We've reviewed a lot of photo apps here, ranging from the practical, Photoshop-esque effects that photographers can make use of, to artistic effects for social media, to the just plain fun. Today, we're looking at a photo app that certainly falls more on the fun spectrum, a clever little app called
Tangled FX.The weird thing about Tangled FX is that it's unlike any of the other photo editing apps that we've come across. Whatever strange algorithm they're using works incredibly well, creating woven, tangled images from whatever photograph you put into it. Sure, it's not what we'd call terribly useful for the serious photographer, and it might be a bit out there for some, but if you're looking for a fun photo effect unlike others you've seen, this might be the one for you.
The nice thing about Tangled FX is that there's quite a few settings you can tinker around with to achieve different effects. You can have the woven, fibrous look, or you can go with smoother, more painterly effects, and just about everything in between. We think half the fun of the app is just seeing what sort of crazy images you can create just by fine-tuning the settings.
Now, we do have a few tips. It certainly works a lot better with the higher-quality images taken in bright light with the rear-facing camera, rather than the front facing, or "selfie" camera. It also helps if you choose images with a high amount of contrast between light and dark images. We also happen to think that images that have a lot of colors in them produce some better effects than those with a less varied color palette.
If you're into the weird or artsy side of the spectrum when it comes to photography apps, we highly recommend Tangled FX. If you want to get it for yourself,
Tangled FX is available for the iPhone and the iPod, and costs $3.
Who could make use of Tangled FX:
Anyone who enjoys unusual effects for their photos could probably make quite a bit of use out of this.
Who can skip Tangled FX:
If you're looking for a practical image editor for your iPhone or iPad, you're going to want to pass on this one.
-- Amber Neely (
@SurferAmber)
Readers: do you have an app or product that you'd like to see us review? Developers and designers: do you want us to take a look at your app or product? Send your suggestions to our Tips email.
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