About this class

Smartphone Photography is a structured course in the craft of making strong photographs with the phone you already own, designed for learners who want to move from quick snapshots to images they have planned, composed, and edited with intention. The course teaches photography as a set of skills that can be learned and practiced: seeing a subject, arranging the frame, working with light, and editing the result.

Instruction combines close study of photographs with hands-on shooting and editing. Each week introduces one technique, examines how photographers use it, and then turns to applied practice, with learners taking photographs in and around the classroom, reviewing them together, and editing their strongest images. By the end of the term, each learner will have built a portfolio of ten edited photographs and presented it to the group.

What you’ll learn

By the end of the term, learners will be able to:

Use the phone camera's core controls, including focus, exposure, zoom, and shooting modes
Compose a photograph using the rule of thirds, leading lines, framing, and perspective
Recognize the direction and quality of light and position a subject to make the most of it
Photograph people, objects, and spaces using techniques suited to each
Edit a photograph by cropping, straightening, and adjusting brightness, contrast, and color
Select the strongest images from a set and explain the choice
Organize, back up, and share photographs safely
Give and receive constructive feedback on photographs
Present a finished portfolio to a group

Topics covered

Getting to know your phone's camera: lenses, modes, focus, and exposure
Composition: rule of thirds, leading lines, symmetry, framing, and negative space
Perspective: changing your angle, distance, and point of view
Light: natural and indoor light, direction, shadow, and time of day
Portraits: posing, background, and working with a subject
Still life and close-up photography
Photographing spaces and scenes
Editing basics: crop, straighten, exposure, contrast, and color
Editing with purpose: developing a consistent look without overdoing it
Telling a story with a series of images
Managing your photo library: albums, storage, backup, and privacy when sharing
Building and presenting a portfolio

How the class works

The course follows a studio model. Sessions open with a short look at one or two photographs that show the week's technique, followed by a demonstration on the phone. Learners then shoot a short assignment, review the results as a group, and edit their best frames with instructor support. Each learner adds to a portfolio across the term, and the final sessions are given to selecting, refining, and presenting that work.

Who it’s for

For anyone who wants to take better photographs with their phone. No prior photography experience is required. Learners should bring a smartphone with a working camera, and any recent iPhone or Android phone will do.

When it meets

Thursdays, 10:00am – 12:00pm, at 1350 6th Avenue, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10019.

January

4 sessions

January 7
January 14
January 21
January 28

February

4 sessions

February 4
February 11
February 18
February 25

March

4 sessions

March 4
March 11
March 18
March 25

April

5 sessions

April 1
April 8
April 15
April 22
April 29

Register by month

Registration is by the month at $95 per session. Join any month: you don’t have to commit to the whole term, and you’re welcome to start later than January.

January 2027
4 sessions · $380
February 2027
4 sessions · $380
March 2027
4 sessions · $380
April 2027
5 sessions · $475

All 4 months come to $1,615.

Enroll for this class

Pick any months you want on the enrollment page and pay once. Payment is handled securely by Stripe. Trouble checking out? Email hello@thegrovenyc.org.

Classes at The Grove are non-credit, personal-enrichment programs offered by Big Apple Coaching LLC. Participation does not confer academic credit, professional certification, or licensure.