Photo Editing Apps - My Three Favorites and How I Use Them

Riva G Yoga March 1, 2019

So you finally got your boyfriend to snap a picture of you balancing in Bakasana, or maybe you had to bribe your daughter to photo-document that newfound Natarajasana… but now what? How do you take that pretty yoga pic and make it pop a little more before sharing it with your friends on Insta? Having to edit my own yoga pics for the last few years means I picked up a thing or two about doing just that. Below are a few of my favorite photo-editing apps to help bring your photos from Blah to Ahhh! in a matter of minutes.

Snapseed – This is, hands-down, the app I most often use for editing my photos. After importing a picture, I start out by selecting the ‘Tune Image’ feature. This is where I play around with the Brightness, Contrast, Ambiance, Highlights, and Shadows to see what looks best. Because every photo is unique, the way I adjust these settings always varies from image to image. If I want a darker, more mysterious look I might use the Vignette tool, and if ‘light & airy’ is what I’m after I’ll probably increase the Highlights a little more. Another feature I like to use is the ‘Details’ tool where I can sharpen or soften a photo depending on its mood. Snapseed offers so many editing options and is quite a powerful little app, so spend some time experimenting with it to see what style and look you like best.

VSCO – There’s good reason why this app has been around for so many years and still remains popular with creatives. With VSCO’s expansive selection of filters and artsy vibe, it’s long been a go-to for myself and many others. There are a few presets I tend to favor (like ‘A6’), but I always lower the intensity (usually to about 30%). I also tweak the ‘White Balance’ & ‘Skin Tone’ settings, where I might add some warmth to an image, or perhaps take some redness out of my skin (if I’m resembling the tone of a tomato).

Afterlight – Admittedly I don’t use this app nearly use much as the previous two, but it can come in handy with a photo that needs a little something extra. Afterlight has a nice number of built-in filters, but the features I like best are their overlays, ‘Dusty’ and ‘Light Leaks’. Dusty, which includes more than 10 options, is perfect if you want to add scratches or grain to your photo for a vintage vibe. Light Leaks, which has over 30 adjustable overlays to choose from, is great for achieving that sought-after retro look. I never use both at the same time, and I generally lower the intensity of the overlay to about 50%, which gives the image a nice subtle-kick.

One final word of advice: the key here isn’t to mimic anyone else’s style, but to find your own. That’s the beauty of creativity - we each have a unique viewpoint to share. Experiment with your images and editing, play around with different perspectives and proportions, but ultimately find a style that best represents YOU.

PS. If any of these editing tips helped you, tag me on Instagram and use the hashtag #yogawithriva so I can see the final result!

Pics, and Snaps, and Posts, Oh My… Useful Apps for Taking and Editing Pics on Your Smartphone

Riva G Yoga November 9, 2015

Aside from yoga, a topic I’m often asked about are my Instagram photos – who takes them, what apps do I use to edit them, and where do I find the locations to photograph them. So I've put together this post which is dedicated to answering those questions, and to sharing photo tips and some of my favorite apps.

App: Camera! – It’s always easiest when someone else is around to snap a pic - a friend, relative, or even a stranger – but when I’m on my own this is the app I use to take photos. It has a built-in timer that you can set to go off as often as once every second to once every minute. When you’re finished snapping you can go through the images and export any you like to your phone’s camera roll. My favorite part of this app has to be the cheeky little messages it displays while exporting your selected photos.

App: Snapseed – This is, hands-down, the app I most often use for editing and adding filters to photos. You can do all of the basics - lighten, saturate, rotate, & crop, but there are also stronger filters such as the ‘Drama’, 'Grunge', or ‘HDR Scape’ that can really alter the appearance of a photo. While I used to gravitate toward those more intense filters, lately I prefer a more subtle touch, such as adding a vignette, or simply increasing the warmth of an image. This is an app that offers a lot, so make sure to take some time to experiment with it and see what filters and styles you like best.

App: Over – Ever wonder how to add text to one of your images? This is a fun app that lets you do that and more. There are plenty of other apps out there that offer similar features, but I happen to really appreciate the ease of this one. There's a nice selection of colors and fonts to choose from, and the latest version of this app even offers fun artwork that can be added to your photos.

App: InstaSize – Admittedly this was more of a necessity back before Instagram allowed non-square images to be uploaded, but this app still has a lot useful tools & features built in. Aside from turning rectangular images into square ones, you can also create a collage from numerous images, incorporate playful stickers, or use one of the many unique borders to give an old photo a whole new vibe.

When it comes to finding locations that make for a good background, the truth is that it can happen just about anywhere. The key is to keep your eyes open wherever you are, and to look out for interesting details, like unique textures, vivid colors, or exceptional lighting. Often I'll find an intriguing spot in a place I'd least expect. The secret is simply to pay attention. The more you look, the more you’ll see.

Photo Shoot at The Green Building: a Glimpse into the Space and Behind-the-Scenes

Riva G Yoga February 25, 2015

Working as a creative director & yoga model integrates two of my greatest passions - yoga & creativity. Part of the preparation for each photo shoot includes scouting for unique and standout locations. While it can be fun to explore and visit new places, sometimes finding just the right spot for a project can be challenging. So when I came across The Green Building in Brooklyn NY, I admit I may have gotten more than a little excited at the prospect of shooting there.

From the moment I laid eyes on this picturesque space I could see just how perfectly it would highlight the beauty of the asana (yoga pose). And indeed it was easy capturing striking photos here - each angle of this rustic-modern, industrial chic space was stunning. Original brick walls, soaring exposed beam ceilings, and four beautiful chandeliers are just some of the features of this building that dates back to 1889.

I also got to take some fun photos with these gorgeous LOVE letters (provided by Starling on Bond.) And when the letter 'O' went for a lunch break, I had no problem filling in for him :)

Many thanks to the folks at the The Green Building and to the wonderful photographer, John F. Cooper, for making this shoot successful and lots of fun!

More info and booking for The Green Building here: http://www.thegreenbuildingnyc.com/