17 Best Apps for Photographers in 2024

Our selection of the best Apps for Photographers in 2024

These days, knowing the best apps for photographers can help us in our photographic lives. We can do almost all with the perfect mobile apps on our mobiles. From predicting the best moment to go out, to use as a remote control.

Here are the 17 best photo apps that will help you as a photographer. A perfect complement to improve your landscape photography. The best Golden Hour app, but also some other tools for landscape photography. You will find here the best photography apps for iPhone and Android.

Best Planning Apps for Landscape Photographers

1. PhotoPills

Best Apps for Photographers: PhotoPills

PhotoPills is probably the best app for photography ever. Itā€™s easy to use and has a thousand features that will help you plan your perfect photo in a moment. The app will help you to organize and plan your photo session. But you can also share and manage locations together with your friends.

Inside the app, you will get info about the position of the sun, moon, and also the Milky Way. So you can easily be in the right place at the right time with a few steps. With the augmented reality mode, PhotoPills is the perfect app for landscape photographers. But the options of this app do not stop here, you can calculate exposures, depth of field, and calculate time-lapse sequences.

Price: $9.99

Platform: Availability on iOS and Android

Manhattanhege new york photo tour

2. The Photographer Ephemeris

Best Apps for Photographers: photographer ephemeris

One of the most popular apps for photographers. The Photographer Ephemeris lets you plan your landscape photo session by showing the position of the sun and the moon. While the desktop version (free) lets you see in 2D, the mobile version (pro) will bring you to another dimension using the 3d viewer. You will see that the light will affect any location with the topographical landscape.

In the new version, you can also watch the stars moving, so plan your Milky Way shoot to make it easy. With short steps, you can easily plan your photography on the 3d map. Watching the light effect or the start path for the location you are looking for to shoot. Definitely one of the best apps for photographers you can find.

Even if itā€™s not perfect, Google Earth gives you better characteristics with the quality of the map. I found more accurate the light effect in Photographers Ephemeris than in Google Earth.

Price: $11.99

Platform: Available on iOS

milky-way-from-a-cave-during-night

3. Magic Hour

magic hour app

This is another great simple and useful app for photographers. Magic Hour tells you exactly the sunrise and sunset time of any location, and also how long is the golden hour. A perfect app to be ready at the best moment, that can send you a notification to not miss this moment. If this is not enough, the app additionally gives you information about the moon. So you can know about the next moonrise or a full moon.

This app definitely can save you the best moment of the day to photograph and must be a must on your mobile devices.

Price: Free. Pro Version $0.99

Platform: Available on iOS

Kirkjufellsfoss Ice Lagoon

4. Light Pollution Map

Best Apps for Photographers Light Pollution Map pollution

If you are a lover of night photography, this app will help you to locate the best places on earth for your night shootings. An easy visual map to locate where you can find a sky not affected by light pollution. The map automatically locates you via GPS, so you can easily find the nearest points to capture the Milky Way as example. Also, the search method is easy and fast and lets you save your favorite spots.

To complete the features, the app gives you information about the moonā€™s phase, moonrise & moonset time. So itā€™s a perfect app where you can plan your night photography sessions with the complete information you need.

One of the best apps for photographers who are passionate about night photography.

Price: Free. Pro Version $9.99

Platform: Available on iOS and Android

night photography guide

5. PIXEO

pixeo inspiration photographers

Pixeo is the best app for photographers that are looking for inspiration and locations. A powerful database from another photographer that will only show you photographs taken in a specific spot. Also, will give you information, like directions or reviews from other photographers.

You can try the app with a free trial before paying $0.99 per month or $9.99 per year. While Google Maps will show you general information, here you will find reviews that are written by photographers like you.

Price: Free trial. $0.99 per month or $9.99 per year.

Platform: Available on iOS.

Slovenia Vintgar Sunrise

Best Forecast Apps for Photographers

6. Yr.No

yr. no weather app

Weather apps are millions, but we needed to decide to choose one. Yr.No is a perfect app to help you as any other app to predict the best time possible for a photoshoot. The App warns you about bad weather or cloud cover based on the data on over ten million locations for accurate weather forecast updates. Even if the developers are the Norwegian Meteoritical Institute, the apps come in English and work perfectly all around the world.

Price: Free.

Platform: Available for iOS and Android.

