A Day In The Life Of ...

A Day In The Life Of David Hayes – A Banker, Teacher And Now Awesome iPhone Photographer

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 fourteenth installment to our new series, you can read the others here, if you have missed them so far. Kicking us off today is David Hayes a self trained artist with a few photography and art studio classes along the way. David has done many things in his life, so far. Some perhaps not as significant as others, he claims. He has been happily married for 30+ years, has two beautiful adult daughters, and recently retired from teaching.

David worked at a truck stop and as a janitor to put himself through college. A couple of years at a small ad agency convinced him that wasn’t what he wanted, so after picking up an MBA he became a banker, managing other people’s money. Twelve years of this showed him that this wasn’t what he wanted either…so it was back to grad school.

This time, with a MEd in Elementary Education in hand, he became a teacher. Fourteen and half years…and it was time once again for a change. So now he is giving his “art” a chance. David’s work expresses his life experiences and his take on things around him . He is always surprised by what he comes up with and invites you to come along for the ride!

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…

life

Copyright Image – David Hayes – ’22’ – Apps Used – ProCamera

 

JC – Let’s start at the beginning of the day, how does your day start?

DH – I like to start off slowly….a quiet breakfast….reading the paper, checking on emails and the like with coffee. Four mornings out of the week I go off to yoga or Pilates practice at a nearby studio. After this it’s onto the agenda of the day…and each day is a little different. Chores, errands and so forth. It’s not really until the afternoon that I can start focusing on my photography.

 

Magic Hour…

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Copyright Image – David Hayes – ‘Afternoon’ – Apps Used – ScratchCam

 

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?

DH – Yes and no. I prefer the quiet of the morning if I’m shooting somewhere other than around my house…so if I can, I’ll head out early on. Most times, I just take pics when the opportunity presents itself…which is why I’m loving iPhoneography. My iPhone is always with me….and ready. I don’t have to pack up my Nikons and all the gear that goes with them….too much planning for most days!!!

 

Photographer vs iPhone Photographer

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Copyright Image – David Hayes – ‘Ball’ – Apps Used – PhotoToaster

 

JC – How did the transition from traditional photographer to iPhone photographer develop? (pardon the pun).

DH – That’s okay…I love puns! One or two might just show up….

I like to tell people that I am a traditionally trained photographer who has gone over to the dark side of iPhoneography. My traditional equipment is stored away, collecting dust….and this includes my digital gear!! It was back in the 70’s, as an undergraduate media arts student, that I first became hooked on photography. We had to use Diana 120 cameras and do our own processing. Ah…the smell of fix in the early morning! (As an aside, it tickles me to see the prices that are being asked today for the “toy cameras”…I think I paid a $1 for mine!) From there, I jumped feet first into black and white photography and eventually color. Life eventually got in the way and I had to put all of this aside. When digital photography started being developed, I was one of the first to jump on this bandwagon because of the ease of creating images…if you could master Photoshop or one of the equivalents. It wasn’t hard to make the change to iPhoneography…I kept hearing about the great camera on the iPhones and all the apps so when it came the time that I was able to switch to an iPhone…I did! And haven’t turned back yet!

 

New Apps…

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Copyright Image – David Hayes – ‘Bulldog’ – Apps Used – PhotoForge2

 

JC – Do you like to download new iPhone photography apps regularly?

DH – YES! Almost everyday I’m picking up a new app…or at least looking for one to try out!! It’s become an addiction…I get real nervous if I haven’t downloaded a new one! Which is why I like to check in with sites like TheAppWhisperer.com for tips on the latest and greatest! Right now I’m waiting for 645 Pro which sounds like a fantastic camera app!

I must have close to 120 different apps on my iPhone and at least that many….if not more on my iPad. I’m sorry to say that there are some I don’t use regularly and will have to go back to them sometime to see why I downloaded them in the first place!! I also make it a habit to weed out ones that I find don’t “fit” my style or duplicate what I already have. Have to keep an eye on my memory, you know! One of the reasons I started my i365 project this year was to force me to at least try out all my apps…and it’s working!

 

Updates…

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Copyright Image – David Hayes – ‘C.A.M.’ – Apps Used – Streetmate, FX Photo Studio

 

JC – How often do you update your existing apps?

DH – Daily….or at least as often as updates come out. I regularly check the App Store for update info….and particular apps like Hipstamatic who are always issuing limited edition Hipstapaks… I don’t want to miss those!

 

Location, Location, Location…

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Copyright Image – David Hayes – ‘Chicken Scratch’ – Apps Used – Scratchcam, Instagram

 

JC – Where’s your favorite place in the world for a shoot?

