It might not be enough to go pro, but it’s definitely good practice.

(Guest post by Samuel Cole*)

The smartphone might be the boon and bane of photographers everywhere, with some exclaiming that they’ve brought about the death of professional photography. But it’s not just smartphones that seem to have aided in the sudden increase of interest in photography. Newer, inexpensive models of professional-grade cameras have made the industry more accessible to a variety of people, and now more and more people are setting up their own photography businesses.

Although it remains to be seen whether or not these new businesses will flourish in an age that’s become more and more inclined to document everything with a photograph, it’s no secret that smartphones are giving budding photographers the chance to practice their craft.
There are hundreds of photography and photo-editing apps available nowadays, and while nothing will beat a great computer for editing raw files, some apps can actually supercharge the photographs you take with your smartphone. The market for mobile apps is continually increasing, with Gaming Realms, owners and operators of Castle Jackpot, estimating that the market will be worth upwards of $14.6 billion by the end of 2014.

Hundreds of apps are now available for the would-be photographer, but here are two that really take the cake:

1. Camera Awesome (Android and iPhone)
Featured everywhere from the New York Times to the Wall Street Journal, Camera Awesome has been downloaded over 20 million times. It gives users a choice of several shooting modes, including Burst, Timer, Interval and Panorama, as well as easy access to composition guides.

2. Camera+ (iPhone)
Camera+ has received commendations from Time Magazine, Life Hacker, and more. The app makes full use of the range of features made available on the latest iPhones, giving users access to continuous flash, touch exposure and focus, and even selective editing.

Whether you believe that smartphone photography could soon put professional photography to an end or not, these apps can surely help would-be photographers hone their craft, and break out into the industry.

* Views and opinions of this guest post are solely of Samuel Cole. They do not necessarily represent those of Konrad Dwojak