iPhotographer: iOS Changes Photo Scouting For The Better

Sep 30

iPhotographer: iOS Changes Photo Scouting For The Better

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Scouting out your next photo is already more work than performing a root canal on a hyperactive child. Looking for vantage points, judging the sun, or moon, taking test shots, and so much more go into a good planning session. All this work often leads to lugging backbreaking equipment around just for a simple test shot. iOS has changed the face of test shooting and planning by margins that my back is very thankful for.

Notebooks be gone!
I have an over abundance of Moleskines full of notes, drawings, doodles, and ideas. These have traveled with me every place I run off to, including the local tea house. The introduction of the iPad has drastically changed my dependence on the tried and true Moleskine and pen. Now, apps like Penultimate allow me to draw out my ideas on my iPad. I can quickly sketch out ideas in a myriad of colors without the need of a big box of colored pencils. I can use Pages, iA Writer, or even Documents To Go to jot down all my notes, thoughts, and contemplations. My camera bag no longer rattles due to pens, pencils, or notebooks jostling around. iOS has taken several tools, digitized them, put them into an easy to use device, and made my life so much easier.

Let the camera stay in the car.
Now, every photographer knows you never travel without a camera. Heck, I lug my D90 just about everywhere I go. Yet, there are times it just does not work to my advantage to haul a camera, tripod, lens, notebooks, pens, and camera bag on a scouting trip. Sometimes I just want to hike in, snag a few quick shots, get to the coffee house, and collect my thoughts on the potential shoot ahead of me. The iPhone camera allows me to leave all the bulky equipment in the car while I take a few light test shots and start contemplating how I want to compose my photographic session.

I can then take these shots and upload them to my Flickr page via FlickStackr, or push them to my Facebook page for everyone to see. I can even do some editing on these photos thanks to Filterstorm. All these tools add up to leaving the heavy gear at home and using my iPhone and iPad for all my scouting missions. How do you use your iDevice for you planning missions?