Why you should be using Prisma

"mcseanerson" (mcseanerson)
08/19/2016 at 11:25 • Filed to: None

It’s not why you think.

As a photographer you should consider adding Prisma to your arsenal of tools you use to improve the quality of your photographs. No, not so you can create fine pieces of artwork and share them with everyone and marvel at your beautiful images (although feel free to do that if you want.) No, the purpose of using Prisma as a photographer is to improve your composition skills.

By using Prisma it allows you to get out of the gear chase, to not worry about getting every setting just perfect. It allows you to just focus on finding an image with a good composition.

Don’t judge, I’m imitating an imperial officer.

Prisma doesn’t care about low-res front facing cameras.

Prisma doesn’t care about blurry night shots.

Prisma doesn’t care about tons of light that makes it near impossible to find definition.

Even photos that are still otherwise nice can be used to help you understand what works about those photos and why they are appealing.

By trying the variety of filters you can even focus on different elements.

What I’m getting at is you shouldn’t consider Prisma a tool for editing or publishing but use it to educate yourself on how to compose a photo with different elements like light and patterns and positioning your subject in the frame.

If any of you have already been using Prisma please share some of your samples below.

DISCUSSION (25)

mcseanerson > mcseanerson
08/19/2016 at 11:27

I intended to publish this on photography but accidentally published it to Oppo. That said I’m sure we have plenty of photographers on Oppo who would benefit from this as well so it stays.

Dru > mcseanerson
08/19/2016 at 11:29

Weird how the top image of the two cops looks more alive when Prisma'd versus natural.

HammerheadFistpunch > mcseanerson
08/19/2016 at 11:35

I agree that it’s a good learning tool and if you want to focus on dynamic range and contrast use the Heisenberg filter. You get amazing results if you can learn to find natural contrast

mcseanerson > HammerheadFistpunch
08/19/2016 at 11:38

Kinja'd!!!

I really like Heisenberg but a lot of time it feels like it gets too aggressive. I wish there was a way to scale the contrast of dark vs light other than just fading the filter.

Flavien Vidal > mcseanerson
08/19/2016 at 11:42

You should consider Prisma as what it is: a tool to make your crappy pictures look good in two clicks.

Actually, this is not a tool, it’s an app, that does so much shit that your most random pictures somehow look watchable.

So as far as I’m concerned, no thanks. I do edit my pictures, but not so that it’s gets edited to the point that you have no idea what I was trying to share in the first place.

I do photography so that you get to see what I see. I do need a bit of Photoshop to really translate my experience into picture, but that is ridiculous.

HammerheadFistpunch > mcseanerson
08/19/2016 at 11:43

That’s the trick, finding the contrast, not forcing it

Kinja'd!!!

mcseanerson > Flavien Vidal
08/19/2016 at 11:46

I’m not arguing to use Prisma to edit photos and publish them. I’m saying it’s a good tool for just focusing on composition and learning what works to make good photos. The fact that it can take crappy photos and make them look better just means there’s no reason to complain about gear and to actually get out there and practice your craft.

Jobjoris > mcseanerson
08/19/2016 at 11:47

Good call on the composition-skill enhancement. It’s just too bad it’s just a square as I usually dislike viewing squared pictures.

It is a radical tool to use. You know you can lose that watermark, don’t you?

Kinja'd!!!

mcseanerson > Jobjoris
08/19/2016 at 11:50

I like to keep the watermark because I want to be upfront that I’m using the app.

Jobjoris > mcseanerson
08/19/2016 at 11:51

I understand. But it ruins your... Composition! ;-)

My bird IS the word > mcseanerson
08/19/2016 at 11:51

Goddamnit I need to get this app. Curse you 3 g phone!

Leadbull > mcseanerson
08/19/2016 at 12:09

Kinja'd!!!

I pretty much agree with everything you said.

I’ve spent way too much time on this app, but here’s a couple of my favorites. Sadly, only one of these cars belongs to me...

mcseanerson > Leadbull
08/19/2016 at 12:24

What Prisma does for cars is the biggest thing that dragged me into it. Personally I would have never have shared over half of the photos from the post but I chose to because I thought it would be informative and help demonstrate my point.

CobraJoe > Flavien Vidal
08/19/2016 at 12:25

I disagree that Prisma makes crappy photos look better.

If they’re crappy before the filters, they’ll be crappy after. Maybe it’ll be interestingly crappy, but still.

The OP is right though, Prisma can really show you how well composed your shot was. If there’s a lot of stuff distracting from your intended focal point, it’ll often make it worse.

CobraJoe > mcseanerson
08/19/2016 at 12:30

Prisma really taught me that I like simple photos. Avoid any background nose, avoid any distractions in the photo, but keep enough variation in colors and textures, and you’ll end up with some striking photos in Prisma.

Kinja'd!!!