Android Photography Apps for Beginners

By no stretch of the imagination, am I a professional photographer. I like taking pictures of my work with schools, teachers and students and I love taking pictures of school signs.

I also believe in the need to document, in pictures, the fantastic things that are happening in our schools every day. Photos capture moments that will never, ever happen again. So in working with my Sony Xperia tablet, I have found some great Photography apps that are perfect for beginners, like me.

First of all, the camera on the Xperia itself is pretty sweet (it includes stopmotion capabilities and of course it’s a great camera...this is Sony we’re talking about here). Check out my fellow Education Ambassador, Andy Losik's Xperia camera how-to guide. 

Instagram - Very popular right now to quickly and easily share photos and add a simple filter. Then, share your photos with friends and family across social networks, or just share it within Instagram itself. A 5th grade teacher in Pleasanton, CA, Lisa Highfill uses Instagram with her students to share their learning. Follow her class on Twitter at @highfillcrew to see all of her students' photos.

Skitch - I love Skitch! I use this application more than any other on my tablet, phone and laptop. Quickly take or choose a photo and annotate the photo. I used this to help assist our parents remember the appropriate way to drive through our parking lot, and where students were allowed to be dropped off.

Pixlr Express - Choose or take a photo and edit it for light adjustments, various pre-built effects or add a border for an extra-added touch.

Camera ZOOM FX - Camera ZOOM FX has more options that Pixlr, but is just as easyto use. You can even pick an effect randomizer to see what your picture could look like if you wanted to be creative. Be warned, though...its ease of use, combined with all the fun effects could keep you occupied for quite some time.

Animoto - Take a series of photos (and videos, if you want) and Animoto will do the rest to create a quick video. I’ve used this multiple times to highlight an Open House, Electives Fair or Back to School Night. Put this video on your school website, too!

• This post was cross-posted from the resource-building that I do with Sony, Inc., located at http://www.educationambassador.com - please visit there for more information and great suggestions from other ambassadors across the United States.