iPhone Photography for Beginners: 7 Projects You Can Start Now

Today’s smartphones, like the iPhone, are powerful photography tools. They offer features that allow beginners to capture creative, professional-looking images without the need for expensive, heavy equipment.

It’s never been easier to start a photography journey with only a mobile phone. Not only have the cameras themselves gotten better, but the storage, sorting and editing capabilities make for a smooth process from inspiration to sharing. You might even find yourself selling your photographs.

For more introduction to important photography concepts, check out some Skillshare content on:

This post provides a variety of creative photography project ideas for beginners. Try one or more of them to experiment with composition, lighting and, eventually, animation.

1. Tell a Story With One Photo or a Series

Overhead view of two hands holding a phone over a table full of food, ready to take a picture of the wooden table, ren table runner, dishes of food, beverage glasses and flowers — Make simple, everyday scenes pop with color and interest when you learn how to set up and capture lifestyle photos with an iPhone.

Class: iPhone Photography: How to Take Pro Lifestyle Photos by Fynn Badgley

About This Project:
You’ll learn to take professional-level, compelling photos with only an iPhone. Fynn explains fundamentals like subject, composition and lighting, including using natural light and using angles to tell a story.

Why We Love It:
Not only does this project provide the basics for taking great photos that tell a story–Fynn also teaches you multiple editing techniques that don’t require an extra, expensive app. From setting up the phone and camera to in-depth editing that highlights your style, you’ll come away with the skills to create a compelling series.

Techniques You’ll Learn:
The photography techniques and skills you’ll learn include:

Setting up and using the iPhone camera
Ways to work with natural light to alter your photo’s appearance
Composition techniques for more interesting photos
Storytelling and styling tips that add context
Working with a subject to get the most substance
Quick and in-depth editing guidance

Beginner’s Tip:
Fynn suggests keeping your lifestyle photo stories simple at first, as complexity can quickly turn into a distraction. Use lighting, composition and camera settings to evoke a feeling rather than get bogged down in content details.

Learn to take pro lifestyle photos with Fynn Badgley

2. Take One Amazing Photo With Your iPhone

Side view of two people facing each other, the one on the left taking a picture of the other with a mobile phone, and the model standing straight with their hands behind their head and a colorful blouse — Photos don’t have to be complicated to tell a story. Sometimes just a face with interesting makeup and clothing can make for a great singular photograph.

Class: iPhone Photography: Create Unique Photos Like a Pro in Adobe Lightroom by Ebuka Mordi

About This Project:
By focusing intensely on taking and editing one photo, you’ll learn the core aspects of iPhone photography and Adobe Lightroom. Ebuka takes you from wishing you had expensive equipment to loving the mobile camera and its settings, without paying a dime more.

Why We Love It:
If you’re holding back from photography because of a lack of equipment, this class gives you the confidence to pursue your dreams and goals. Your options for subject matter are endless, as the iPhone can go just about anywhere you do.

Techniques You’ll Learn:
The mobile photography skills you’ll discover include:

Looking to your phone itself for inspiration
Building a photography portfolio
Shooting and capturing magic in any location
Understanding basic photography skills
Editing directly on your iPhone

Beginner’s Tip:
Ebuka encourages you to share your work and then share again. The best way to learn is to put yourself out there, get helpful feedback and build the confidence to do it all again.

Learn to edit photos with Adobe Lightroom with Ebuka Mordi

3. Capture Appealing, Natural Photos of Food

A photographer styles a place setting of a dinner plate, gravy boat, bowl and water glass near a small vase of flowers, all atop a red placemat on a wooden table — Natural food photographed in natural lighting creates a warm, familiar image that is suitable for both personal and professional projects.

Class: iPhone Photography: Capture Delicious Food Photos with Natural Lighting by Rose Nene

About This Project:
You’ll learn to capture and share photos of foods you already love to eat using the natural lighting of the sun. Alongside getting the basics of iPhone photography, you’ll come away with everything you need to show gorgeous food in its best light.

Why We Love It:
Food is a relatable subject yet offers enough variety to create something entirely your own. This project is highly accessible, as you don’t need any fancy equipment and can shoot anywhere from a five-star restaurant to your own kitchen.

Techniques You’ll Learn:
The food photography skills you’ll gain include:

Understanding food as a subject and tips for making it look great
iPhone camera settings best suited to photographing food
Developing an eye for natural light
Step-by-step guidance for shooting food in natural light with an iPhone

Beginner’s Tip:
Rose stresses that this project is about keeping it simple and making the most of what exists in nature, like food and sunlight. Focus on learning to use the iPhone and developing an eye for photographing in natural light.

Learn to photograph food in natural lighting with Rose Nene

4. Illustrate a Creative Idea Through Photography

Image of a person in an orange, one-piece swimsuit laying face down on a black and white checkered floor, with their head appearing to be tucked under the floor, as if it’s a blanket — Conceptual photography allows you to bring surrealism into images you capture of real people and places.

Class: iPhone Photography: How to Shoot & Edit Conceptual Photos on Your Phone by Amelie Satzger

About This Project:
Get your creativity going and turn your ideas into gorgeous photos with nothing more than free programs on your iPhone. You’ll be guided on every step, from inspiration and camera settings to color choices and editing.

