A Day In The Life Of Denis Perekhrest aka codesweeper – A Very Talented iPhone Photographer, Looking Forward To The iPhone 6
Welcome to our very exciting new column on theappwhisperer.com, this section is entitled ‘A day in the life of …’ and we’ll be taking a look some hugely influential and interesting people in the mobile app world. Ones that we think you will love to learn more about.
This is our fifteenth installment to our new series, you can read the others here, if you have missed them so far. Kicking us off today is 35 year old, Minsk, Belarus born and bred Denis Perekhrest. Denis works in the sphere of IT and has a wide range of experience from web-design and web-page layout to project management at Viaden Media, a company that is also engaged in mobile apps development.
Denis’ Instagram profiles says ‘Designer, Podcaster, Father’ and these are the three major areas of his life. He has a beautiful daughter who often appears in his photographs. Denis also has a good friend and they have been making podcasts about Minsk for more than three years. He also has a strong passion in literature and reads around five to seven books a month. (We’re not sure if these are ibooks or not ;)).
Denis bought his first iPhone 3GS two years ago but he didn’t really use it as a camera. It was only after he registered at Instagram on November 2, 2010 that his iPhone photography career started. For a long time he was taking different styles of pictures, from architecture to pictures of his daughter.
Denis found that Instagram was a very convenient tool for sharing pictures. However, he gradually got more involved into this movement and subscribed to creative people. He often checked their feedback to his pictures and finally he came to the conclusion that it was time for him to switch from everyday casual pictures to more artistic ones.
The pictures were made from the camera of the iPhone 3GS and required additional processing. At this stage he started his experiments with Instagram filters and other apps.
When he heard the Apple announcement of the Apple iPhone 4S he immediately realized that was what he really needed, the iPhone of his dreams. Denis’ friends brought him the device from the USA a couple of weeks later and he felt as if he had switched from a bike to a Porsche!
Check out the full interview below…
We have included exif data, in as much as the app or apps that were used to create the final image. As many of the images were cross processed we have listed the apps in the sequential order they were used in the editing process, we have also provided links for each app to the iTunes App Store, just incase you’re inspired enough to try them out for yourself as well as accessories used. You can find all the links at the end of this article.
(If you would like to be interviewed for our new ‘A day in the life of …’ section, just send an email to [email protected], and we’ll get it set up.
First Things First…
Copyright Image – Denis Perekhrest aka codesweeper – ’City Landscape′ – Apps Used – Dynamic Light, Snapseed, PhotoFX, Iris
JC – Let’s start at the beginning of the day, how does your day start?
DP – My day starts as usual: waking up, having breakfast and leaving for work. When I’m having breakfast I’m browsing through the Instagram updates to view the pictures that appeared for the night. Then I go to work by public transport, read books and news, but if the weather is good and I’m in the right mood I try to change my route to work and have a short walk to take some pictures. After work I try to repeat my walk again, so it’s almost the same as in the morning, but in a reverse order.
Magic Hour…
Copyright Image – Denis Perekhrest aka codesweeper – ’City Landscape2′ – Apps Used – Snapseed
JC – When is your favorite part of the day for taking photographs, do you hanker for the magic hour or shoot whenever the opportunity arises?
DP – Actually not. I’m a heavy sleeper. I stay late at night and it’s not easy to wake up early afterwards. I know about the phenomenon of magic hour, however, I didn’t work it out for myself. Moreover, I believe that I can take wonderful pictures at any time.
Photographer vs iPhone Photographer…
Copyright Image – Denis Perekhrest aka codesweeper – ’City Traffic′ – Apps Used – Slowshutter, Snapseed
JC – How did the transition from traditional photographer to iPhone photographer develop? (pardon the pun).
DP – I wouldn’t say that I ever was a traditional photographer. I was taking pictures from time to time, usually when I was on vacation, then I printed some of the pictures and now I have them
in some photo album and hardly ever browse through them. I took a serious interest in photography only after I got an iPhone and an account at Instagram and I was especially excited by the possibility to share my pictures with the whole world.
New Apps…
Copyright Image – Denis Perekhrest aka codesweeper – ’Cyclist′ – Apps Used – Dynamic Light, Snapseed, Pixlromatic, Photo fx, Filterstorm
JC – Do you like to download new iPhone photography apps regularly?
DP – I’m trying to keep up with the news and updates in the world of photo apps, however, I don’t chase new apps. I have my preferred apps for processing pictures and I rarely download new ones.
Updates…
Copyright Image – Denis Perekhrest aka codesweeper – ’Dog Waiting′ – Apps Used – Snapseed, Noir
JC – How often do you update your existing apps?
DP – Every day, if such updates are available. It’s pretty easy 🙂
Location, Location, Location…
Copyright Image – Denis Perekhrest aka codesweeper – ’Fishing in the city′ – Apps Used – Snapseed, Noir
JC – Where’s your favorite place in the world for a shoot?
