Fieldguide Smartphone Apps

Leps by Fieldguide (was LepSnap)

 

How do I know if my smartphone takes acceptable images?

If you have an iPhone or iPad, LepSnap works on all models and all versions of iOS. However, we highly recommend the phone is running the most current version of iOS, to benefit from the full capabilities of the app. An Android version of LepSnap is also available. If you have an Android phone, LepSnap will be compatible with the following devices: Google Pixel (all)  Google Nexus (4)  Samsung Galaxy (S5)  Samsung Note (4)  OnePlus (One)  HTC One (M8)  Motorola Moto X 

The camera should have 4000 pixels on the long side. This DxOMark website provides DxOMark Mobile ratings, mobile reviews and explanations on how DxOMark is testing camera-embedded mobile devices. http://www.dxomark.com/Mobiles 

What imaging program should I use?

There is a built-in progam in LepSnap app, but you can use any program you want and upload images to LepSnap. Most built-in camera programs provide more options then the Leps by Fieldguide program. You may also publish photos taken by an external camera, since you can select photos from your phone library to publish.

It is highly recommended that your subjects are brightly illuminated with daylight color temperature LEDs or flash system to minimize the need to edit images.  We also recommend gray plates be used for background with a scale bar that you can just print off and place on a pin at the level of the specimen LepNet_ruler_mm

If you must edit, the following apps are recommended: Adobe Photoshop Express (free)   Adobe Lightroom (free)   Instagram (free)  Pixlr (free)  VSCO (free)  Manual ($3)  Camera+ ($3)  ProCamera 9 ($5)

 Nick Dowdy (Milwaukee Public Museum) video that covers everything in the process of the smartphone app Leps by Fieldguide (i.e., LepSnap)

 

 

Below are snapshots of the steps using the Android version of Leps by Fieldguide – Neil Cobb

Student Smartphone Imaging Workflow for EMu databases

Imagers:

  1. Retrieve next set of specimens for photography from cart
  2. Get grayscale backdrop and find suitable location in workroom to take images
  3. Position color standard, ruler, pinning block etc. appropriately on backdrop
  4. Launch LepSnap on smartphone
  5. Select next specimen
  6. Position specimen appropriately on backdrop
  7. Take image of specimen using LepSnap
  8. Enter catalog_number into LepSnap catalog_number field
  9. Commit image in LepSnap (will reject if metadata record not already in SCAN/LepNet)

Repeat steps 5-9 until done with this photo session

  1. Copy all photo session images from smartphone to personal folder on imaging workstation
  2. Return specimens to cart

Project manager or trained tech then processes images:

  1. Copy images from student’s personal folder to EMu input staging folder on imaging workstation
  2. Check image filenames for catalog_number or related errors (remove from EMu input staging folder as needed)
  3. Execute Windows script that operates on all images in the EMu input staging folder (see Notes below)
  4. Launch Import Tool within EMu multimedia module to load all images (see Notes below)
  5. Examine Import Tool log and uploaded assets within EMu multimedia module for success/failure
  6. On success delete files from EMu input and output folders on imaging workstation

Assumptions:

– Catalog metadata records for all imaged specimens exist in EMu

– Catalog metadata records have already been harvested by SCAN/LepNet

– LepSnap writes UUID and catalog_number into image header

– LepSnap renames image to be catalog_number.jpg

– LepSnap saves the renamed image in smartphone image library

Notes:

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