7. Dark Sky

dark sky weather app

While Yr.No will help you to predict the weather accurately, Dark Sky offers the most powerful to-the-minute notifications about weather conditions changes. This app can help you to avoid a heavy storm coming to your location or to arrive at the perfect moment. With this app, you will feel like an F1 driver when you read at your phone ā€œRain starting in 6 minutesā€. So it will save your time and worries with a truthful probability based on data from multiple sources.

Price: $3.99 on iOS. $2.99 on Android (2-week free trial).

Platform: Available on iOS and Android.

8. My Tide Times

my tide times sea forecast app

When you shoot anywhere near the sea, you must be careful that the tide does not surprise you. Also, will help you to know if a location can be photographed just during the low tide. This App will help you to plan any situation. With over 9000 tidal stations around over 40 countries, surely your location is at this app.

You will get data about the heights and times of the tides for your location. This way, you can maximize the time you have to shoot before the tide comes to a high level. The app will give you information for the next 7 days, but some locations will have a forecast for the next 30 days.

Another great feature of the app, it’s that all the info you check at your home is downloaded to your device. So even if you do not have a connection on the beach, you can always check it again.

Price: Free. Pro Version $1.99

Platform: Available on iOS and Android.

9. My Aurora Forecast

Best Apps for Photographers northern lights my aurora forecast

My Aurora Forecast is the best app for photographers who are looking how to photograph Northern Lights without a doubt. With a user-friendly design, it will tell you the probability of seeing the Northern Lights at this moment. And also the forecast for the next hours or even days. If this is not enough, the app also will tell you the best locations to watch this phenomenon. It’s possible also to configure it to send you notifications when the Auroral activity is expected to be high.

Another great feature is the map, which shows you the activity all around the world based on the SWPC ovation Auroral forecast. Even give you statistics about solar wind and sun imagery to complete all the great information provided to you for free. Definitely the best app for your next Iceland photo tour for example.

Price: Free

Platform: Available on iOS and Android

russian lapland photo tour Northern Lights

10. Sakura Navi

Best Apps for Photographers sakura navi

Yes, we knowā€¦ we love Japan and not all photographers will be using this app. But for the last few years, the Japan Meteorological Corporation (JMC) has been launching a useful App to know when are there cherry blossoms in Japan. With this app, you will get the latest information during your next Japan Spring Photo Tour.

To make it easy, the app lets you receive notifications about selected locations or show you nearby blossom viewing points. Not only the most famous spots are covered by the app. You can also find a large list of spots all around the country. It helps you to make your travel to Japan a complete success to photograph the Sakura.

Platform: Available on iOs and Android *Currently unavailable

Best GPS Apps for Photographers

11. Google Maps

Best Apps for Photographers: Google maps

It could be in the planning section, as can help you to plan your next road trip as anyone else. You can save your favorite spots easily, also you can save them in a personalized list so you can find them faster during your trip.

Also, can help you find perfect locations from home. You can use the map, Streetview, or look for the thousands of photographs shared here all around the world. Google Maps is not a specific app for photographers. So, you can find all kinds of photographs around, but you can get an idea of what to expect from certain locations.

You can also use the option My Maps, to create custom maps for personal use or share with your friends. There you can add lines, routes, or shapes to show in Google Maps a personal map of your next best photography tour. Also, you can add descriptions at each point, or customize the icons to create unique maps.

Google Maps is free. You can connect to your Google account & all the jobs you do on your computer will appear directly on your mobile device.

Price: Free.

Platform: Available on iOS and Android

12. GPSIES

gpsies hiking Photographers

While Google Maps offers you a great GPS system for roads, GPSIES will be your best friend for your hiking routes. Not only give you an easy way to plan your path to your location, but also lets you check other tracks from other users. For example, during your Dolomites photo tour or a Lofoten Photography Workshop will be your best ally. This feature, itā€™s a plus when you are looking for a route, as the app provides other possibilities for the route you are planning.

You can download your track at home. So even if you lose the connection during your hiking, the app will continue working perfectly to bring you to the spot.

Price: Free. Pro Version $2.50/month

Platform: Available on iOS and Android

lagos de covadonga

Best Calculator Apps for Photographers

13. Long Exposure Calculator

long exposure calculator
long

Even if you are a professional photographer, calculating the correct shutter speed with your filter can be crazy if you not are good at Maths. This app, makes the steps simple and will give you the exact exposure settings you need for your shoot. So there not will be errors during your photo sessions, saving you time because you will get the perfect result in the first shoot. Other apps that we included here, such as PhotoPills, have already these options. But we decided to include the Long Exposure Calculator as the navigation and system are easy, and itā€™s for free.

