When scanning through the App Store’s top charts – a geeky ritual I perform every week, in the hope of finding a new exciting app to be downloaded, opened once, and cast aside, usually – I came across the app PhotoEffectsLite at the top of the free photography downloads. As I often do, I decided to download and try it, in the full knowledge that it may be another tacky technicolour-adding photo app.
To start with, PhotoEffectLite does differentiate itself from the pack by having 60 effects, although this stat alone does not necessarily make it a world-beater. These 60 effects, however, are all adjustable, not just in terms of strength, but also in other ways, such as the tone, saturation and brightness of colouration. You can drag images into the app window to edit, or use the Mac’s webcam, and examples of effects included are neon art, fisheye, city lights (multi-colour glow), glow, and false colour. Whilst images need to be selected carefully in order to get the best out of these effects, some pleasing results are possible.
Don’t get me wrong – some of the effects are strange, pointless, tacky, bizarre etc. The reasons for including such effects as compound eye, flip-flop or Kaleidoscope, can only be attributed to the developer finding ways to get to the “60 effects” mark. Some of the effects, however, can be used to make interesting pieces of photo art, although this is not an app that is ever going to appeal to those serious about their edits; think of Instagram – you wouldn’t be selling any of these pictures, or putting them in your portfolio, but you can still like the effect on your “snaps.”
PhotoEffectsLite has an older brother, Photo Effects, which comes with the full 400 effects. But the $9.99 (£5.99) price tag, and the instability issues Photo Effects users are reporting, makes it not the best investment. In addition, I am not sure you really would be getting an additional 340 usable effects.
In terms of the app in question in this review, PhotoEffectsLite, it is not going to fulfil serious image processing functions, but as a quick snap stylizer, it seems to do a respectable job – all for free.
You can download PhotoEffectsLite from the Mac App Store.
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Mark Myerson loves photography, and in particular, hanging around waterfalls! Landscapes and nature have always been his staple, but he relishes any opportunity to take pictures. He also works closely with many local charities, regularly providing photographic coverage of fundraising events.
Mark is also a self-confessed tech-head and OSX lover – Apple is his favourite fruit!
Mark is the owner of Mark Myerson Photography, a Devon-based business that provides a large variety of photographic services to the local community and beyond. Whilst Mark Myerson Photography specialises in event, commercial and pet photography, almost every type of photographic assignment has been covered by the company.
If you have any photography or OSX-related questions, you can contact Mark via the links given below.