We sent our new GripTight smartphone tripod to a few of our favorite Instagrammers, asked them to give it a whirl and then share their photos and experience here on the blog. Lodon-based photographer Allan Hinton does wonders with an iPhone. His photographs first caught our eye a year ago because of his knack for capturing the atmosphere and emotion of a scene. He also has an amazing eye for color. Thanks Allan for sharing your thoughts and photos with us!
Allan Hinton
London, England | @chaiwalla
What is your best tip for using the GripTight?
My biggest tip is to always have the GripTight in your possession, in your bag or chained to your key ring. It is portable enough to not take up too much room in your pocket. Most of my photographs are spontaneous while I am on the go and I’m often inspired by moments in time that I cannot plan for.
Tell us about a time that you really stretched yourself creatively because of the GripTight?
I haven’t done this yet but I was thinking the GripTight would be perfect for taking photographs at my local swimming pool. I have a bulky waterproof case for my phone and the GripTight would have no problem in gripping around my iPhone and its case. I could then place the phone steadily at the edge of the pool and get creative with multiple exposure shots!
What are your favorite apps for shooting? For editing?
My favorite app to edit photos are Snapseed, PicFx and Blender. Blender this is a great way to blend two of the same image together if you can’t pick which edit you prefer – sometimes a slight blend of the two can result in a perfect finish.
What is your advice for someone just starting out as as photographer?
Be brave enough to try something new and enjoy being a beginner and making early mistakes. You will feel proud when looking back at early photos and seeing how far you’ve come. It’s very easy to feel insecure when comparing your photos to someone with many followers on Instagram. It’s likely that they’ve been photographing for years and have had their own time to grow.