Price: Free.

Platform: Available only for iOS.

14. DOFMaster

dofmaster

Now is the turn of another app that will help you with your math calculations. DOFMaster helps you to calculate the distances of focus with the settings of your camera. You will never come back home and see that you blur your landscape photographs.

With a database of more than 1600 camera models, this app will give you the hyperfocal distance. So you will know the closest distance where your lens can focus while keeping your subject at the most desirable distance from your camera. 

Simple use & free to use, make DOFMaster the best app for photographers to calculate important Hyperfocal.

Price: Free.

Platform: Available on iOS and Android.

15. Cascable 3

cascable 3 remote shutter

Almost all photography companies these days, bring you an App to use your mobile devices as a remote control. This App offers the same advantages as almost companies Apps such as wireless image transfer or remote shutter control. But with specific software that sometimes companies such as Fujifilm didnā€™t develop perfectly.

One of the best features of this app is to manage the settings of your camera from the app itself. Changing your shutter speed, aperture, ISO, or exposure compensation is easy from the same app. Even you will be able to focus on the same app, show the histogram, and mark the underexposing areas as an example. Another option we love is the focus peaking option. This option highlights sharp areas in red to aid in getting your focus correct. One of the best apps for landscape photography.

Price: Free. Pro Version $9.99

Platform: Available on iOS

Other great Apps for Professional Photographers

16. Lenstag

lenstag

This app not will help you to plan or prepare your photo session. But it will help you to be calmer at the moment you will need itā€¦when somebody steals your equipment. With this app, you create a list of your photography equipment, which usually costs thousands of dollars. After that, the app will automatically look all around the internet to find if somebody uses your camera. Also, find out if somebody is trying to sell your tripod as an example. So it makes it easier to catch who stole your equipment if you did your job before losing it. Once you download the app, you can upload all your equipment and prove your ownership by uploading a picture of each object. The simplicity of use and the database you create, make Lenstag a must in your photography apps.

Price: Free. The pro version is $29 a year or $3.99 a month.

Platform: Available on iOS and Android.

17. Easy Release – Model Releases

easy release model photo

Are you selling photos in the stock market? This is a must-have app for photographers. This app will help you to not carry any paper during your trips. It includes all industry-standard model releases you need, from Getty Images to Shutterstock. With simple use, you can easily include photos & electronic signatures and generate a PDF to send by email.

These days, we always move with our mobile, and you will be able to have the model released in any spontaneous situation. You can easily sell your photos later with the model release you will generate in a few clicks.

Price: Free.

Platform: Available on iOS and Android.

BEST SMARTPHONE APPS FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS

AppPriceAvalaible
PhotoPills$9.99iOS and Android
The Photographer Ephemeris$11.99iOS
Magic HourFree. 
Pro Version $0.99
iOS
Light Pollution MapFree.
Pro Version $9.99
iOS and Android
PIXEOFree trial.
$0.99 per month or $9.99 per year.
iOS
Yr.NoFree.iOS and Android.
Dark Sky$3.99 on iOS.
$2.99 on Android
iOS and Android.
My Tide TimesFree.
Pro Version $1.99
iOS and Android.
My Aurora ForecastFreeiOS and Android
Sakura NaviFreeiOS and Android 
Google MapsFreeiOS and Android
GPSIESFree.
Pro Version $2.50/month
iOS and Android
Long Exposure CalculatorFreeiOS
DOFMasterFreeiOS and Android.
Cascable 3Free.
Pro Version $9.99
iOS
LenstagFree. The pro version is $29 a year or $3.99 a month.iOS and Android.
Easy Release ā€“ Model ReleasesFreeiOS and Android

This is our list of the best apps for photographers. Of course, there are thousands of apps that also will help you to plan your shoot. Are you using your phone for planning? Do you suggest any that are not listed?

We didn’t mention here any app for editing, we will prepare a post about it. Edit photos in Photoshop are possible with your mobile! You can use even lightroom on your mobile or others like camera plus or instasize.

We hope that this list will help you find the perfect apps to complete your mobile device. Whether you are looking for free or pro apps before posting on Instagram.

About the author

Eduardo Fuster is a Spanish landscape & travel photographer. Graduate in Art & Design, and master in Motion Graphics. More than 15 years of experience working for advertisement, tv, cinema, real estate & stock agencies.

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