by Grryo Community | Jun 17, 2014 | Stories
From Artware, Inc. comes, layrs, a multilayer photo-editing app for the iPhone that allows users to edit mobile photos with the same results as if they were editing on a computer, using an advanced/professional photo-editing program. Since its launch, layrs has had more than 1.4M downloads and has an active community of photographers who use layrs on a daily basis.
The ability to separate a photo into layers provides the capability to extract an unlimited number of layers from a photo, combine objects/layers from one photo into a another photo and edit each layer independently.
Once a photo is separated into layrs, users can then edit each layer with different features of the app. For example, using the focus blur on the background a user can simulate shooting with a narrow depth of field. Or by using the horizontal blur, shooting with a slow shutter speed can be simulated. Any portion of the photo can be tuned or enhanced by adjusting saturation, exposure, heightening the contrast, temperature and hue. In addition to fine-tuning features, users have over 30 filters to choose from ranging from subtle moods, vignettes, various textures to some drastic effects such as simulating shooting with a fisheye lens.
Further transformation of a photo can be achieved by replacing the background of an image, duplicating an object or extracting objects from one photo and placing them in another photo allowing users to create composite photos.
With the most recent addition of 19 blending modes, users now have the option to play with multiple exposure blending. The layrs community have experimented nicely with these various options, producing creative works of digital art that have given rise to an artistic genre that can truly be considered the next movement of our time.
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by Grryo Community | May 2, 2014 | FEATURE, Featured Articles
Brendan O Se: Travels with my Camera by Andy B.
I first came across the work of Brendan O Se last year thanks to Mark T Simmons. Brendan is an award winning photographer from Cork in Ireland. He is a master in the use of motion and blur with his photographic portfolio incorporating a unique blend of abstract art and street photography, shot either with his trusty iPhone or his DSLR
Looking at his iPhone work it is not surprising his portfolio has caught the attention of so many people especially when you look at such images like ‘Sitting on a train’ or ‘A diet of Blur’.
I caught up with Brendan during a trip he is currently taking across East Asia which he is documenting through a series of street photography images. I wanted to dig a bit deeper to find out more about his work, approach and his travels through Asia.
AB: Andy Butler
BOS: Brendan O Se
AB: Firstly, tell us bit about yourself and your introduction to mobile photography
BOS: Firstly, thanks for this opportunity Andy. To give you some background, I am a university teacher from Cork, Ireland. I am married with two small children. My main hobby is photography. A trip to Asia in 2012 was the first time I realized the potential of the iPhone as a camera. It was a liberating experience being able to get up close to capture street moments and also being able to process and share with friends and family immediately was incredible. I took hundreds of images on that trip and began to post regularly on Instagram. When I returned to Ireland and back to posting on Flickr I discovered there were many mobile photography groups and the quality and diversity of the images inspired me to experiment and explore more
I am believer in the old saying that the best camera you have is the one you have with you, and the iPhone is always with me; always ready. In the past two years, I have taken many more photos with the iPhone than my DSLR. I believe that while the genre at the moment is still called mobile photography, the mobile part will, in time, be dropped. After all, when has a camera not been mobile?
Tokyo 2012
AB: Your portfolio is a mixture of abstract art and street photography. How would you describe this style and approach to mobile photography
BOS: Street photography is what interests me most. The photographers whose work excite me most all do street work. The story that evolves from a street image can be powerful. It can cast us back or project us forward in time. It is about connection and the personal impact an image can have on us. Street photography has the wonderful ability to allow us to step into an image and at the same time allow a distance for us to begin to understand its impact
Then there are things which do not need to be understood or examined, things which just have a beauty. Things like lines, shapes, colours and movement. Blur, for me, is the most beautiful and enchanting of photography. It can transform the mundane and dull. I am intrigued by contradictions and blur can reveal and conceal.
Last note heard
This coincidence continues
AB: What apps do you use for the production of your abstract work?
BOS: I have downloaded many apps over the past two years but the one I have stuck with is Snapseed. It is simple to use and gets great results. The one thing I wish it had was the ability to paste from previous settings so that a series of images could all be processed in the same way.
The warmth of the womb
AB: Where do you get your inspiration? Are there any particular subjects or photographers that have influenced your work?
BOS: Subjects would be movement and form for blur images. For street work it is people; people with character and attitude. There are many photographers who inspire and influence me; mainly contacts I have made on Flickr. Of course, I admire well-known and world-famous photographers, but the ones who impact on me are those whose work I engage with on a personal level. People like Michael Kistler, Shel Sherkin, Mark T. Simmons, Mimo Khair, Albion Harrison-Naish. These photographers have a signature style and the ability to compose stories with their street work. I have made many friends on Flickr and learned so much from them that I wish I could name them all here.
AB: You shoot with a DSLR camera as well as your iPhone. How do the two compare and do you have a preference?
