Let’s start it off right and tie it right into the theme of this weeks surgery with Nikki Bluhm and the Gramblers.

Camera apps:
When I first started out in photography, I learned to shoot black and white first. It forced me to look not just at composition but the contrast and brightness of a shot. Film of choice was Tri-X by Kodak.

I came across this great iPhone camera app called “Hueless”. Open the app and everything you shoot is in black and white just like if you loaded your old SLR with Tri-X. There are controls to help focus and set contrast and brightness but there is no color so it’s a fun way to see the photographic world this way and helps you look at tonal gradations once again.

Shot using Hueless.app                                                Shot using iPhone Camera

I had forgotten all about one of the earliest iPhone camera apps and the first one I bought when I got my iPhone 3G, Pano. If I had swung by the Hudson River it might have remained in the “I can’t delete it, but never use it anymore, cause you never know” app on my iPhone. I forgot how much fun a panorama can be. Check it out and go crazy on panoramas!

Hudson River sunset in Croton on Hudson, NY, copyright 2012 David Leveen.

Social app:
The current hot one is called Thumb. In the “old days” the way information about likes and dislikes, what looks good, what tastes good and do you like this shirt/blouse good came about around the water cooler, or on the school bus or out with friends. Now you can do it wherever, whenever and even when alone. Watch the video on their website to see how it works. Create your own groups (your own inner circle so to speak) or use the whole world at large and get instant opinions from real people.

Productivity app:
Holy tomatoes there are so many “to-do” list and “note” apps that have come on and off my iPhone since I had it. But right now, thanks to my friend John Gruber I discovered lta, a quick list app. It’s simple, quick and looks great. Works on both the iPhone and iPad and uses iCloud to keep both in sync. Speaking of iCloud………….

Where oh where has Mobile Me gone?:
Yup it’s going bye-bye and has been creating angst, uncertainty and fear among users. It’s really quite simple to make the transition from Mobile Me to iCloud but BACK-UP, BACKUP AND BACK-UP all you devices. Backup your main machine, sync your iPhone, iTouch and iPad!!!! If you go to http://icloud.com and log-in with your .me email address it will step you through the transition. A BIG CAVEAT! if you have multiple devices that are currently syncing with Mobile Me, you need to make sure that you use the Mobile Me username and password from the device with the most up-to-date contact and calendar info when you first go to http://icloud.com. Then……all the rest of your devices need to have the same username and password in the iCloud setting preference panel if you want them to remain in sync moving forward with iCloud. One more thing to make sure of……if you switch all your devices to use iCloud to sync Calendar and Contacts to your devices, make sure you’re not also syncing those devices Calendar and Contacts in iTunes but letting iCloud do the syncing for those apps.

Just Because: We love Jimmy Fallon!