Giphy Cam LogoTitle: Giphy Cam
Platform: iOS
Cost: Free

GIFs are a fun part of online communication. Whether shared through a text message or on your Tumblr, GIFs can help to share your emotional state or just make the reader laugh. But, most GIF fans just find their GIFs online, they don’t create them. Giphy Cam is an app that can change all of that. From the team at Giphy, a platform for finding and sharing GIFs, this iOS app uses your device’s camera to let you create your own GIFs.

With the app, you can opt to either film a short looping GIF by holding your finger on the red button or a five frame “burst” for a shorter GIF by tapping the button. When you choose either option, you can also select from a range of special features that can be added to your GIF. These features include filters, backgrounds, animations, overlays, and what may be the creepiest rabbit mask I have ever seen. All of them help to add additional meaning and personality to your videos to make for a more dynamic GIF.

Once you are happy with your GIF creation, Giphy Cam makes it easy to share the GIF. The app includes integration with messaging features on your device, Twitter, Instagram, email, and other apps on your device. You can also decide to instead save your GIF to your device for later use. Overall, Giphy Cam makes it just as easy to create a GIF as it is to take a selfie. That makes this app a great tool for your library’s outreach efforts or for teens at your library who love to use their devices to take and share photos and videos.

About Carli Spina

Carli Spina is an Emerging Technologies and Research Librarian. She also writes for YALSA's The Hub blog, where she is on the Advisory Board, and for the Lolly's Classroom blog hosted by The Horn Book. Follow her on Twitter to continue the conversation: @CarliSpina.

One Thought on “App of the Week: Giphy Cam

  1. like and 100 agree: Giphy Cam makes it easy to share the GIF

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