DP – I can’t tell for the whole world. I was only in Bulgaria, but I’d like to go to Paris, Barcelona, New York City and San Francisco.
Tools Of The Trade…
Copyright Image – Denis Perekhrest aka codesweeper – ’Fly′ – Apps Used – Snapseed, Noir
JC – Do you also use iPhone photography tool apps, such as The Photographer’s Ephemeris?
DP – No, I don’t. I haven’t even heard of such tools. I had to google and read about them. However, I’m not going to start using them. It’s somehow difficult. iPhone photography for me is based on the present moment: to take a picture right on the spot, to handle it a bit later and post it.
Sharing…
Copyright Image – Denis Perekhrest aka codesweeper – ’Fog on the road′ – Apps Used – Snapseed
JC – Where do you like to upload your photographs? Flickr, Instagram?
DP – After working on the pictures I upload them all to Flickr. Simultaneously all these pictures are waiting for Instagram. I don’t like posting pictures to instagram every five minutes. I
make pauses, check the feedback and stats. First I used to download new pictures to instagram in 500px, but I don’t anymore. I started downloading new pictures in Yandex.Fotki.
Favorite Subjects…
Copyright Image – Denis Perekhrest aka codesweeper – ’Hard Push′ – Apps Used – Snapseed, Noir
JC – What are your favorite subjects?
DP – On top of my pictures list are people or street photography. It’s very interesting. The city is full of events that can be shot. And even though I’ve been living here all my life, I take almost the same way to work every day, I do find something new and unusual around me. I especially like watching people around, the way they behave. Of course, it’s not always easy to make the right shot. Sometimes I can’t even handle the pictures that I make and then I regret that I missed that wonderful opportunity. My second favorite subject is architecture. I want to show to the whole world how beautiful and unusual our city is.
Favorite Apps…
Copyright Image – Denis Perekhrest aka codesweeper – ’Little bit apocalyptic’ – Apps used – Photoforge 2, iCamera HDR, Pixlromatic, Snapseed, Photo FX, Filterstorm, Iris Photo Suite, LensLight, PhotoToaster
JC – What are your favorite, at the moment, iPhone photography apps?
DP – With the introduction of 5.0 firmware when they put the basic camera on a lock screen I use only the basic camera. It’s very convenient and what’s more it’s very quick, which helps taking unusual shots.
At present I am a fan of two trends. The first one is a street photography. Here I use Snapseed and Noir. The second one is HDR. Here my favorites are Dynamic Light, Snapseed, PhotoFX, Iris Photo Studio, Filterstorm, and sometimes Pixlromatic. I often take panoramic pictures with the help of Photosynth and I work on my Instagram photos in Squaready.
Where In The World…?
Copyright Image – Denis Perekhrest aka codesweeper – ’Lonely Girl′ – Apps Used – Snapseed, Noir
JC – Do you think it’s country specific, are some nations more clued up?
DP – No, I don’t think so. The country doesn’t actually matter as there are always people who notice something that others miss. And these people are photographers who make records of these moments, emotions and stories.
Frequency…
Copyright Image – Denis Perekhrest aka codesweeper – ’Luch′ – famous USSR clock factory – Apps used – Photoforge 2, iCamera HDR, Pixlromatic, Snapseed, Photo FX, Filterstorm, Iris Photo Suite, Rays, LensLight, PhotoToaster
JC – Do you take photographs with your iPhone every day?
DP – Well, mostly yes. I take at least a couple of pictures a day. But if it’s a pretty successful day I’ll have about 10 or 20 of them.
Top Five Tips…
Copyright Image – Denis Perekhrest aka codesweeper – ’Railtracks’ – Apps used – Photoforge 2, iCamera HDR, Pixlromatic, Snapseed, Photo FX, Filterstorm, Iris Photo Suite, Rays, LensLight, PhotoToaster
JC – What are you top five tips for iPhone photography?
DP –
1. Shoot everything around you. Then work on it and invent the title.
2. Look around you. (it’s also useful for your safety)
3. Don’t try to save time time on post-processing.
Sometimes you can make a wonderful picture out of the one that seems to be unsuccessful at a first glance.
4. Don’t be afraid of experiments. Browse through new apps, discover new opportunities, learn new techniques, try your own filters and settings.
5. Learn more. Read the articles, watch videos, look through third party photos.
Editing…
Copyright Image – Denis Perekhrest aka codesweeper – ’Reflection′ – Apps Used – Snapseed
JC – Do you edit images on your iPhone or do you prefer to do that on a desktop/laptop?
DP – Only iPhone (sometimes iPad, when I need to do some urgent work and I need a big screen). I consider it to be unfair to use a desktop for processing pictures. Photoshop is definitely a wonderful tool, however, if you can do the same using only an iPhone it says about an absolutely different level of your professional skills. Another point is, that the process seems rather complicated as you have to transfer pictures to the computer first and then upload them back to the phone to be able to post them
on Instagram.