DH – I know this is going to sound trite, but I have no favorite place…it’s wherever I’m at the moment. I view my art…and my iPhoneography is part of my art….as my take on life…as I live it. I rarely go somewhere with the only purpose of taking photographs.(In fact, there are times that I’ll be somewhere and not take any pics…just not in the mood!) Now…if given the chance to go to some exciting location for a photo shoot, I wouldn’t pass it up…I keep hoping that Sports Illustrated will want to have an iPhoneographer on board someday for their swimsuit shoots….

JC – Yeah, right David 😉

 

Tools Of The Trade…

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Copyright Image – David Hayes – ‘City’ – Apps Used – FX Photo Studio, RainyDaze HD

 

JC – Do you also use iPhone photography tool apps, such as The Photographer’s Ephemeris?

DH – Now this is an interesting app! This one and several just like it would be great if I really needed to know about the “light” in a certain area….but right now I don’t…so I don’t use them. (They are on my App Store wish list just in case Sports Illustrated does call…)

 

Sharing…

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Copyright Image – David Hayes – ‘Red Light Dancer’ – Apps Used – FX Photo Studio, Flowpaper, Snapseed

 

JC – Where do you like to upload your photographs? Flickr, Instagram?

DH – I upload images daily to my blog, to my Flickr stream, my Tumblr stream, to Instagram, and to Facebook! I also submit to sites like CreateHive, iPhone Art and a couple of other app specific sites that I follow. I like to get my work out there…and to hear back from viewers what they think about my images. The internet is such a great resource for photographers in this regard. I also spend time everyday just checking out other images…I can learn so much from these!

 

Favorite Subjects…

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Copyright Image – David Hayes – ‘Behind The Eight Ball’ – Apps Used – TypePlay, Phoster, Iris, Scratchcam, Snapseed, FX Photo Studio

 

JC – What are your favorite subjects?

DH – Life around me. It’s like this…I have a good friend who is a fantastic photographer…not an iPhoneographer, but I’m working on that….who has the opportunity to travel world wide. The images he produces from these locations are incredible…as are the figurative studies he also does. I used to bemoan the fact that since I couldn’t shoot the same subject matter as he did… my photos would never be as good. It took me a long time to realize that I could produce images based on life around me that were just as powerful, if not more so, as my friend’s. It’s not the subject matter as much as how you deal with it.

If I had to pick, I’d have to say that I do get the most excited about old buildings, landscapes, quirky settings and objects…so I do gravitate towards these…

 

Favorite Apps…

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Copyright Image – David Hayes – ‘Trailer Queens’ – Apps Used – Instagram, Color Splash

 

JC – What are your favorite, at the moment, iPhone photography apps?

DH – At the moment….at the moment…I’ve been using Iris, Snapseed, and Touch ReTouch a lot. I like the controls these give you and I’m trying my hand building more complex images.

I just went through a phase where I was using FX Photo Studio…but then I found myself using the same filters over and over…so I’ve decided to stay away from it for awhile. Same thing happened with Hipstamatic which was one of my first apps… I think it maybe time to go back to it.

I’m also having fun learning Photo Toaster, Photo Forge2, and Decim8…which is intriguing! I just picked up Modern GrungeHD and Photo Noir…so I suspect these will be favorites soon.

 

Where In The World…?

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Copyright Image – David Hayes – ‘War Department’ – Apps Used – 100 Cameras

 

JC – Do you think it’s country specific, are some nations more clued up?

DH – Not really. I have found it’s a global “happening”. I follow iPhoneographers….and have followers…worldwide which makes the entire conversation very lively and interesting…and 24/7. Sometimes I have to remind myself where the person I’m chatting with is at the moment…the other day I was exchanging tips with a follower in Australia and it wasn’t until she made reference to the “end-of-summer” that I remembered where she lived!

 

Frequency…

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Copyright Image – David Hayes – ‘Intersection’ – Apps Used – Streetmate, FX Photo Studio

 

JC – Do you take photographs with your iPhone every day?

DH – Pretty much! As I said earlier, it’s always with me when I go somewhere…or close at hand while at home. I’m continually observing life and if something catches my interest, I’ll grab a snap and check it out later. Some of what I consider my best images have started out as a casual snap…I then use my apps to give it perspective.

 

Top Five Tips…

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Copyright Image – David Hayes – ‘Lilacs’ – Apps Used – Iris, Frame Magic

 

JC – What are you top five tips for iPhone photography?

DH –
1) Don’t over think…just take the snap. If you don’t like it later, you can always delete!
2) If you see an app you find interesting, get it! Try it out…keep it around for a bit. Most apps are cheap…a few aren’t. In any case…still cheaper than CS5!
3) Just because you can, don’t put every image you take up on the internet. Try to be a little selective!
4) Manage your image files! Delete often. Back up often…everyday if you can.
5) Have fun. Enjoy making art!

