Sleek yet fully functional, PhotoDesk lets you interact with Instagram when you are off your phone and on your Mac.
If you need Instagram access while your phone is charging or when you are otherwise separated from your phone, PhotoDesk brings your favorite photo-sharing service to your Mac. And at the time of this writing, the app is discounted for $2 Tuesday.
With one large exception, PhotoDesk lets you do everything you can on the proper Instagram app, and even some things you can't. What you can't do with PhotoDesk is post photos, but Instagram restricts its API so that no third-party app can be used to upload photos.
Screenshot by Matt Elliott/CNET
After installing the app and logging into your Instagram account, you'll encounter a two-pane layout with menu buttons along the top and bottom edges. In the narrow left pane, you can choose to view your feed, popular photos, tags, news, places, and any pending requests. The wider right pane shows you photos of whichever feed you are viewing. From the bottom you can select two different sizes of thumbnails, or a layout that shows more information, including the comment of the photo's originator. There is also a map view. Next to the map button is a button to filter your feed to show only photos or only videos, only those with geo information, or those that meet a minimum threshold of likes or comments.
Hit the "+" button in the lower-left corner to create an album. Albums show up in the left pane and you can then drag photos from the right to an album to easily populate it. You can also collect your favorite tags for easy perusing, but when I tweaked the list, the two default tags -- "colorful" and "apple" -- remained in the left pane, even after restarting the app.
Screenshot by Matt Elliott/CNET
Double-click on a thumbnail to expand the photo and see more information including likes, comments, and the location. You can then cycle through expanded shots by clicking on the arrows or using your Mac's arrow keys. Thankfully, no matter which type of thumbnail grid you choose, you can like a photo without needing to open it; just hover over the photo and click the heart button. You can also preview a photo by highlighting its thumbnail and pressing the Q key.
No tripod in sight? Never fear, here are some tips to help get stable handheld footage from your dSLR.
Sometimes you just don't have access to a tripod, monopod or something sturdy to help stabilize your camera.
Here are some tips to help you get stable footage, instead of a video that looks like a deleted scene from "The Blair Witch Project".
Proper handheld technique
Use your right hand to grip the camera, while the palm of your left hand is cradling the base and lens. The weight of the camera should be distributed evenly between both hands.
Don't be tempted to carry all the weight in your right hand and use your left to hold the lens from the top. This might work for stills, but it's not good for stable dSLR video.
Dave Cheng/CNET
Does your lens have image stabilization? Sounds obvious, but you will want to turn this on by flicking the switch.
Some dSLRs and ILCs from brands like Olympus, Sony and Pentax have in-body stabilization. Find this option in the menus and turn it on, making sure that it is applied to both stills and video recording.
Increase your points of contact
Simply bringing in your elbows close to your body, resting at the top of your hips or on your waistline where it's comfortable, can make all the difference.
If you need to be as steady as possible, you can hold your breath for a short period of time to minimise any extra movement.
Use the strap
Your camera strap is a really useful tool to help keep video stable. Put the strap over your head and keep it taut around the back of your neck. Extend the camera out as far as the strap will allow with proper handheld technique and you'll be able to achieve a smooth result for panning or shooting moving subjects.
Choose your focal length wisely
Shooting with a zoom lens? Using the telephoto end can exacerbate any hand shake. Instead of shooting up close, film at a wider end of your lens like at 35mm or 50mm.
Invest in accessories
If you really don't want to invest in a tripod, there are other accessories you can buy to help get more stable handheld dSLR video.
A viewfinder or loupe is a great add-on for any dSLR. It fits over the screen and generally comes with an eyecup that rests against your face, providing yet another contact point to keep the camera stable.
Lexy Savvides/CNET
Keep it stable in software
Many editing programs such as Final Cut X and Adobe Premiere CC come with built-in options to stabilize video footage. Depending on the severity of the shake, these options can be hit or miss, but it is another option if you still have shaky footage.
In Adobe Premiere, select the appropriate clip and head to the Effects panel > Distort > Warp Stabilizer.
In Final Cut X, the stabilization feature pops up in the video inspector sidebar whenever you click on a clip in your timeline.
Learn how to use a feature on your dSLR to make creative double exposures, from silhouettes to clone portraits.
A double exposure is a creative photographic technique where two different images are combined in one frame.
