How to Edit iPhone Photos (and My Top 3 Fave Editing Apps)

It's no secret, I don't always have my camera on me. *GASP*

I know! It's terrible.

What's a photographer without a camera? (Well, still a photographer just without a camera. Haha.)

Despite not having my camera with me everywhere I go, I do however carry my iPhone everywhere I go. And rest assured all those photo-ops I sometimes feel like I'm missing out on because I don't have my DSLR, are still being taken on my smartphone. Although smartphone photo quality isn't a replacement for a decent DSLR, it does a quick job of capturing what I want to capture...most of the time at least.

To stay consistent in my work, social media feeds (personal + professional), I use a few different iPhone photo editing apps to really keep the aesthetic of my work looking just the way I like. 
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Due to some of you asking me what editing tools and apps I use to edit, I thought I would simply show you by giving you my top picks for iPhone editing apps and how to use them.

You're going to wanna see...

My Top 3 Favorite iPhone Editing Apps​:

VSCO App

I think hands down, the VSCO app (some people pronounce it like visco while other pronounce is as an acronym) is the most popular iPhone editing app among photographers and other creatives alike, and for good reason. There are tons of variations you can use to adjust your images just using the basic presets the app gives you, meanwhile there are other options where you can do in-app purchases. 

When editing iPhone taken photos, I pop that image right in the VSCO app and go at it. I can seriously kill some time editing inside this app (especially if I have my little Bella on my screen). :)

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Snapseed App

Now, the Snapseed app is fantastic! As a photographer, I love that I can have more control using a curve panel, and guess what? There's even B R U S H E S. (Let me let that sink in for a sec.)

With the ability to use brushes on your iPhone, it works wonders from being able to just affect highlights and shadows on a particular part of your image to using tools like a healing brush to clean up a certain part of your image. *mind blowing*

Just like VSCO, this app has been around for quite some time; however, there have been numerous creatives out there that didn't even know this app existed. 

​So, you're welcome. ;)

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​ColorStory App

Okay.

So, I have a love/hate relationship with the ColorStory app. Let me explain.

The app was created by the adorable Elsie and Emma of A Beautiful Mess, so if you follow and like the look and feel of ABM, you'll love the ColorStory app. It's super fun, has tons of  that *POP* of color to add to any of your images. There even a panel where you can add fun little sun flares and bokeh to your images which can be really fun, but if you're like me you're going to want to bring that added detail down just a notch to keep it looking as natural as possible. 

So, it looks like you pretty much love the app! Where's the part you you hate?

Alright, so 'hate' is such a strong word...it's more like, I'm not much of a fan of this bit. And its just comes down to the fact that just about all the filters are very bold in just about every color mostly because it's just not my particular style. However, when I find a good filter and can adjust the boldness down and add my little twist to it, it's total worth playing with.

​See for yourself. 

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This post is not sponsored by the VSCO, Snapseed or Colorstory. This blog post serves as a tool and to educate viewers and users how to use the smartphone photo editing apps for personal use.