Strange & Charmed

Hey everyone! I recently filmed a what’s on my iPhone video for my YouTube channel and thought I would share for this Tech Tuesday! I hope you enjoy, and make sure to tell me in the comments what you have on your iPhone!

Recently, I had been searching for a new camera app, one that would allow me to control the aperture of my images so that I could control the depth of field in my pictures more so that I could with my iPhone’s camera app. I found Big Lens, a $.99 app for iOS with high ratings and some great user reviews. Big Lens is actually quite easy to use and surprisingly effective at achieving the natural bokeh and blur effects I was looking for. It isn’t a camera app that you would use to capture images necessarily, instead its an editing tool to use with existing images. To show you how simple and effective the app is, I am using the sample image provided in the app itself.

As you can see from these three images above, you start with your selected image, then using the brush tool in the advanced* menu you highlight the area on your image that you want to remain in focus. Don’t worry if you draw outside the lines of the subject because you can use the “Auto” selection tool and that cuts out any overage by determining the boundaries of your subject and selecting just that subject. Once your area is selected as in image two, you move on to the next step which blurs everything that wasn’t highlighted and creates a nice depth of field effect in your image.

You can control this blur in the “Aperture” tool by selecting a smaller or larger F Stop. The smaller the F Stop the larger your aperture and the more blur you get in your photo. You can also use the “Filter” tool to add some great color and lighting effects, including Lomo effects similar to those found in Instagram and other popular filter apps. Finally, you can also adjust the “Lens” options which will help you create a nice natural bokeh effect Choose the desired shape of your bokeh from a selection of hearts stars and geometric shapes. To achieve the bokeh effect, I have found that increasing the aperture will make your bokeh more prominent in your image, but there are also some filter options that also assist with creating a nice bokeh.

* This app has a Basic and an Advanced menu. I am using the Advanced menu for this review because it gives the user more precise control over the effects, however, if you were to use the Basic menu, it gives you most of the same options, but instead of the brush tool for selecting your subject, you have a standard circle or linear blur option. All else is the same between the two menus.

Overall, I am very satisfied with the Big Lens app. For $.99 its pretty powerful and creates some nice depth of field and blur effects that are much more precise than what other popular apps offer. I like how I get some functions of a DSLR camera with this app that make my subjects stand out and product some great lighting effects as well. Definitely give Big Lens a try if you are looking for more advanced focus and blur controls.

{Vaja iPhone 5 Clutch, $240}

One of my must have accessories for the warmer months has got to be the smartphone wallet. Whether you tote around an iPhone, Android or Windows smartphone, these awesome wallets double as clutches that keep your phone, cash and important cards all in one place. I have been using one as my primary wallet since I was gifted one for my birthday! So far, I have seen many designer brands of these wallets popping up all over the place, but you can find some stylish and sensibly priced versions in store and online if you just spend the time to look! I have done some legwork for you and scouted out a few styles at various price points, some designer names and some everyday brands, to help you find your perfect fit!

Ardium Smartphone Zipper Wallet, $43

Elaine Turner Smartphone Wallet in Robin’s Egg Blue, $148

Coach Legacy East/West Universal Case, $68

Merona Lattice Print Zip Around Wallet, $15

Michael Kors Pyramid Stud Multifunction Phone Case, $118