Also known as multiple exposures (depending on the final number of images superimposed on one another) you can make these photos in-camera -- no Photoshop skills required. Here's a guide on how to get started with this technique using a dSLR with a multiple exposure mode. We've gone through the steps with the Canon 5D Mark III and Nikon D800.
Making silhouettes
You may have seen photos where a silhouette appears to have a pattern inside it. This is just one example of a double or multiple exposure.
You will need:
a DSLR with multiple exposure mode
a silhouette as your base image
a fill for the silhouette
The base silhouette.Lexy Savvides/CNET
For this example I'll show you how to do this using the Canon.
First, find a subject. This could be a person or any another sort of object. The most important part is to have a defined outline.
As with any silhouette, try and position the subject in a shot so there's lots of negative space in the background to really make it pop. This can be the sky, or even a white wall -- overcast days are your friend for this!
I like to use the dSLR's spot meter to help meter off the subject and blow out the background. Silhouettes for this project turn out best if there's a strong light source coming from behind your subject.
Lexy Savvides/CNET
Once you are satisfied with the silhouette you have taken, enter into multiple exposure mode. At the back of the 5D Mark III, press the paintbrush icon and scroll over to the multiple exposure option.
Switch "Disable" to "On: Func/Ctrl". Leave the other settings as they are by default: Additive with two exposures. You can also choose to save all the images individually if you need to repeat the process with a different exposure later on.
Lexy Savvides/CNET
Scroll down to "Select image for multi. expo." and choose the silhouette you previously shot using the Set button. Confirming this selection will bounce you back to the multiple exposure menu.
The easiest way to compose your finished photo is to use live view. Switch it on and you should see the silhouette shot overlaid on the display.
The fill for my silhouette. Note how I've positioned the shot so the sky is blown out to match its positioning in the silhouette.Lexy Savvides/CNET
Now comes the fun part. Hunt around for a pattern, some trees or flowers, or anything else you want to place in the silhouette. The only limit is your imagination.
Usually, you'll need to slightly underexpose this second image from what the meter tells you (or use exposure compensation if you are in Program mode). This is because we've chosen "Additive" as our blend mode which combines the exposure of both images.
Take the second image, give the camera some time to process and voila -- your silhouette multiple exposure is done.
The finished result with a slight crop to improve composition.Lexy Savvides/CNET
As with all photographic techniques, it requires some time to master and get the results you desire. You may want to experiment with positioning the fill within the silhouette. If you have blown out the background of the first image, the fill image should theoretically only appear within the silhouette.
Hat tip to two photographers who have pioneered the technique - Dan Mountford and Sara Byrne for their inspiring silhouette photos. Definitely check them out for more amazing images.
Multiplicity: clone yourself
Another way to experiment with in-camera multiple exposure is to clone your subject (or yourself).
You will need:
a DSLR with multiple exposure mode
tripod
subject to photograph. Alternatively, use yourself as a subject but you will need a remote control
First, grab a tripod and frame up your shot. Focus and expose the shot to your liking. For consistency's sake it is easier to fix the exposure using manual mode.
Lexy Savvides/CNET
Using the Nikon, turn on multiple exposure. Press the menu button and then find multiple exposure under the shooting menu. Turn it on, and select single photo. Choose the number of shots you want in the final frame. If you want three clones, choose three photos.
Turn on auto gain so your exposures are evened out in the final shot rather than added together.
Get your subject in the first position and take the photo. You can put yourself in the frame, but you will either need to grab a friend to take the shots, or use a remote to trigger the camera. Rinse and repeat for the next frames, and then the camera will automatically merge them into a finished shot.
Lexy Savvides/CNET
Depending on your exposure and the background, you may find that the subject appears ghost-like. Without using an editing program like Photoshop, it can be difficult to get a result where the subjects look solid, but there are a few things you can do to help improve the results in-camera.
If you are using a Nikon dSLR, turn off Active D-lighting. Choose a darker background rather than shoot outdoors. Black produces the best results. You can also increase the amount of light on your subjects by using a flash. Otherwise adjust your exposure to gather more light by opening up the aperture or boosting the ISO.
Remember, you can apply these techniques to any dSLR that has a multiple exposure mode. The method may be a little different from model to model, but the general principle is the same. Go out, experiment and have fun with your photography.
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