I started my digiscoping journey capturing whitetails from hunting blinds and tree stands. While hunting continues to be my main reason for digiscoping, I’ve learned to utilize it in other outdoor endeavors as well. From birdwatching to vacation photo tours, this simple and affordable photography method has been a real game-changer.
One of my favorite digiscoping activities is enlarging and capturing images on camping trips, beach excursions, and even work weekends on hunting properties. It’s in these settings that I’ve captured some cool images of wildlife, boats, landscapes, and fellow adventurers. But the fruits of digiscoping don’t have to stop there. There are ways to filter, document, and overall enhance your digiscoped images and video – right in the palm of your hand.
There are myriad image-enhancing apps that can be accessed right from your smartphone – you know, the very device that’s camera works with your optics while digiscoping. Whether you wish to enhance a special vacation image or crystalize an image of a game animal for documentation, you’ll be able to find an image editor to enhance it. This goes for magnified images as well.
Choosing the right image editing app for you will depend, in part where you want to share them and price. As for the latter, there are plenty free or low-cost apps available. While you can go with a professional-level photo editor, you might consider trying a free one first. You might be surprised at the great functionality that comes standard with many free editing apps. Either way, there are plenty choices.
Phone Skope Video Editor (Free)
Outdoorsmen and women who digiscope understand the added utility of bringing image and video subjects in closer. That’s why Phone Skope created their Video editor.
This handy (and free) app is easy to use and helps to clean up video through trimming, cropping, adjusting brightness, and contrast. Only in the beta stage, this nifty app will only get better with time. It’s a great companion app to Phone Skope’s camera app. The best part is it’s made for digiscopers by digiscopers.
Phonto (Free)
The Phonto app not only has filtering functions but allows for overlaying text – great for enhancing digiscoped photos.
Phonto is my go-to app for editing outdoor images. This free power-packed app has multiple filtering applications controlling such variables as brightness, contrast, exposure, and vibrancy. Further, the app allows for layering logos, images, or text onto images.
From professional photographers to hunters or vacationers, it would take a long time to exhaust all of Phonto’s many features. Hint; this one is ideal for creating social media content for anyone from outdoor brands to weekend warriors.
Sketch Master App (Free)
The Sketch app features filters that can convert a photo to cartoon, painting, or sketch-style image.
Want to make your digiscoped images unique? Sketch Master is your answer. It’s a simple, straightforward app that converts your photos into sketches, cartoon-like images, and even oil painting versions.
It offers up to 60 different filter effects. This is a fun app that allows you to present your outdoor subjects with flair.
Snapseed (Free)
Popular with both novice and professional photographers, Snapseed has been around for a minute and since its start in 2011, it’s gained a healthy following – and for good reason.
Snapseed not only offers some effective manual editing tools but an array of filters and enhancement features allowing for fast image transformation. This one also offers access to your complete editing history, which is handy for cumulatively working on images.
Touch Retouch ($1.99)
The Touch-Retouch app enables you to erase unwanted objects or blemishes from a photo.
I call this the save me from myself app. It doesn’t take much to ruin an otherwise remarkable photo. Ever taken a great shot only to discover your thumb is in the image? Anything from background strangers to power lines or a random blemish can be remedied via this handy app. The ability to remove imperfections or unwanted objects definitely translates to the digiscoping game – particularly for landscapes.
TouchRetouch’s object removal tool lets you choose from a brush or lasso to remove undesirable objects with precision. The utility of this unique photo editing app makes the $1.99 price tag an afterthought.
Darkroom ($4.99/month)
While Darkroom can be easily used by novice photographers, it’s a professional-level editing tool. As with most, photo editing apps, these great features team well with digiscoping. It can add beautiful filters, fine-tune images, and make any sized adjustment to your photos before sharing them in messages or on social media.
The app can edit raw files or jpegs with ease and it integrates with your iCloud library. Further, Darkroom allows you to edit multiple photos at once. This is a rare feature that’s ideal for photographers with a lot on their plate. This one comes with a monthly price tag but is worth it for those wanting first-rate editing ability.
Your choice of iPhone photo editor app will depend on a few factors. What do you like to take photos of? Where do you share your photos? Do you want to invest in a professional photo editing app or just play around with a free one?
Let’s face it. Your time is valuable. Moreover, why not make something good even greater. Digiscoping is a unique photography alternative for adventurers, leisurists, and sportsmen. Having the ability to improve the magnified images captured during these pursuits is no small deal.
Remember, that same smartphone device that connects to your optics for digiscoping is home to a ton of apps that will help transform your digiscoping efforts into something even greater.
