Favorite iPhone Apps

Just got back from two weeks in Southern Utah with three other photo buddies. Had a great time, lots of good images and scenery. One friend was envious of my iPhone 4 and I think is in the process of upgrading. We did discuss Apps for it and I thought it would be fun to mention my favorites. I know that there are others who have a separate list so here is my addition, but first a word of praise to ATT. After moving from Verizon last April, I have consistently received as good, if not better cell phone coverage with ATT than I previously had with Verizon. Quite remarkably, in almost all the places we visited in Southern Utah and Northern Arizona, we had ATT service.So here are my Photography Apps in random order:

• Audubon Field Guides: Audubon and Green Mountain Digital have put together a great selection of field guides on birds, mammals, trees, wildflowers and large selection of other more specific field guides for those either with more specific interests (Insects and Spiders) or for specific locations (Audubon Birds of New England, for example).
• Easy Release: This is the must have Photographer App. It is an application which contains standard model and property release forms in which a photographer can capture the signature and picture of the individual providing the release.
• FotoCard: An app with a grey card, white card and black card for color balancing ones camera.
• Pocket Light Meter: There are two of these apps in the iTunes store and I prefer the Pocket Light Meter which is for free. It is just like ones camera, selecting  Pocket Light Meter opens up the viewer and one can measure the shutter, f/stop and ISO for what you point it at.
• PhotoBuddy: While I dislike the name, this app has a wealth of information for photographers from DOF calculations, diffraction limits, exposure help to a chart on the sun and moon cycle. Under the "More" setting is a ton of stuff to explore.
• Star Walk: This may not be a photo app, but it is way cool and all of us on the trip thought it was great. The app allows one to point the iPhone at a particular place in the sky and the iPhone will display the stars and constellations you are looking at. Try it, you will like it.
• TPE, The Photographers Ephemeris: For all of you outdoor photographers who are planning their next outing and want to know when and where the sun will rise or set, this is the app for you. Built on Steven Trainor's TPE for the desktop, this is a great app with a 100% 5 star rating.

Related Photography Apps: Here is a list of other apps I use in relationship to photography but ones that could not be truly categorized under this topic.

• Convert: A nice app for converting feet to meters, liters to gallons and whatever.
• AyeTides: Since a lot of my photography is around the water, this app gives me the high and low tides for the area I am at and their times. A nice bar graph to show were the tide cycle is at that moment.
• Darkness - Sun, Moon: Another nice app for determining the sunset, sunrise, and the twilights (civil, nautical and astronomical) as well as their azimuths. Can set this for favorite locations.
• Moon Phase: Simple calendar which shows the phase of the moon by day for a particular month.
• The Weather Channel: A nice way of keeping track of the weather in your area or where you are at with 36 hour and 10 day forecasts.

Other must have apps:

• Starbucks App: Store locator that also tells when they open or close.
• In-n-Out Berger App: Store locator for In-n-Out Berger.
• Sound Hound: It is one of The New York Times Top 10 Apps and it recognized the artist and song of a piece of music being played. Even one you hum.
• TripDeck: For me, this has been a very nice way of keeping all of my travel arrangements in one, paperless, place.

These are not the only apps I use, but they are some of my favorites and most handy. I have not found a travel guide app to be very helpful, however, this coming year we will be venturing to Europe and I will put a couple of them to the test.Have fun exploring the world of Apps and let me know if there is one you like which I should try.Earl