Instagram, and Hipstamatic before it, made both the stylizing and sharing of photos on iOS devices easy. These kinds of quirky and simple photo styling apps are mostly not available on Mac, and those which are available seem to be cash-in copies of the services named above.
What the Mac needs is a unique photo-styling app of its own; enter Poladroid.
Poladroid is based on the concept of a software Polaroid camera. An image of your very own virtual Polaroid camera floats on your Mac’s desktop, waiting for a jpeg to be dragged and dropped onto it. The unmistakeable Polaroid whirring mechanism sound is played, and, optionally, Poladroid even shows a camera flash effect.
Your Polaroid-ified image comes out of the camera, as yet not fully developed, and slowly, the image appears, just like the real thing, in the classic Polaroid white border. The theme of a realistic Polaroid is kept going with variable colour shift, ageing and blur, whilst the app must be restarted after every 10 images, to match the 10-image cartridge found in the cameras.
The images come ready for print (at 400dpi), complete with the classic white border. Photodroid’s preferences even allow the automatic addition of thumb-prints and scratches to your Poladroids for the ultimate authentic look. Images, when finished, are deposited onto your desktop, and can be moved around, Stickies style.
In Poladroid’s instructions pdf, it warns that this app is addictive; I can confirm this. The waiting for the image to develop is just as compelling as in real life, whilst the variable nature of the styling makes the end result unique.
Some iPhone users might question why they would need such an app on their Mac, but my answer to them is simple – it isn’t possible (easily) to put pictures taken on a DSLR through Instagram or Hipstamatic. In addition, in its own right, Poladroid is a great photo stylizer, and the authenticity to the original camera makes it a must-download for lovers of all things retro.
Poladroid is available to download for free from the Project Poladroid website.–
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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.