Apple's App Store is one of technology's modern marvels. With basement developers paving the way and now big-name developers getting in on the action, there is no end to what you might find popping up next in the App Store. While it's easy to find the Top 100 apps, many people don't have time to dig through all of the more than 100,000 apps to find the best of the rest. There are many hidden gems in the App Store -- apps that are addictive, funny, useful or innovative. Here are 5 of the apps that come to mind when considering the very best of what the App Store has to offer.
DoodleJump - It's been said that DoodleJump is to the iPhone what Super Mario Brothers was to the NES. This is one of the most mind-bogglingly addicting games out there, and is so because of its simplicity. As you move the device left or right, so moves your character as your try to hop from platform to platform, avoiding enemies and picking up power-ups as you go. With no limit as to how high you can go, DoodleJump will keep you busy and entertained for hours!
MyTown - Have you ever wanted to own real estate in your own town? With MyTown, now you can. MyTown offers the user the ability to purchase businesses and property within miles of where you live, all the while charging rent, expanding property lines and getting rich. While it may not be the most realistic idea in the world, it certainly is fun to play it out on your iPhone! With the inclusion of lottery tickets, there is no telling how much money you can make in MyTown.
Dizzypad - Similar to DoodleJump in its simplicity, Dizzypad continues to be one of the most addicting games available in the app store. You play a frog, who - rotating faster and faster as time moves on - is tasked with jumping from lily pad to lily pad and avoiding the water below. The game is deceptively easy to pick up and learn, only to get devilishly hard as you progress. You'll find yourself constantly trying to beat your last score each time you pick up Dizzypad, and likely won't put it down for an hour.
ADoodleFly - ADoodleFly is very similar in looks to DoodleJump, however it is a totally different game. Just as addicting in its own right, ADoodleFly puts the user in control of a flying character who is shot horizontally out of a canon and must ride the endless platforms that lay before him. With countless power-ups, a quirky story and very interesting graphics, ADoodleFly will fast become one of your favorite games in the App Store if it hasn't already.
Rope'n Fly 2 - Rope'n Fly 2 is one of the most unique games available in the app store. The game puts you in control of a dummy with the ability to shoot ropes wherever you touch your finger on the screen. Your job is to rappel from building to building in a horizontal cityscape without letting the doll fall to the ground. Surprisingly difficult with real fluid movement, you've never played a game quite like this before.
Friday, July 1, 2011
How to Get Rid of Backscatter When Using a Camera Underwater
One of the all-time biggest frustrations is to find that the great pictures you took underwater look like they were taken while it was snowing. All those semi-translucent, white circles of various sizes are known as backscatter.
Great you say, but what are they doing in my photos – the water was clear? Actually water is rarely all that clear, we just can’t see the smaller particles suspended in it. These may be plankton or sand or any number of things that the camera can see really well, especially when lit up by the internal flash of your underwater camera.
Now you’ve already figured out that a flash is definitely required to restore color absorbed by the water, especially the reds and yellows, and perhaps also that you need to be close to the subject for the same reason – that light doesn’t travel too far down into the ocean. So if the flash is required, but caused the problem, what’s the solution?
First off, it was really the angle of the flash to the lens that was problematic. Backscatter is caused by the flash reflecting off the particles then back into the camera lens, and gets worse the closer the cameras internal flash is to the lens. It’s a real problem on the newer sub-compacts because the flash is often right next to the lens.
The solution is to put some distance between the flash and the lens by utilizing an external flash. Doing so won’t stop the reflection from happening, but will make it far more likely that the reflected light goes somewhere other than your camera lens.
A good starting approach is to set up your external flash or strobe to where it will illuminate your subject from either the top or side. If you’ve got dual strobes, you can lessen shadows by sending light from two directions. What you’re after is to light up what you’re trying to photograph and not the water between the camera and subject.
As with most things some experimentation will be useful. You may want to try angling the strobes slightly outward where the light isn’t directly on the subject. Also, because the suspended particles are probably multi-faceted, not just flat, an errant reflection could still cause a little backscatter. To deal with this a diffuser will help soften the light and eliminate the reflection of direct light.
Besides getting an external flash, there are several other things you can do to lessen the chances that backscatter will be a problem. One is to get as close as possible to your subject. The less water between the camera and subject, the fewer particles. Also, backscatter is easier to see on solid backgrounds like open water, so try to shoot toward a busy background like a reef where backscatter won’t be so obvious.
Perfect your diving skills so that you’re relaxed in the water and the added distraction of fussing with underwater camera equipment and taking pictures doesn’t cause a perilous situation like running short of air.
Of utmost importance is your ability to maintain proper buoyancy, not just for getting the shot, but to keep from trashing the reef in the process. Proper finning techniques and approaching subjects from down-current will also make a big difference in not stirring up sand or silt.
Great you say, but what are they doing in my photos – the water was clear? Actually water is rarely all that clear, we just can’t see the smaller particles suspended in it. These may be plankton or sand or any number of things that the camera can see really well, especially when lit up by the internal flash of your underwater camera.
Now you’ve already figured out that a flash is definitely required to restore color absorbed by the water, especially the reds and yellows, and perhaps also that you need to be close to the subject for the same reason – that light doesn’t travel too far down into the ocean. So if the flash is required, but caused the problem, what’s the solution?
First off, it was really the angle of the flash to the lens that was problematic. Backscatter is caused by the flash reflecting off the particles then back into the camera lens, and gets worse the closer the cameras internal flash is to the lens. It’s a real problem on the newer sub-compacts because the flash is often right next to the lens.
The solution is to put some distance between the flash and the lens by utilizing an external flash. Doing so won’t stop the reflection from happening, but will make it far more likely that the reflected light goes somewhere other than your camera lens.
A good starting approach is to set up your external flash or strobe to where it will illuminate your subject from either the top or side. If you’ve got dual strobes, you can lessen shadows by sending light from two directions. What you’re after is to light up what you’re trying to photograph and not the water between the camera and subject.
As with most things some experimentation will be useful. You may want to try angling the strobes slightly outward where the light isn’t directly on the subject. Also, because the suspended particles are probably multi-faceted, not just flat, an errant reflection could still cause a little backscatter. To deal with this a diffuser will help soften the light and eliminate the reflection of direct light.
Besides getting an external flash, there are several other things you can do to lessen the chances that backscatter will be a problem. One is to get as close as possible to your subject. The less water between the camera and subject, the fewer particles. Also, backscatter is easier to see on solid backgrounds like open water, so try to shoot toward a busy background like a reef where backscatter won’t be so obvious.
Perfect your diving skills so that you’re relaxed in the water and the added distraction of fussing with underwater camera equipment and taking pictures doesn’t cause a perilous situation like running short of air.
Of utmost importance is your ability to maintain proper buoyancy, not just for getting the shot, but to keep from trashing the reef in the process. Proper finning techniques and approaching subjects from down-current will also make a big difference in not stirring up sand or silt.
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