5 Best FREE Photography Apps for iPhone

Most of the inspirations for our designs come from the street, people, and other things around us. Thanks to the iPhone, which is equipped with the best phone cameras on the market, it allowed us to be able to capture the images from anywhere we are. But the most exciting part about the iPhone camera is the hundreds of apps that provide truly professional features and enhancements.

I wanted to share five of my favorite photography apps every iPhone photographer should't be without!

Instagram

Instagram is one of the easiest photography apps with minimum fuss (there is no exposure adjustment or tweaking of the creative filters it applies) that creates very pleasing images. "Less is more" is a perfect phrase for this app. It's my go-to app when I am interested in sharing a quick moment with a bit of visual flair. Though I love my Nikon D60 DSLR camera, honestly one of the best photos I've taken during my trip to CA was taken with Instagram. Jes is a big fan of instagram. Follow Jes (jesgordon) on Instagram and check out her inspirational photos.

Classic TOY

This app emulates a classic toy Camera.

The Classic Toy app offers unique films and lenses such as a basic single-focus lens, a multi-shot lens that can take various photos consecutively, a fisheye lens, and others. My favorite part about this app is the fact that I don't have to crop my photo like Instagram or leme Cam.

Leme Cam - Tilt Shift Lens

Few of my photography apps offer lenses/filters that overlap with each others. But Leme Cam provides one very special camera lens, Tilt Shift, that the other apps don't offer. A "Tilt-shift lens" creates photos that focus on a small part of the image while de-emphasizing other parts.

PanoStitcher

This app comes in very handy when I want to snap a quick room-shot after an installation. This app is simple to use, fast and creates great panoramas.

Pocketbooth

This app takes better photobooth photos than the real one!

** A Tip, go into a real photo booth and take photos with this app. The combination of the great lighting from the booth and the app that perfectly replicates the experience of a 1950s-era model 11 photobooth creates amazing photo-strips!

Welcoming Your Out of Town Guests

Entertaining and welcoming out of town guests is a great way to show how thankful you are that they came to congratulate and celebrate YOU. So here are some ways to show them how thankful you really are.

Hotel: We do suggest obtaining a room block from a local hotel. Whether you are having a destination wedding or it is just for out-of-towners, it’s always nice to be able to have your nearest and dearest close to you on your big day. Plus, your friends and family will get a lower rate at a great hotel!

Gift basket: A gift basket waiting for your guests when they arrive is a great way to say “Welcome! Thank you for coming! We are so happy you could be here.” Since most of your attendees will be just getting off a long plane, train, or car ride some post travel necessities could be a nice touch. We suggest, small snacks (fruit, nuts, pretzels, etc), moisturizer (plane flights can really dry a person out!), water bottles, even a travel toothbrush!

But don’t forget that this gift basket is a great way to welcome your guests to YOUR wedding weekend, so customize it! If you are a couple that loves wine, think about putting a little wine bottle in each basket. Or, if you just love caramel-covered popcorn, then welcome them with a sweet treat. Another way to really customize this welcome gift is to have custom labels created. Checkout these cool ideas that some awesome couples gifted to their guests.

Itinerary: A nice final touch for your out-of-town guests would be to supply them with an itinerary as they arrive. Whether you have the printed itinerary included in your gift basket or posted on your Wedding Website, an itinerary of scheduled events can take a one-night party into a special wedding weekend getaway.

Of course the traditional rehearsal dinner is a must, it allows a more intimate setting for your friends and family to mingle and get to know one another. We suggest you hold this gathering at the hotel or at a location near the hotel; most people will have just finished traveling and would appreciate an easy commute to dinner! Also, since many of your guests will be new to the area, think about arranging an evening out after the rehearsal dinner. Maybe a Karaoke night in a private room at the hotel, a night cap at a local pub, or even a bowling party – as always with a little creativity the options are limitless!

