadore84 and the film set to Dream Canvas. With this combination, you never know for sure what you are going to get so take lots of shots.

I then brought the image into FX Photo Studio for editing. I added the Rainbow Palette 1 filter. For the feeling of the fog, I then added the Vignette White 2 filter. Easy!

Hipstamatic app

FX Photo Studio app

Both Hipstamatic and FX Photo Studio apps have a lot of features and can be confusing. I have created an e-book App Tutor guide (kind of like Cliff Notes for your apps) for each for only 99¢. You can find them at The App Tutor or by clicking on the links below.

The Hipstamatic Guide
The FX Photo Studio Guide

iPhone Photography - How Did I Do That?

I started out with two photos I took of the same rose, one from the front, one from the side. I brought them into FX Photo Studio, cropped them square and saved them.

I brought each image back into FX Photo Studio and applied the "explosion" filter to them...and saved the images to my Photo Library.

I opened my Diptic app and chose the 3 vertical bars layout. I chose part of the "explosion" filtered images for the sides and the front regular photo for the center. I then saved this 3Vertical image. I cleared my Diptic layouts and this time chose the 3 horizontal sections layout. For the top section I brought in the 3Vertical image and moved it around until I liked the placement. In the middle section I brought in the side view of the rose (without filter). In the bottom section I brought in the side view of the rose with the "explosion" filter and saved this 3 Horizontal image.

For the final image I cleared my layouts in Diptic and opened a new layout. I chose the duo vertical  layout with a narrow box on the left and a larger box on the right. For the left section I brought in the original front view of the pink rose. For the right section I brought in the 3Horizontal image.

That's it! It takes a few steps but is pretty easy!

Here are the apps I used.

The Diptic App -

The FX Photo Studio App -

I have created App Tutor Guides for a number of iPhone photography apps. They are sort of like cliff notes for apps. They are inexpensive, easy to use and will have you editing your images like a pro in a very short time. Below are links to The App Tutor Diptic guide and The App Tutor FX Photo Studio guide.

The App Tutor Diptic Guide 79¢

The App Tutor FX Photo Studio Guide 99¢

To see more of my App Tutor Guides, visit The App Tutor website.

iPhone Photography - How Did I Do That?

I am often asked what app I used for different images. I rarely use just one app but use a series of apps to edit an image to get a look that is unique. So how did I make the image above?

I started by taking a close up picture of the fabric in my sister's curtains. That created the abstract curved lines with the dots. The picture was taken with the iPhone camera. I few days ago I took a picture of the sculptured head, also with my iPhone camera, while at the Grace Cathedral in San Francisco.

I brought the curtain image into the Image Blender app as the first image. I brought the face image into the Blender app as the second image, creating a "blended" image.

I then created Diptic image #1 by using the duo layout with a big picture on the left and a small picture on the right. I brought the face into the larger left side and the curtain into the smaller right side and saved it as Diptic #1. I then went to the duo layout that had the big picture on the right and the small picture on the left. I brought the Diptic #1 image into the right section and brought the curtain image into the smaller left section. I played with placement until I had the design I liked best and saved that image.

I then brought my new image into the FX Photo Studio app and applied the Marine app, adjusting the sliders until I had the best effect. That's it. The benefit of using several apps to edit a picture is when people look at it, they won't say "Oh that's the so and so app." The image is uniquely yours.

Here are the apps I used.

The Image Blender App -

The Diptic App -

The FX Photo Studio App -

I have created App Tutor Guides for a number of iPhone photography apps. They are sort of like cliff notes for apps. They are inexpensive, easy to use and will have you editing your images like a pro in a very short time. Below are links to The App Tutor Diptic guide and The App Tutor FX Photo Studio guide.

The App Tutor Diptic Guide 79¢

The App Tutor FX Photo Studio Guide 99¢

To see more of my App Tutor Guides, visit The App Tutor website.

Flashmob at BlogHer

I missed BlogHer this year. It sounds like it was fabulous. I heard there was even this flashmob dance and I missed it. :(
I....will....never....miss....BlogHer....again!
C

So You Think You Can Dance - Top 4

The Finale

Favorite routine - Sasha and Mark - Obstacles 

Favorite female - Sasha and Melanie - Okay I just can't decide

Favorite male - Marko

Favorite solo - Tadd - just so much fun, althought they all were stunning

Favorite allstar- Mark, although it was also just great to see Joshua again

Best choreography - Sonia Tayer - Obstacles

Best music - Show Me What You're Working With - Sista Monica

Who wins?  I think the top two will be Melanie and Sasha. They both are so fabulous. I wish they both could win...actually I wish all 4 could win. How about it Nigel. Give them each $250,000. You can afford it!

This Month's Top Ten Tips From My Favorite Magazines

1.  Loved the book and can't wait to see the movie. Saw the movie poster in one of my magazines. Movie's coming out this month. Think this is a must see.

2.  Raspberry Ginger Cheesecake. I have got to make this for my two best friends who love berries and ginger. Found the recipe in the August issue of Living Etc. I can't seem to find it on their website yet, but it should be there soon. Or else you can always download the magazine to your iPad.

3.  I have been looking for a desk chair that is also a rocking chair and came across this aluminum Philippe Starck Hudson Rocking Chair. Love it. Afraid it is out of my price range, but one can dream.

4.  Also in this month's Living Etc was this picture. I love how the door frames the large piece of art in the next room and how the next room is a slightly lighter paint color than in the living room.

5.  Discovered that Martha Stewart has a cocktail app.

6.  I've been wanting some sort of lanyard to hold my iPhone when I take a walk. Found these in O. They're from jpk handbags.

7.  Also in O I saw this beverage carbination gadget - The Twist and Sparkle from Isi. Sounds perfect. The website also has recipes for all kinds of sparkling drinks.

8.  Thought this was quite a clever idea from Martha Stewart's August Living. She took maps and stitched the route on them. What a clever way to display memories from a road trip!

9.  I not only cry when cutting onions, I sob. August Reader's Digest suggests chewing on a piece of
bread while cutting onions. Definitely trying that one.

10.  Also from O is this phrase, which I thought was great.

Wisdom is calm, not fearful.

So You Think You Can Dance - Top Six

Favorite couple routine of the night - Kent and Sasha
Favorite solo of the night - Melanie
Favorite female dancer - Melanie
Favorite male dancer - Marko.
Favorite choreography of the night - Tice's routine with the wall and Sasha and Kent
Favorite all star of the night - Kent - Fun seeing him again and remembering how great he is.
Best lift of the night - Kent and  Sasha

Most likely to go home - Caitlin and Ricky

Don't You Just Love Summer? Think I Need a Day at the Beach

My Mom Walking the Labyrinth at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco

Mom and I have been wanting to visit the labyrinths at Grace Cathedral for over a year and decided it was time to do it. The labyrinth in San Francisco is based on the one inside the Chartres Cathedral in Paris which was built in 1220. It was a wonderful experience. Thanks Mom for suggesting we do it.
You can get more information at the Grace Cathedral website.