Videography…
Copyright Image – Denis Perekhrest aka codesweeper – ’Old ZAZ-965 Zaporozhets 1969′ – Apps used – Dynamic Light, Snapseed, PhotoFX, Iris, Filterstorm
JC – Do you enjoy videography with your iPhone?
DP – A little bit. I was making a video of our corporate party, then I made a short video. I further plan to start practicing videography because it seems interesting for me.
The Future Of iPhone Photography…
Copyright Image – Denis Perekhrest aka codesweeper – ’Tower′ – Apps Used – Snapseed
JC – Where do you see the future of iPhone photography?
DP – I don’t like making forecast and I’m not good at it. However, I believe that iPhone photography as a phenomenon will keep growing and developing. iPhone has a very convenient camera that is
always at hand, thus new pictures and new stories are waiting for us.
Popularity…
Copyright Image – Denis Perekhrest aka codesweeper – ’Two′ – Apps Used – Snapseed
JC – What do you think is the most popular area of iPhone photography?
DP – I believe that the most popular area is street photography. In the street there are plenty of people with their emotions and their stories, while buildings, castles, churches and other urban attributes will keep standing almost unchanged.
iPhone 5…
Copyright Image – Denis Perekhrest aka codesweeper – ’Upper City panorama’ – Apps used – Photosynth, TouchRetouch, Photoforge 2, iCamera HDR, Pixlromatic, Snapseed, Photo FX, Filterstorm, Iris Photo Suite, LensLight, PhotoToaster Jr
JC – What do you hope for in the iPhone 5?
DP – I’ve just changed my 3GS for 4S, that’s why I will be looking for iPhone 6. I’m 100% satisfied with my 4S.
TheAppWhisperer.com
Copyright Image – Denis Perekhrest aka codesweeper – ’Waiting′ – Apps Used – Snapseed, Noir, Pixlromatic
JC – What do you think of Joanne and theappwhisperer.com?
DP – Unfortunately, I haven’t heard of Joanne and the website before. However, I’ve already browsed through the website, read some articles and subscribed to RSS. So I’m going to follow her.
JC – We’re really pleased to hear that Denis and thank you for uploading your wonderful images to our Flickr group – Mobile Photography and Imagery, they’re stunning.
Complete Links To All The Apps Used And Mentioned In This Article
Copyright Image – DenisPerekhrest aka codesweeper – ’Wheel & Tower – Apps Used – Snapseed, PhotoFx, Pixlromatic
Apps Used with links:
Dynamic Light
Snapseed
PhotoFx
Iris
SlowShutter
Filterstorm
Noir
Photoforge2
iCamera HDR
Lenslight
PhotoToaster
Rays
Photosynth
Squaready
Copyright Image – Denis Perekhrest aka codesweeper – ’White. White. White’ – Apps Used – Snapseed
Joanne Carter
Joanne Carter, creator of the world’s most popular mobile photography and art website— TheAppWhisperer.com— TheAppWhisperer platform has been a pivotal cyberspace for mobile artists of all abilities to learn about, to explore, to celebrate and to share mobile artworks. Joanne’s compassion, inclusivity, and humility are hallmarks in all that she does, and is particularly evident in the platform she has built. In her words, “We all have the potential to remove ourselves from the centre of any circle and to expand a sphere of compassion outward; to include everyone interested in mobile art, ensuring every artist is within reach”, she has said. Promotion of mobile artists and the art form as a primary medium in today’s art world, has become her life’s focus. She has presented lectures bolstering mobile artists and their art from as far away as the Museum of Art in Seoul, South Korea to closer to her home in the UK at Focus on Imaging. Her experience as a jurist for mobile art competitions includes: Portugal, Canada, US, S Korea, UK and Italy. And her travels pioneering the breadth of mobile art includes key events in: Frankfurt, Naples, Amalfi Coast, Paris, Brazil, London. Pioneering the world’s first mobile art online gallery - TheAppWhispererPrintSales.com has extended her reach even further, shipping from London, UK to clients in the US, Europe and The Far East to a global group of collectors looking for exclusive art to hang in their homes and offices. The online gallery specialises in prints for discerning collectors of unique, previously unseen signed limited edition art. Her journey towards becoming The App Whisperer, includes (but is not limited to) working for a paparazzi photo agency for several years and as a deputy editor for a photo print magazine. Her own freelance photographic journalistic work is also widely acclaimed. She has been published extensively both within the UK and the US in national and international titles. These include The Times, The Sunday Times, The Guardian, Popular Photography & Imaging, dpreview, NikonPro, Which? and more recently with the BBC as a Contributor, Columnist at Vogue Italia and Contributing Editor at LensCulture. Her professional photography has also been widely exhibited throughout Europe, including Italy, Portugal and the UK. She is currently writing several books, all related to mobile art and is always open to requests for new commissions for either writing or photography projects or a combination of both. Please contact her at: [email protected]
One Comment
tillie
another great artist and interview joanne! thanks for all the information you are sharing.