Planning optional daily activities for your friends and family will take off the pressure of them having to fend for themselves in a new city. On the Day-Of think about some stress-relieving or rock-star-recovering activities so everyone will feel and look their best for the big night! This can mean different things to different people, so try to appeal to everyone by possibly having a yoga session along with a leisurely walk for those who like to feel centered and an ultimate Frisbee challenge for those who prefer to blow off some steam and sweat it out.

And finally a brunch on the day after is a great send-off to all of the special people in your lives’ that made your night incredible. It may be a good idea to make sure that guests feel okay coming and going as they please since many will be leaving at different times to catch their flight, train, bus, etc. It’s also a great opportunity to hear your guests gush about how beautiful and fun your party was!

Happy entertaining!

Relax!

To all those non-stop, kick-ass, go-getting, never-quitting rock stars out there! We hear ya! We thrive on that go-go-go environment in the City That Never Sleeps, but sometimes we just have to take a minute to relax and recharge those batteries. Maybe that means taking a few extra hours in bed on Saturday morning, starting up Yoga again, going for a long run, or a day of beauty. Whatever your outlet for relaxation, we all need it once in a while. We put together a list of some of our favorite Relax Resources.

Sites we love:

Finding good deals can be a hard task, but not when you have Internet Flash Sales on your side! Sites like Lifebooker.com, GiltCity.com, Groupon.com are great resources to find not only discounts on the classic calming experiences, but new, cutting-edge ways to slow down and relax also!

Workouts we love:

Bikram Yoga

www.bikramyoganyc.com/

Physique

http://www.physique57.com/

Spas we love:

Great Jones

www.gjspa.com/

Bliss Spas

www.blissworld.com/spa/

But as always, we love looking for ways to make fabulous experiences cost effective! Why not turn your home into that high-end spa you’ve always been dying to try? Make one quick supermarket run, dim your lights, put on your favorite soothing beats, and get ready to feel like a million bucks by the end of your night.

Here are a few at-home recipes from www.SpaIndex.com that we love!

AVOCADO CARROT CREAM MASK 


This mask combines avocados, which are rich in Vitamin E, with carrots, which are high in beta-carotene and antioxidants, and cream, which is high in calcium and protein. These ingredients will rebuild skin collagen, improve tone and texture, and fade age spots.

1 avocado, mashed 


1 carrot, cooked and mashed 


1/2 cup heavy cream 


1 egg, beaten 


3 tablespoons honey 



Combine all ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Spread gently over your face and neck, and leave in place 10-15 minutes. Rinse with cool water and follow with your favorite toner.

GINGER SKIN CREME

Ginger invigorates, and oil soothes. Try this double dose for dry skin. 



2-inch piece of fresh ginger 


2 teaspoons light sesame oil


2 teaspoons apricot kernel oil


2 teaspoons vitamin E oil


½ cup cocoa butter


Preheat oven on lowest setting. Finely grate the ginger just enough so that you have about an 1/8 teaspoon of ginger "juice." To obtain the juice, squeeze the freshly grated ginger over a small bowl. Place the ingredients (including the ginger) in a glass container and heat just until the cocoa butter is melted and the oils are blended. Pour into a clean, dry container and store in a cool dry place. You can add a few drops of orange or other essential oil for a nice twist.

COCOA BUTTER HAND AND FOOT CREME

Unlike other oils that penetrate into the skin, cocoa butter remains on top and lays down a protective layer, preventing the skin from drying out.



1/2 cup almonds


1/2 cup dry oatmeal


4 tablespoons cocoa butter


3 tablespoons honey



Process the almonds in a blender or coffee grinder until coarsely ground. In a bowl, combine oatmeal, cocoa butter, honey and ground nuts. Rub into your hands and feet, cover with cotton gloves and socks, and leave on overnight. The next morning, remove the gloves and socks and rinse. You'll be delighted with your incredibly smooth skin. This remedy is ideal for soothing hard-working hands and feet because it gently exfoliates old, dead skin and nourishes new cells.

Happy Relaxation!