What Apps Are We Using This Month? with Rita Colantonio -

Welcome to TheAppWhisperer’s new section, “what apps are we using this month” series, where we discover which apps you are particularly enjoying. Kicking us off is non-other than Award Winning Mobile Photographer, Rita Colantonio.

Rita Colantonio is represented exclusively by TheAppWhisperer Gallery

My name is Rita Colantonio. I refer to myself as a digital artist and iPhoneographer. I live on Cape Cod in New England, USA. I’m a retired public school art teacher. I am now approaching mid 70’s and I’m about to celebrate my 50th wedding annniversary. My husband and I just returned from a vacation in Belize so much of my art recently has been focused on imagery from that trip. My camera of choice is the iPhone 14 Pro Max and I edit on the iPad Pro. I frequently pre-edit my photographs in the native editing app before I go to the iPad.

My art has been a mix of photography, some of it edited in Hipstamatic, IColorama or Snapseed, and collages or composites. My collage work is primarily created in Procreate, but very often refined either in IColorama or Snapseed. Blending textures in my work is done in procreate or IColorama. I occasionally use distressedfx app for texture. My collages usually consist of photographs, painted in procreate, and snippets of textures, text and parts of images on my camera roll. Procreate allows me to add lines and brushstrokes as well, including brushes that I have made. I sometimes use Metabrush app for painting. This past month I have also used DECIM8 for abstracting an image. As a rule I always use LightBrush for dodging/burning, sharpening (intensify tool) and subtle blurring. It allows me to focus on specific areas of the image. I use Snapseed for vignettes and frames.

Following are several images I created inspired by my trip to Belize and the apps I used to create them.

‘The writing on the wall’ ©Rita Colantonio – This is a composite created from a photograph of a half painted wall. The man was part of a street photo and the graffiti was shot in a different location. The image was composited in procreate and the figure was painted. The toning and water filter were done in IColorama. Final edits in Snapseed including frame

©Rita Colantonio – I posed for this shot and had my husband take the photo. I used Hipstamatic app and Snapseed for frame and vignette

‘Floating Hibiscius’ ©Rita Colantonio – This was an iPhone shot of hibiscus flowers arranged in a pool of water. In IColorama I started with water and painterly filters, then in distressedfx app I added the texture. I added the butterfly in Procreate and touched up color and dodging in LightBrush app.

‘The banana bread lady’ ©Rita Colantonio – This was a fun collage I created completely in Procreate. The woman was part of a street photo in Placencia. Here she is making change. The porch and truck were parts of other Belize photos. Other colors and graphics, including text, were designed by me. The bananas are clip art.

‘Palm leaf abstract’ ©Rita Colantonio – This image started as a macro photograph of palm leaves. In IColorama I used the flat tool and edges to get the tones and abstract quality.

‘Come on in’ ©Rita Colantonio – This is a street image in Placencia. This place is all about color. I used Metabrush app to paint this photograph and IColorama for edges and water filter.

.I would say that Procreate app is my highest recommendation. For the type of editing I do this app meets all my requirements and more. Even though I use other apps, I could actually do everything I need to do in this one app. Thank you Joanne Carter for inviting me to share my images and techniques!

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