FotoMuse IPhone App Inspires Publishers And Photography Hobbyists
In an age where Photoshop users routinely manipulate photographs to perfection, the thought-provoking depth and artistic value of imperfect “reality” images is often lost.
Now, thanks to FotoMuse ($2.99 in the Apple App Store), anyone with an iPhone can infuse snapshots with artistic depth in just a few simple steps.
“With FotoMuse, we’ve created a new category in photography – where street glamour meets fine art via the iPhone,” said photographer and fitness expert Kris Gebhardt, who developed the app in partnership with WebUrban LLC. Gebhardt initially used his iPhone when an unexpected camera jam threatened to ruin a photo shoot, but he now regularly takes fashion, glamour, beauty, and figure shots with the mobile device. “It allows me to quickly capture real time and unrehearsed moments, without having to lug studio equipment around, pay staff, and deal with the ruckus of a shoot production,” he said.
In FotoMuse, Gebhardt’s signature effects – grunge, uneven borders, scratches, light leaks, toner stains, bleach, and overlays – are provided to iPhone users so they can apply them to their own images.
The result? Both publishers and hobbyists are transforming photographs into fine art.
Gebhardt notes that online publishers are weary of using the tired images found on stock photography sites. “Online editors and webmasters are embracing FotoMuse’s unique filters, borders, and fine art effects to create eye-catching images that pop off of a web page and differentiate their sites from those of their competitors,” he said. “They can literally snap a picture, edit it, and upload it in about five minutes.”
But it was the reaction from amateur photographers that took Gebhardt by surprise. “When we built the app, we’d assumed that picture resolution was inconsequential, since most people would want to email their photos,” he said. “We couldn’t have been more wrong. It turns out that FotoMuse users want to print, frame, and hang their images on the wall.” As a result, FotoMuse’s upcoming release will include a high-resolution option that brings iPhone snaps to life.
Gebhardt is thrilled that both publishers and amateur photographers are using FotoMuse to its full advantage. “So-called ‘imperfect’
photographs are much more visually interesting than stock images or those that have been Photoshopped to perfection,” he said. “I’m glad that FotoMuse is helping to infuse an artistic edge into personal snapshots, and that it’s giving online publishers an easy-to-use tool to create visual interest on their websites.”
About Kris Gebhardt: A photographer and author of five books, including “OVERHAUL: Reinvent, Remake and Rebuild Yourself” (GCI PRESS ISBN 1-891947-06-0), Kris Gebhardt was recognized by Senator Richard Lugar, and named one of 2003′s “Top 40 Under 40″ business performers by IBJ Magazine. He has coached many high-profile clients, including rock stars, billionaires, supermodels and Fortune 500 CEOs. He also trained the cast of the Tony and Emmy Award-winning Broadway show, “Blast!”
Gebhardt was inspired to create FotoMuse while shooting figure and body photographs of his wife, Angela, for the forthcoming fine art photography book, “GEBHARDT – Photography – Paintings – Fitness” (GCI Press, August 2010).
http://www.krisgebhardt.com
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