5 Apps That Every Outdoor Enthusiast Needs
#1 - The Weather App to Know Before You Go
The best tip I’ve ever received to improve my outdoor photography is simply to get outside and practice as much as possible. Easier said that done, right? That worked great when I lived in a cabin in the woods and could take walks right out my front door no matter the season. The rest of us might want to check the weather before we go adventuring. I’ve used almost all of the free weather apps, but hands-down the best weather app is Dark Sky and it only costs $3.99 for a one-time purchase. Dark Sky says this about their app:
“Dark Sky offers hyperlocal weather information. With down-to-the-minute forecasts, you’ll know exactly when the rain will start or stop —right where you’re standing. (It’s like magic.)”
Now that I live in Colorado, the rain feature isn’t quite as useful (thank you 300 days of sunshine). However, I still rely on its great layout featuring radar, hour-by-hour forecasts, and the ability to toggle between temperature and useful information like cloud cover % (important for sunrise/sunset photos) and wind (hiking safety).
#2 - Find Your Light
Let’s say you’re planning a camping trip and want to get the best campsite for a sunrise shot. Maybe you’ll get lucky and read a review that mentions a specific site, but did you know there’s a tool to figure it out yourself? I learned about this app from professional landscape photographers, but it’s useful for anyone wanting to get outdoors in general. At $9.99, The Photographer’s Ephemeris is the most expensive app I’ve purchased, but it’s worth it. Find the location for your future campsite, set the date, and voila - you’ll see when and where the sun and moon rises and sets. I used this app to pick out this stunning campsite at Umbagog Lake State Park. I also use this app before each adventure session and wedding to see when and where the light will be best.
#3 & #4 What is That?
Apps that help you understand your surroundings are great for families, nature nerds, or beginners. I use two FREE apps to help me learn about what I’m photographing in nature.
PLANTS - There are a ton of plant identification apps out there, but I’m here for iNaturalist. Not only does this app have best AI for identification based on a photo, it is also a “social network for sharing biodiversity information to help each other learn about nature.” You just take or upload a photo to get a list of the 10 most visually similar species. When you create a free account, you can keep track of all your sightings, and get feedback from other uses to confirm or refine your identification.
BIRDS - Merlin Bird ID is the best free app for bird identification. Cornell Lab who runs the allaboutbirds.org website created the app. There’s a couple different ways I use it. If I happen to see the bird I can use the “Bird ID” feature to narrow down what kind of bird I saw. If I get a photo of a bird, I can use the Photo ID feature. I’ve also used the “Explore Birds” feature to simply see what kinds of birds might be in my area or particular habitat and have identified birds based on a matching sound.
#5 - Enhance with Editing
Whether capturing a pretty landscape or snapping a candid of your family on a hike, a little editing can go a long way to “fix” a previously unexciting photo or enhance the details you already captured. I love the look of my old family photos, so I use an app called VSCO to get a timeless, film-like look to my photos. It’s also great for little tweaks. The app is free but only comes with 10 presets. An annual VSCO membership for $19.99 gives me access to hundreds of presets, editing tools, and the ability to add presets to video. I primarily use editing tools to: 1) lighten shadows 2) add warmth 3) bring out richer colors 4) add contrast. Some of my favorite presets are the L series (for landscapes) and the KP series (mimics Kodak Portra film).