BOS: With the DSLR I know I can produce a technically better shot because of the different ways it can be managed and with the iPhone it allows me get in close and to get in discreetly. The DSLR is bulky. Carrying it around my neck is like carrying a bucket of water around. It weighs too much and on a hot day it is not comfortable. The two cameras are great. I love both and would struggle to choose, but as I said earlier the best camera you have is the one you have with you, and more often than not it is the iPhone.
Everything everywhere
AB: You are currently travelling through east Asia and documenting your travels in a series of street images. How did this trip come about?
BOS: My wife is Korean, so we came out on a trip to visit family. We are lucky to have some really great friends in Hong Kong and we stayed with them for a few days en route. Part of the trip was business for me and this took me to Seoul and Japan. I also took a short break to Taipei to experience a new city in Asia.
AB: Looking at the street portraits from this series. There seems to be a different feel and approach to the images you’re capturing. Have you found your new surroundings have changed the way you approach your subjects?
BOS: In Taipei, I was surprised at how camera-friendly the people were. Sometimes, understandably, people do not like the camera being pointed in their faces and often you can be met with a scowl when you raise the camera or they may cross their hands to signify they do not want their photograph to be taken, but in Taipei most often they smiled when they realized I had been shooting them. Sometimes, they wanted me to take more photographs and began to pose for me!
Asia has a different dynamic to Europe. It is frenetic. There is a pace and sensation to it so different to where I come from. Wanting to shoot street can be frustrating when you come from a place where there are not enough streets or people. Here in Asia, that is not a problem. Find an interesting location and you know you will not have to wait long for an interesting character to pass. I once waited in the cold and rain for over an hour in Cork to get a shot in a cool location.
On this trip, I promised myself to be brave to get that shot. It has worked, I suppose. I got this shot of a Seoul policeman. He was not too pleased it seems.
Soured Faced Cop
AB: Are there any interesting stories or incredible encounters that lie behind any of the photographs captured on your travels?
BOS: My bravery did get me into one or two tricky situations, like when I was trying to get a shot of a woman who was sitting with her legs crossed and dangling her shoe on her outstretched toes down a side alley. Her shoe was in a perfect pool of sunlight. I was on my knees with the DSLR setting the shot up when I suddenly heard shouting. I ignored it at first, but then it dawned on me that the shouting was directed at me. I had not realized that this alley was where prostitutes hung out and this guy, probably a pimp, was shouting at me and the woman with the dangling shoe had stopped dangling it and was now also shouting at me. I got up off my knees and with the camera swinging around my neck I scarpered.
Prostitute Alley shot with a DSLR
Heading back to the hotel one night in Taipei I walked past this open door to an apartment block and noticed the doorman was asleep. I turned back, got the iPhone out and as I passed again I took a shot. It was blurred. Now, I had promised myself that on this trip I would be brave. I would not pass up opportunities to get that shot. So, I went back and crept in to get as close as I could to get it. The following night I passed again and noticed he was awake. I popped my head in and he growled at me. I can only imagine what might have happened had I woke him when I was getting the image.
The things I did not reveal in the job interview
AB: Finally, how can people connect with you?
My Blog // Instagram // Twitter // Flickr – iPhone // Flickr DSLR
by Grryo Community | Jan 28, 2014 | Stories
The Art of Erika C Brothers by Andy B
Erika C Brothers is a Mexican artist who has truly embraced the power of mobile technology and incorporated it into the images she creates. There is a something wonderful about her abstract art which mixes portraiture with a blend of effects and other imagery taken from her surroundings. The results embody a magical look, style and feel which creates some amazing pieces of artwork.
Images like ‘Orange’, ‘Arlequin’ or ‘The Liquid Dreams Series’ are perfect examples of this portraiture work, while others such as ‘Yellow Waves’ or ‘Cotton Candy Sunset’ focus more on capturing the landscape that surrounds her.
I managed to catch up with Erika and wanted to find out more about her life, work and influences as well as the process she follows to get from the original capture to a finished piece of artwork.
AB: Andy EB: Erika
AB: Tell us about yourself and how your interest in art and mobile photography began.
EB: I’m originally from Monterrey, Mexico where our culture is rich in a variety of different genres and parents whose passion involved weekend painting using different methods and visions of blending colors and techniques. Inspired as a child I pursued my own discovery of projecting my thoughts and images, I started through basic art, career in communications, painting amateur for 10 years using acrylics and oils, exploring even cloth and printed image designs until I found what I believe is my true calling with App advancement in SmartPhone technology. However I continue my activities of art creation as part of my vocation to the whole genre of art for personal desire and mental exercise.
I’m a mother of three and moving a few times due to my husband’s work, I was able to expand my optic vision and projection of picture stories from the different locations we lived. Once hooked I started investigating the different options on how to transform the pics to reflect my mental thoughts to each art piece, and set myself to no particular form or function – just what comes to me or how I feel as I create each piece. Now interestingly enough, my husband interprets my pieces for the naming; he is my inspiration and genius behind the naming of each.
AB: There is a beautiful artistic and painterly feel to your work. Tell us about your style and approach?