Why We Love It:
Not only is everything in this class free, but the project is about harnessing and using your specific brand of creativity. Conceptual projects can be highly realistic or contain a sense of magic–either way, you’ll learn to turn fantastic ideas into a reality.

Techniques You’ll Learn:
The photography techniques and skills you’ll learn include:

Finding inspiration for conceptual photos
Composing the images and selecting colors
Communicating the idea to clients
Investing in the right equipment
Shooting on an iPhone
Editing on an iPhone

Beginner’s Tip:
Amelie includes ideas for finding inspiration and creating regularly, as these are both important for taking conceptual photos. Once your brain is in the habit of thinking creatively and turning those ideas into art, projects like this become second nature.

Learn to take and edit conceptual photos from Amelie Satzger

5. Photograph a Product with Depth and Texture

Two images, the one on the left a close up picture of a hand holding a crocheted red chic with a blue comb, the one on the right the same stuffed chick in the same hand, but from further back so you can see the phone taking a picture — Objects contain so much depth and texture on their own, and ensuring your camera captures them can truly make the shot.

Class: iPhone Product Photography: Natural Light for Depth and Texture by Tabitha Park

About This Project:
You’ll learn to photograph products, either your own or for clients, using natural lighting to enhance depth and texture. After being guided through the entire photoshoot process and learning a few tips and tricks, you’ll become familiar with iPhone camera settings, how to find natural light and gain insight into mobile editing and workflow.

Why We Love It:
If you need photos of products you want to sell online, this is the place to learn not just the skill basics, but techniques for making those products look appealing. Even if you don’t have the budget for fancy lighting and cameras, this class teaches you to work with what you already have, such as natural sunlight.

Techniques You’ll Learn:
The product photography skills you’ll gain include:

How to use an iPhone’s camera settings
How to find the best natural lighting in your home or workspace
Scene setups for seamless content creation
Editing workflows for mobile apps

Beginner’s Tip:
Tabitha encourages you to keep the product setups simple. This puts the focus on the product itself and lets you concentrate on learning about lighting and creating something that looks appealing to potential customers.

Learn to bring natural depth and texture into product photography from Tabitha Park

6. Take Memorable Travel Photos

Photo of a European canal full of docked and moving watercraft and flanked by old, windowed buildings — Travel is a precious experience, and being able to look back at the photos is priceless, especially when you can do it all with an iPhone.

Class: Travel Photography: How to Document & Share Your Next Trip by Sean Dalton

About This Project:
Discover how to take a series of memorable photos of a distant land while on vacation, or simply a setting you appreciate near home. While the class focuses on photography, you’ll also learn concepts about documenting travel in general, and balancing that with being present on the trip.

Why We Love It:
This project goes beyond the basic skills by introducing the larger concepts of travel documentation. Better yet, you can find out how easy it is to expertly capture travel images with an incredibly portable iPhone.

Techniques You’ll Learn:
The travel photography skills you’ll discover include:

Balancing story-telling photography with being present
Uploading, sorting and editing travel photos
Keeping a travel journal
Sharing your travel images online

Beginner’s Tip:
Sean emphasizes the various ways you can document travel, not wanting you to feel bound to pictures, videos or anything else. Take a little time to determine what combination of documentation works for you.

Learn to capture your travels with iPhone photography with help from Sean Dalton

7. Create a Stop-Motion Video

Overhead view of a pleasingly arranged bowl of sliced fruit, nuts and seeds surrounded by whole bananas, apples, grapes, citrus, peaches and nuts — Good stop-motion begins with good photos of a subject that can easily be moved around in a contained area.

Class: Quick and Easy Stop-Motion (iPhone + Android) by Colette Peri

About This Project:
You’ll learn to turn an animation idea into a stop-motion video right on your mobile phone. These techniques work for personal and professional projects or simply having fun with items around the house.

Why We Love It:
This class provides a workshop-style tutorial on the entire process, from inspiration and photography to editing and sharing. Your project subject doesn’t matter, as long as you’re ready to move and reshoot.

Techniques You’ll Learn:
The photography skills you’ll discover include:

Laying out your idea into a storyboard
Phone settings and lighting
Using DIY Pro Studio for a professional appearance
Editing and exporting your final product

Beginner’s Tip:
If this is your first try with stop-motion, use a very basic subject, like a coffee mug. It’s one piece, so parts won’t move or fall off when you reposition. Better yet, you can fill it to different levels to add another element to the final video.

Learn to make fun stop-motion videos with Colette Peri

Start Your Photography Journey with Skillshare

As a creative person, you’ll likely love the fun and simplicity of being able to dive right into one of these projects with just your iPhone. No need to go out and buy equipment or go anywhere special–you can start right now, wherever you are and whatever you have.

Once you get a feel for a project, start experimenting with your own project ideas. Build on what you learned here to try a more complex subject or shooting in a more remote location.

Skillshare’s classes provide step-by-step guidance from expert instructors, making it easy for beginners to learn photography at a suitable pace. Then, you’ll be able to take Skillshare classes from related fields, such as filmmaking with an iPhone.

Written By

Katie Mitchell

Katie lives in Michigan with her husband, kids and pets. She enjoys cooking, travel and live music.