Instagram for photo nerds: this app guided me to shoot like a pro in Singapore

Photo credit: danemo / 123RF.

It’s almost 6pm when I meet Justin Myers, co-founder and CEO Explorest, to test drive his new photography app. In Singapore, no matter the time of the year, this means the sun is close to setting. “The golden hour,” Myers says with a smile – that time just after sunrise or before sunset when photographers know they can capture the world in warmer, softer colors.

Launching a mobile app centered on photos these days doesn’t seem worth it given Instagram’s domination. Explorest’s difference is that it doesn’t allow just anyone with a camera to upload pictures on the app. Rather, it accepts submissions from expert photographers who know what they’re doing and selects the entries that users see.

Explorest accepts submissions from expert photographers.

Each photo uploaded includes specific details and tips by the photographer on how they framed the shot, what settings they applied, where they stood (or climbed on, or hung from), and what kind of equipment they used. The app geotags the location where the picture was taken and can guide you to these spots so you can take your own snaps.

“On Instagram and on Flickr, you see comments asking about the location of a picture and other information that people seek,” Myers says. He set up the company with San Francisco-based photographer Michael Lax and two other co-founders. Lax, who has over 76,000 followers on Instagram, had identified this need himself, Myers tells me.

Although the startup is headquartered in San Francisco, its development team is based in Vietnam and it currently offers locations in Singapore.

The team chose the city-state because it’s a small country that could be covered quickly with location information. It’s also home to a very active photography scene and has a strong iOS user base, which serves the app well since it’s currently only available on the iPhone.

After Singapore, it plans to tackle Hong Kong and San Francisco.

Photospotting

We use the location feature of Explorest to wander around Suntec City. Judging by the number of spots available, the area’s iconic urban architecture has inspired many a Singapore-based photographer – and it’s a nice change from snapping pictures of mainstays like Marina Bay Sands and Gardens by the Bay.

We start, naturally, with stand-out landmark The Fountain of Wealth. Serious photographers would cringe to hear that I’m only armed with my phone camera. However, Explorest has even thought of philistines like me, letting users specify their level of expertise. I make sure to indicate my lack of experience.

Eh, close enough. Photo credit: Tech in Asia.

From there, it’s on to Millennia Walk, where this waterfall drew our attention. This was interesting because I haven’t come across this landmark before, even though I commute to this area daily. It’s just not part of my regular routine so I would be unlikely to discover it otherwise.

Courting the pros

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