The iPhone has several inbuilt camera filters and effects, and Apple has placed some of these in an unexpected app. Stylizing photos in fun and interesting ways can bring new life to a user's social media feed. Perhaps even more exciting is that the effects can be applied to videos as well as pictures, letting users share these clips both as stories and posts. In addition to what the Camera app offers, there is a somewhat hidden layer of powerful features to be discovered, some accessible with a gesture and others tucked away inside a built-in app.

The iPhone's Camera app has a small selection of fairly standard color and exposure filters and Apple's newer iPhone models also offer Photographic Styles. These can be combined for more control, although getting fun and playful results can be difficult using the Camera app. The real filter fun is available in Apple's Messages app, where photos and videos can be captured with a variety of filters and effects. These are accessed in the Messages app by tapping the camera, choosing photo or video mode, front or rear-facing camera, and then tapping the star icon at the bottom. After pressing the shutter to snap a picture or record a video, the result can be saved to the user's library for later use or shared as a message.

Related: How To Send & View iMessages Photo Stacks & Collages

iMessage Filters & Effects

Apple iPhone And MacBook Memoji Animoji

iMessage effects include Memoji, Animoji, and a wide variety of stickers, including those taken from apps installed on the iPhone. When using an iPhone with Face ID, stickers can be attached to the user's face and custom Memoji can appear as a 'Mini Me' placed on a shoulder. Any of Apple's large library of animals and other characters can be used as well. Animoji are animated Memoji with mouths, eyes, and heads that match the movements of the user's face and head precisely, and appear like a virtual mask.

It's also possible to add subtitles, labels, or text to make a meme-style message. Filters include comic book styles, ink, watercolor-like effects, and traditional color and exposure adjustments with more dramatic shading and stronger color tints than Apple's Camera app. The same effects can be applied during a FaceTime call, too, meaning users can interact in real-time as a Memoji or Animoji. FaceTime also comes with the above filters which can be applied during the call to liven up a video conversation. If users want to preserve the moment so it isn’t lost when the FaceTime call ends, they can take a screenshot.

These extra filters and effects are quite fun to play with and share, providing a fresh look when the iPhone's camera filters and styles begin to feel too limiting. And, Apple is always adding to the iOS experience, so the creative options are only likely to expand with time.

Source: Apple