 

Editing…

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Copyright Image – David Hayes – ‘Blocks’ – Apps Used – FX Photo Studio

 

JC – Do you edit images on your iPhone or do you prefer to do that on a desktop/laptop?

DH – When I first got my iPhone, I always did my editing right on there…after all that what it was all about! Later on, I got an iPad2 and now I do most of my editing on it…I like the larger screen and the power some of the iPad apps provide. The only time I’ll go to my laptop anymore is when I’m dealing with a non-iPhone image or perhaps prepping image size/format for digital submission. I have picked up the Mac apps for Color Splash, FX Photo Shop, and a couple of others…but I still prefer using these on my iPad.

 

Videography…

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Copyright Image – David Hayes – ‘Still Life #2’ – Apps Used – FX Photo Studio, iWatermark

 

JC – Do you enjoy videography with your iPhone?

DH – This is my next adventure! I have 6 or 7 of the most popular video/movie apps…and have played around with them a bit. Many of the camera apps also have video capability. I need to learn how to edit using iMovie and other like apps…and then watch out YouTube! (Have you seen the funky video an app like Paper Camera produces? Way too much fun!!!)

 

The Future Of iPhone Photography…

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Copyright Image – David Hayes – ‘Piped’ – App Used – FX Photo Studio

 

JC – Where do you see the future of iPhone photography?

DH – I see it becoming a “social media” in itself. I see it becoming an area of fine art photography. There is much discussion today about “photography” vs. “iphoneography”. The discussion shouldn’t be around the technology used…but on how it is used. I’ve been around long enough to remember the discussions about different film sizes and then film vs. digital. iPhoneography is here to stay and it brings much good with it!

 

Popularity…

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Copyright Image – David Hayes – ‘Private’ – Apps Used – FX Photo Studio, PicGrunger

 

JC – What do you think is the most popular area of iPhone photography?

DH – Popular areas? Hmmm….social networking ala Instagram/Facebook postings. After that I see a lot of playing around with the apps…seeing what’s possible. The immediacy and availability of iPhones and apps have opened many possibilities to those who wouldn’t otherwise have used photography as a “voice”. That self-expression is very apparent right now!

 

iPhone 5…

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Copyright Image – David Hayes – ‘Stairs’ – App Used – Camera Bag

 

JC – What do you hope for in the iPhone 5?

DH – OMG! Let’s see. A brighter display. A longer lasting battery. A more durable case…so I don’t have to use the clunky case I have on mine right now. More protection for the camera lens. Maybe making it so you could replace the lens. I hope they keep Siri but make her better. I don’t really need a “better” camera. More pixels might mean higher resolution…but this means I’ll need more memory! (Maybe adding memory card capability would help!) A better way to manage my photo files…but that’s really an app issue.

 

Teaching…

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JC – How did the teaching side of things come about?

DH – I found that teaching means sharing…and learning at the same time. iPhoneography is still so new that everyone is still learning. Unlike traditional photography, which is so equipment-bound and chemical based, iPhoneography is easy for anyone to use. The internet has made sharing easier as well…so we’re all out there learning as we go and willing to share what we know. When I first took up iPhoneography, I read every book I could find and searched out iPhoneographers on Flickr and other places to find out what apps they were using and how they used them. Each and everyone were more than willing to share. I liked that! Now, I’m finding myself in the position that others are coming to me for tips!! I recently started a feature on my blog entitled, “Dave’s App Recipe Book Project” which is a monthly collaboration where iPhoneographers can share their images and the “recipes” they used to create them. A chance to share and to learn.

 

TheAppWhisperer.com…

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Copyright Image – David Hayes – ‘Sunflowers’ – Apps Used – Paper Camera, Instagram

 

JC – What do you think of Joanne and theappwhisperer.com?

DH – I think they’re wonderful! I love the “day in the life…” interviews…always come away from reading those inspired to take more pics! The tips about apps are priceless…and of course who wouldn’t like the giveaways!! Of course, the mere fact that they are allowing me to do this interview and share my images makes them top of my list!!

 

Complete Links To All The Apps Used And Mentioned In This Article

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Copyright Image – David Hayes – ‘Tattoo’ – Apps Used – Paper Camera, Instagram

Apps Used in this article

ProCamera
ScratchCam
PhotoToaster
Streetmate
FX Photo Studio
Instagram
RainyDaze
Flowpaper
Snapseed
TypePlay
Phoster
Iris
iWatermark
PicGrunger
CameraBag
Paper Camera
Color Splash
100 Cameras

Favorite Apps Of David, not mentioned above

Touch ReTouch
Decim8
Modern GrungeHD
Photo Noir

Contact Details for David

David Hayes
[email protected]
http://www.clearerreflections.com

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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]

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