Hipstamatic: Instant revelation

SEE MY HIPSTAMTIC IMAGES HERE!

The iPhone camera was a big draw for me, and I was as excited about it as I was the rest of the phone when i finally got my hands on it. Unfortunately, inspiration has been rare for my little snaps. Perhaps this would be different on the newer, higher resolution, iPhone 4, but I won’t be getting one of those for a while. My woes have faded, though, because I have given in to the much-ballyhooed Hipstamatic application.

Click the jump to read about Hipstamatic and my epiphany!

Intended for a diptych with this, maybe.

I had avoided the trendy, colorful app as much as I could stand, until my photographer friend (and sometimes model) Mackenzie Ashton finally pushed my curiosity over the edge. She looked past the app’s gimmicky stigma to embrace the truth: A camera is a camera.

Sure, even dull things can look a little bit cooler when you’ve layered and masked something enough, but a good photo is still a good photo. At the end of the day, it still takes attention to details, composition, a keen eye for subject matter and all the other classic tools to make an image that stands out.

Some of my favorite things about the app include its square images, and even better: Its square viewfinder. You never realize how perfect it is to compose in a square until you actually get to do it. (It’s something I’m looking forward to doing with my newly acquired Mamiyaflex C2.) Also, pictures just look better from this app. I don’t know exactly what they do, but it works.

Another thing I like is its customizability. You get to maximize or minimize the quirk, and get your choice of lighter and darker frames. You get your choice of “lenses,” “film” and even “flashes.” The app’s $1.99 cost only rises 99 cents for a wider variety of film (aka frame) options, something I quickly found to be worth it.

But my favorite thing of all: It makes me think about inanimate objects and small details. I am a notoriously people-driven photographer, and quickly lose patience with miscellaneous still life imagery. Tell me to take a picture of someone’s wedding ring, and I’ll be all about it. But if you tell me to just take pictures of random things for no reason, it doesn’t happen. Only now, it is!

I haven’t even had Hipstamatic for a day, and I’m already doing things to help me become a better photographer. I was initially scared away by the price tag and its übergimmicky stature, but I’ve already gotten my money’s worth in perspective and photos. Best of all, it makes me excited to get right back to taking photos.

What: Hipstamatic, iPhone camera application
Cost: $1.99, standard with several “lens,” “film” and “flash” options. Upgrade pack costs 99 cents, and I found it worthwhile (mainly for the Pistil — mostly normal — film).
Bonus: Read the awesome history behind this app here!

SEE MY HIPSTAMTIC IMAGES HERE! And keep checking back, because I’m sure to add a lot more.