Camera Apps: Photo apps to help you shoot like a pro

Photo apps to help you shoot like a pro

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Jefferson Graham runs down 5 Photo apps to help you shoot like a pro on #TalkingTech.

Camera+ icon(Photo: Camera+)

VENICE BEACH - We're shooting more photos with our smartphones than ever, and they're getting better and better each year.

So are the apps--I have a list of 5 today that can help you shoot like you a pro.

--Camera+ ($3.99, Apple only) lets you set exposure, white balance and focus, for those times when automatic just ain't cutting it, and lets you use your iPhone flash for fill-in, instead of those overbearing, washed out images we've come to associate with smartphone flash.

--Slow Shutter (99 cents, Apple only) is fun for night shots, when you need to let in more light, or times when you just want to have fun. Check out the shots of moving cars at Venice Beach in the accompanying video, where I dragged the shutter. (On Android, try the Camera FV-5 app, which is free.)

--You want to shoot like a pro--you'll need to take great portraits where people look terrific. Many of us turn to Photoshop for facial retouching to bring out the best--now there's an app, FaceTune, where many similar features are available, for just $3.99 (Apple and Android.) You can lighten or slim a face, whiten teeth and fix red eye.

Facetune app for photo retouching (Photo: Facetune)

--Speaking of editing, the best all around editing app is Snapseed, which had a big update this year, with plenty of tools to keep you busy for hours.

You can crop, rotate, add a vignette, add contrast, drama or vintage film looks to your smartphone shot. A must for every shooter. (Free, Apple and Android.)

--Finally, let's end with another shooting app and you probably already have it. If you haven't used all the tools in your iPhone or Android camera app--get to know them.

The iPhone app added better exposure control and time-lapse and slow motion videos are lots of fun. The camera in the new Google Nexus 5X and 6P phones are the best ones we've seen to date in an Android, shooting faster and in lower light, than ever before.

That's our 5 top apps to help you shoot like a pro. Let's see what you come up with this holiday season. Share your pics with us on Twitter @yourtake, and feel free to drop a line to me with any questions or concerns on Twitter as well, where I'm @jeffersongraham.

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