Apps do amazing things and I think can help you “see” the possibilities, particularly if you have some idea of what you want to accomplish (see my example in this thread ). However, they are not a substitute for developing your own color sense and discernment and could become a crutch if you got in the habit of merely throwing a photo into an app and copying the effects. I think intentional manipulation with Photoshop or some other photo-editing software generally is more useful.