Pocket Full of Creativity

I’ll go out on a limb and say that a majority, if not all of you reading this blog have a mobile device (iOS, Android, Windows, etc.). Are you nodding yes? I’m sure you know, but if not you are carrying in your hands a tiny, powerful computer.  Technology has come a long way since 1981. Just imagine carrying around what’s on the left (image below) in your hand.             That device in your pocket, bag, or backpack can be an extremely useful and powerful tool for creating content. Literally, a world of creating is in the palm of your hand!As an avid photographer, I love my DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) camera and lenses.  You can create the most striking images and if you are real good at it, make a decent living.  The only drawback is having to lug all the equipment around when traveling, vacationing, or going to an amusement park - enter my iPhone.  I’ve come to love the photos taken on the my mobile device.  Comparatively speaking, I would never photograph a wedding with my iPhone. Conversely, for my everyday camera the iPhone is fantastic for mobile photography.Mobile phones offer you the option to capture images and edit them right on your device.  Opening up the world of photography to anyone who wants to give it a try.  Here are a few apps to try.  Some have more creative options than others, but are great nonetheless.

• Camera+ - It’s all about one thing... creating great photos!
• Fyuse  (Android) - spatial photography app that allows anyone with a smartphone to capture 3D images.  Check out this example.
• Photoshop Mix - The creative editing power of Adobe Photoshop with the freedom of iPhone and iPad.  Also available for Android.
• LapseIt - create amazing time lapse and stop motion videos.  I created the one below while sitting at my office working.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkKBzAH0Mto Another one of my passions is cinematography.   A great advantage of having a mobile device is that you basically have a movie studio in your pocket.  Having an iPhone has opened up the creative opportunities at any time and at any location.  In addition to creating video content is the ability to edit and manipulate to create a final product. There are many amateur and professional filmmakers using mobile devices as their main camera for creating stunning films.  If you are brave enough, you can enter your creation in The Original iPhone Film Festival.For those that want to create and edit one for yourself and/or to share with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, or Youtube, I have some recommended apps and tools for you.

• iMovie - streamlined design and intuitive app.
• FilMic Pro  (Android) - best video app in my opinion. Has features found in many high-end cameras.  Worth the $10!! Here’s a short film shot entirely with FilMic Pro on an iPhone 6s Plus.
• MoviePro- powerful video recording & film making app with built-in editor.
• Adobe Clip (Android) - makes it fast and fun to create quality videos that can be easily shared. Below is a video I created using Adobe Clip. Took me about 5 minutes to make. Of course the contraption took longer!
• Adobe Spark Video - record your voice in short increments to create an animated story.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSuKabArUmE There are many applications and/or software that you can use to create graphic designs, illustrations, or artwork.  I’ve used many on my laptop or Mac at home.  The obvious restriction to this is being tethered to an office or desk.  Having a mobile device (phone or tablet) makes creating on -the -go very possible and easy.  When ideas strike, there is no need to wait until you get home to work on a desktop. There are many apps you can use to create stunning graphics and digital stories.  Here are a few graphics design apps you can try out. Coincidently, I used several of these apps to create the images in my blog.

• Canva - create beautiful designs with Canva.  Choose from more than one million layouts, stock photographs and illustrations.
• Retype - use 3D, shadow and multi-color layer fonts to create photo and typography images.
• ComicBook! - transform ordinary images into visually appealing stories.
• Adobe Spark Post - create dazzling graphics for social media, websites, or any occasion.
• Adobe Spark Page - bring your words and images together to create a web story.
• Bamboo Paper (Android) - use your mobile tablet into a notebook and capture ideas. Sketch, take notes as you would on a real piece a paper.

During college,  I worked in the graphic communications department.  I worked on campus projects for HR, academics, athletics, you name it.  In order to create a flyer, poster, or graphic, the whole printing process was time consuming.  It began with a pre-production, designing, photography, typesetting, burning printing plates, printing on a press, cutting,  packaging, and then shipping. It was a great experience!Now I can do all that (with few exceptions) on my phone.  Whether you are inclined to create a flyer for a parent meeting or staff event; capture life moments with your mobile device camera to create amazing photos; or produce a short film or videos for classroom use, try out some of the apps above. With a little practice, you will be amazed how easy it is to create awesomeness from a device you carry around in your pocket.