Remember the days of analogue photography, where the type of film, flash and lenses would change the photo you ended up taking? Those days are back, thanks to the fantastic Hipstamatic app on the iPhone.
When you open the Hipstamatic app, it’s like travelling through time as you’re confronted with the front of a retro style film camera. As the app loads, you’re flipped around to the back, with old-school flash switches, see through film compartments and a tiny viewfinder to look through, with a big shiny shutter button off to one side.
But that’s just the start. You can delve into the app and switch the type of lens, flash and film used to take your photo, which alters the effect of the final image. Each option has a small description and a sample image so you can get an idea of what the overall effect might be, but the true joy in playing with the Hipstamatic app is that you can play around and experiment. There’s even a mode to randomise the components by shaking the phone.
Images taken with Hipstamatic are automatically saved to your phone’s camera roll, as well as stored in the app for you to share or order real-life analog-style prints.
And once you’re done playing with the standard issue lenses, films and flashes, there’s also in-app purchasing, so you can continue to play around with those retro photography skills. Given that the original app is $2.49, and the extra packs start at $1.19, there’s plenty in here to make you truly appreciate the camera in your iPhone.