I work as an professional photographer. But because of a back injury, I have to much spare time this summer. So I have taken more than 1200 shots with my Hipstamatic until now. This has given me experience with the app, and more importantly, how the iPhone deals with different situations and light conditions. As I have previously stated, the camera on the iPhone (3GS) is not very good, but it is a perfect match for the Hipstamatic.
Here is the first lesson:
How to trick the iPhone into believing its a better camera. Part I
Have you experienced Hipstamatic prints where the foreground and/or background are too dark? Of course you have. :) The first picture shows how it often looks like. The sky is perfect, but the building and foreground almost disappears in shadows.
How to fix this? Of course, you can use photo editing software. NO-NO-NO! None of my pictures are treated in any way. Everything is as shot, straight from the iPhone. Though its digital, and the Hipstaprint in high quality easily can be fine-tuned in photo editing software, I think this is wrong. To use any kind of manipulation of the Hipstaprint, breaks the "Lomocode". The Hipstamatic simulates conditions of the old instamatic cameras. And this is the curse, but also the charming and best part of the app.
This is my opinion. Of course you are allowed to edit your own pictures, but then to post them as Hipstamatic Prints, is wrong. Then they should be labeled edited.
Enough with the lecture. :) How to fix this? Easy as it is simple. When you have found a object where you either see with your eyes or on the screen that you have blacked out fields, tilt the iPhone upwards or downwards (choose the one with the most light). You will clearly see a change on the screen. Quickly tilt the iPhone back into the motif and shoot right away. This is what I did on the second picture. To fine tune this technique, it takes a little practice.
Downside: It is more difficult to compose the picture, and it makes the chance for art by accident greater.
And of course there is loss of information in the sky.
Plusside: It is more difficult to compose the picture, and it makes the chance for art by accident greater. This is actually in the Hipstamatic spirit! :)
Enjoy your Hipstamatic shooting.
