Blocker: An App That Helps You Plan a Shoot with Augmented Reality

Blocker is a new augmented reality app that could change the way you plan your next shoot. The app allows you to “shoot” with a variety of over 400 different virtual camera types, introducing objects into the real scene in front of you via your smartphone’s camera.

Lots of us have been playing with Snapchat’s new augmented reality features, but there haven’t been many practical applications in everyday situations for the technology.

However, being able to properly visualize a shot could be very handy for photographers. Blocker allows you to drop a whole host of different objects, such as people and cars, into a scene right in front of you through your smartphone’s camera.

You can then introduce a camera into the scene as well – which you can select from over 400 different models – that allows you to see how the shot would look to you behind the lens. You can also choose the sensor size and even the focal length of the lens you’re using.

The app will track the models in the real scene, so you can walk around your set and examine different camera angles.

You can even adjust the lighting by moving a virtual sun in the app, simulating different times of day. Take a look at how it works:

You can then go on to save each shot, sharing it with clients and others involved in the shoot.

Blocker is currently only available on iOS devices, which must be at least an iPhone 6S and running iOS 11, and is free to download from the App Store (although if you want the full version, it’s a $50 in-app purchase).

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