So, today’s my birthday. It’s also exactly one year from the day I first downloaded Instagram, an app that’s had a massive influence on my 2011. I spent the year documenting my life, which involved a new job, a new city, and traveling to places I’ve always dreamed of visiting. I’m feeling reflective. So indulge me, won’t you? Here’s the places I’ve been this year.
Did I mention I was in London recently? For real, dang! That’s me up there demonstrating the perfect Instagram technique. I spent most of the week working, but did manage to escape the office for a half-day with my partner in crime, Lilacina, also above, demonstrating a slightly more complex maneuver.
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I’ve got a new app obsession.
It’s called Snapseed. This photo-editing app retails at $4.99, but a few weeks back this sucker was free for like 48 hours and I was lucky enough to snag it when some of my Instagram buddies pointed it out.
This shot of an old Chevrolet was taken using the Camera+ app. First I applied the Clarity preset to enhance the detail then the Sunkiss’d preset, which I dialed down until there was just a little bit of warmth added to the image. Finally, using the radial tilt shift in InstagramI, I blurred the image except for the headlight to focus attention there and simulate a shallow depth of field.
I’m a member of Instagram gang called HK Instayay. Not a very tough name I know, but we’re serious about our IG addiction and keep our iPhones within striking distance at all times.
Fine, I’ll admit it. I’m hopelessly addicted to tiltshift.
It wasn’t always like this. I used wait for the standard high-up perspective shot, but now I’m tiltshifting my late-afternoon latte.
“This is, indeed, a great wall.”
Those are the words of Richard M. Nixon, who in 1972, famously traveled to Beijing, breaking 25 years of silence between the US and China and paving the road for improved relations with Soviet-controlled Moscow.
I wasn’t alive then, but from what I read, the world watched closely, and I imagine many of my fellow Americans must have been captivated by the images of Nixon walking along China’s Great Wall.
jayzombie visited the Santa Cruz Boardwalk yesterday and posted a few great pics on her Instagram feed.
Found via the Objective Scenes Flickr Group.
I had a great time at Saturday’s InstawalkSF through Chinatown. It was our biggest group yet, and might have been my favorite photowalk yet! Thanks to Photojojo for co-organizing the event and for bringing all those awesome mobile phone fisheye lenses for folks to use. I met a bunch of cool people and got some decent photos. I really dug meeting up at The Empress of China for drinks after the walk. That was a lucky find and I can’t wait to go back!
To keep up with future events, join our San Francisco Instawalk google group… and remember to upload your favorite mobile phone photos to our Objective Scenes flickr group. Here are some of my iPhone pics from the walk, click here for the full Flickr set:
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I moved to Hong Kong this year, but my heart is still in Atlanta.
I’m becoming familiar with Hong Kong International Airport these days. It’s kinda perfect for iPhone photography.
