Combining iPhoneography with Photoshop for Digital Scrapbooking

Skyline Magic

I find myself relying more and more on taking and processing photos with my iphone and/or ipad.  I’ve also been experimenting with a more abstract look achieved with the apps SlowShutter Cam and Decim8 (thanks to the help of friends on Instagram). I can post my photos to Instagram and then use them on my scrapbook pages adding further elements with Photoshop or Photoshop Elements.

Here’s a quick tutorial on a page I recently completed with a photo I took while driving across the San Francisco Bay Bridge. I was wishing the bridge cables weren’t obstructing my view, but it turns out they added a nice graphic element to the photo’s composition.  

These are the apps I used:

Slow Shutter Cam, Gyro Cropper, Squaready, Decim8. Always remember to save your photo to your camera roll after you complete each step.

iPhoneography App steps for creating photo:

1. I took this photo through the car window in Slow Shutter Cam (for blurred effect). I also like the added effect of the bridge cabes. I just started using this app and, with practice, found the instructions and options fairly easy to understand. Save to camera roll.

2. Crop the photo into a horizontal shape in Gyro Cropper. I wanted a horizontal design of the city's skyline. Save to camera roll.

3. Square up in Squaready and save to camera roll.

4. Abstract the image in Decim8 (I used the effect: Doctor Ocular) and save to your camera roll.

PS/PSE steps for creating digital scrapbook page with abstract photo (all elements from Anna Aspnes Designs):

1. add background paper (I used a textured paper from ArtPlay Palette Authentic)

2. place 12x12 photo over background paper in Multiply blend for increased dimension and color. I duplicated the photo at 50% opacity for further depth.

3. To keep the focus on the horizon I added the following elements from ArtPlay Palette Socialize to the skyline: artstroke, tag, stars, word label, word transfer, button, painted edge overlay.

4. To complete the page I added a dotted brush from Anna’s Different Strokes No. 7, light glows from Warm Glows No. 3 and an overlay from ArtPlay Palette Viaggio.

5. Title font, tag font: Arsenale White.