EB: My style is a combination of modern and abstract, with a touch of everything in between. I love to combine colors and textures blending the image to hence my creative feelings that an image projects in my mind. Most come to light based on daily experiences, travels, situations, and knowledge of the people whom form part of my life.
AB: You mentioned that the Mexican culture is rich in a variety of different genres. In what way have these genres influenced both you and your work and where do you draw your inspiration from?
EB: The Mexican culture has great variety, ranging from Aztec folklore to the popular art of the streets. In particular artists such as Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera to modern art such as Sergio Bustamante, all have given me the basis to my creations. All combine one way or other Aztec fundamentals with expressionism and modernism. Hence my inspiration is drawn by the multiple combinations only limited by my mental capacity to transform each art piece.
AB: How have modern day apps helped you to transform your art and how do you integrate them into the creative process?
EB: Modern day apps have been an absolute revolution to modern day technology and photography. Opening the possibilities to all to experiment art transformation directly from today’s current way of computing – tablets.
In general my photos do not follow a particular format or function; I use whatever app comes to mind for that particular moment and experimentation. In total I use about 140 different apps, however mostly concentrate on using 10 for most of my pieces.
AB: Could you give us a step by step walkthrough of the process involved in creating one of your images?
Stage 1: The initial capture
For the initial capture I used Slow Shutter Cam with self-timer on 1. I chose this app since I wanted to wanted to create an initial image in motion with a base blur effect.
Stage 2: MonoVu
To start initial transformation I used MonoVu using option mono22 to give the base effect on monochrome and scratches with a touch of antique.
Stage 3: Procreate
Next I used Procreate to add effects to the models hair extending the flow of motion to the person.
Stage 4: IColorama S
In IColorama S I used the effects of tiles 4/5 to add visual differentiation to the whole piece.
Stage 5: Mextures
Mextures added the next level of texture and roughness for enhancement, using Grit & Grain and Emulsion.
Stage 6: Pic Grunger
For the final effects to truly reflect and wrap up the whole image of a “Life in Motion” I used Pic Grunger Effect – Scratched, Style – Backstage, and Texture – Newsprint.
AB: Do you have any future plans for projects or the direction of your work?
EB: My future plans are to continue my work as part of a life process, as a walk thru life, basically moments in time; start showcasing more my artwork in Galleries and participate together with the rest of my colleagues worldwide on the push, promotion and inspiration of the SmartPhone Art world.
Instagram // Facebook // Flickr // Eyeem // IPA
by Grryo Community | Jan 15, 2014 | The Temples
In October 2011, Instagram changed the world, for iPhone users that is. Initially the app was released on the iOS platform only for several reasons. Technically speaking, the camera on the iPhone was superior to that of other mobile devices. Additionally, the iPhone demographic worked well with the original target audience of Instagram. With a population of 30 million, the app was clearly not going anywhere soon.
Instagram created a culture of mobile photographers and mobile device manufacturers recognized how important it was to improve the camera on their devices. New phones started to come out with some pretty incredible cameras. So, in March 2012, Instagram decided to shake things up and bring the app to the Android market. This caused quite the uproar with the iPhone users due to the exclusivity of the app, but the Android users were quickly accepted.
Now, with over 150 million users worldwide, Instagram adds yet another platform to its offering; Windows Phones. This is most likely to the incredible cameras that Windows brought to the market, namely the Nokia Lumia 920 and the more recent Lumia 1020. The Lumia 1020 has a 41 megapixel camera on it. With that technology available, it was no question that Instagram had to bring its popular app to this platform.
The app, currently called Instagram Beta, is a work in progress. The Windows platform is totally different than any other operating system out there. There had to be major design modifications made to the app in order to make the experience seamless for Windows Phone users. But for those of us who have used Instagram for years, the experience is pretty much the same. But there are some major differences. Below are side-by-side comparisons of the different platforms. (L to R – iOS 7, Android, Windows
It’s obvious that Instagram was a major catalyst in technological advances for mobile photography. And as the technology gets better and better, I’m sure that Instagram will continue to keep up and bring us new and exciting updates. But, Instagram and all of this technology counts on creative individuals who believe in the platform and have fun. So regardless of the advances, keep posting good content, engage with others keep pushing the limits and continue creating demand for something new and exciting.
by Grryo Community | Jan 10, 2014 | Dutch D
I knew the island, but fell in love in my late teens and 20’s when I really saw her beauty for the first time.
Most people see her as beautiful, which is without a doubt true, but I also see her as resilient weathering storms, taking damage and rebuilding. I am in awe of her.
The crash of the waves is like a big laugh that makes others smile and feel warmth.
Mornings with her are dramatic, powerful, beautiful and wondrous.
It’s where I saw my first shooting star.
She’s ever changing and staying the same.
She is in my soul, will be until my last breath, no matter what.
Marthas Vineyard has been a bend in my road of life.
I’m grateful for what she has given me.
She continues to hold a place in my heart.
