Even though I own two high-end, fancy-shmancy, pro-level cameras (plus a few not-so-professional but still perfectly good cameras), the camera I use the most is the one I carry in my pocket: my phone. The reasons are simple:
- It's with me (almost) all the time. That means I (almost) never miss a shot when something strikes me as beautiful, inspiring, or worth capturing. And believe me, there are MANY things I find beautiful each and every day, from a newly blooming flower to my velvety-eared dog taking yet another snooze on the couch, to a little patch of paint peeling on an old barn. I love discovering and celebrating the extraordinary beauty of the ordinary.
- It's fun and easy to edit photographs right in the palm of my hand, anywhere and anytime I want, without being virtually chained to my desktop computer. (It's also a LOT easier and faster than editing in Lightroom or Photoshop!)
- It's a more creative and uplifting way for me to spend those little pockets of time (waiting in line, or before an event, or in between appointments) instead of scrolling mindlessly through the latest (often depressing) headlines on my phone.
I'm also an unabashed app fanatic. I love to search out and experiment with the latest creative photography apps to see how they can transform everyday shots into ART.
Now I'd like to share with YOU everything I've learned about creating art with my phone, including all of the innovative, time-saving apps that are really worth the precious storage space on your phone. That's why I've created my newest course...
Pocket Photography: Making Art with Your Phone
Course Overview
Together, through a combination of written lessons, step-by-step tutorials, creative multi-layer projects, and downloadable "cheat sheets" of all the apps and resources we cover, we will explore the following mobile photography topics in-depth:
Week 1: The Essential Toolbox to Boost Your Phone Photography Skills
- The dedicated camera apps that are most likely better than your phone's built-in camera
- The fine-tuning features of my favorite editing apps that make the most difference in your photos
- The best apps to add professional-looking text to your pictures
- How to easily protect your photos with my favorite watermarking app
- Step-by-step guide: Follow along with my process of taking a simple photo and making it into an artful, multi-layered Instagram post
Week 2: Working with Tones and Textures
- Mastering black & white (and other monochromes)
- Working with sepia tones and other retro techniques to "age" the shot
- How to use my favorite apps to add texture and atmosphere
Week 3: High Art with your Phone!
- Creating double exposures with my favorite apps
- Painting and sketching with your phone
- Apps that replicate special lenses (without the hefty price tag of special lenses!)
- Deconstructing and distorting the shot to make abstract art
There will be three lessons emailed to you per week:
Mondays: A carefully curated collection of my favorite apps for each topic, with detailed tips on how to use them to achieve the best results. Mondays are for the "Big Lessons," jam-packed with super-useful pointers to get you fired up for the week ahead.
Wednesdays: A step-by-step tutorial for a multi-layered creative project. In other words, we will use more than one app to achieve the desired result. You can complete the project and then jump off from there into your own creative territory, playing with the newest apps in your toolbox.
Fridays: Further inspiration from mobile artists who excel in the areas we're covering, plus more of my photo-finishing techniques to make your shots really POP!
You can spend the rest of the days of the week working on the lessons, honing your techniques, and sharing your work in our private, online classroom. I'll be checking in at the classroom several times per day to guide you along with your new creations and answer any questions.
What's included in this course?
- Three weeks of lessons and online guidance, dedicated to helping you create "WOW!" snapshots with your phone.
- A beautiful, downloadable book of all the lessons (PDF file format) for you to keep and delve back into whenever you need a refresher or a little inspiration.
- A private, online classroom to share your work, get constructive critiques and answers from me, and meet like-minded photography friends. (You can check into the private classroom and post your work as much as you like.)
- Optional Instagram participation.
What You'll Need:
- A smart phone (it doesn't matter what make or model).
- A free Facebook account, so you can join our private online classroom, post your own photos, and give/receive feedback with the other class members.
- Before starting the course, you will need to know how to download apps (and purchase them, if you choose to do so) from your phone's app store (for iPhones: the Apple App Store; for Androids: GooglePlay). If you don't know how to download apps to your phone, there are plenty of Youtube videos to guide you along, such as this one: How to download apps on an iPhone.
Before the class begins, it would be helpful to know how to upload photographs from your mobile phone to Facebook. Never done that before? This link explains how to upload photos to Facebook, with step-by-step visual directions and a YouTube tutorial.
Please note: If you do not currently have a Facebook account and do not want one, you can open an account just for this course and close it right after the course ends, if you choose. It is not mandatory that you join the private Facebook group, but it is a huge part of the course experience as we work through the lessons, so I strongly recommend it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What level photographer is this course intended for?
This course is for anyone who enjoys mobile photography, beginner to intermediate.
Can I join this course if I know nothing at all about my smart phone other than how to make a call?
I love to be welcoming, but this is not the course for you if you do not know how to take a basic picture with your phone. Please see the section above entitled "What You'll Need" so you can see what you'll need to know before the course begins.
Do I need an iPhone?
No. This course is for iOS and Android phones and all lessons will apply to both. There may be a few "bonus" app suggestions for iPhones that are not yet available for Android, but those apps will not be integral to the lessons.
Will there be any assignments?
There will be optional exercises to you give you a better "hands-on" understanding of the apps and what they can do to transform your phone photos. If you don't have time to do the exercises within the week, you can finish them whenever you find the time, even after the class ends. Having said that, the more you can participate in the class while it's running, the more you will get out of it.
Do I really need to join the Facebook group for the online classroom?
No, but if you participate by sharing your work and seeing the photos that your classmates are creating with the apps, you will learn much, much more. You'll also be able to ask me any questions you might have. I highly recommend the classroom component of the course.
What if I have a full-time job?
That's fine, and it's one of the best parts of participating in an online course instead of a traditional course in a classroom. If you miss a day or two due to a heavy work schedule, just catch up whenever you can. This is basically a self-paced course, so you will get out of it what you can put into it.
How do I pay for this course?
You can securely pay with PayPal at the bottom of this page. If you don't have a PayPal account, it's free to open one and easy to sign up.
What if I'm not located in the United States?
I'm happy to welcome students from around the world, and since it's an online course, there is no specific time for you to be "in class." Previous sessions of my photography e-courses have included students from the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia.
PayPal will convert any foreign currency to U.S. dollars.
Do I need to buy anything?
Some of the suggested apps are free; some are not. It will be totally up to you to decide if you'd like to purchase certain apps through your mobile device's app store so that you can create some of the effects demonstrated. You can pick and choose. Keep in mind that paid apps are usually less than the price of a cup of coffee, usually ranging between 99 cents and $4.99, and they are yours to use forever. Suggested books may be recommended to you, but you can find them at the library (which I recommend) or preview their contents online when available through Amazon.
Will refunds be offered?
(I'm including this just for legal reasons--nobody's ever requested a refund for any of my online courses. In fact, quite the opposite: I've been told on more than one occasion that my courses were worth more than the prices paid.) Due to the digital nature of this course, I cannot offer refunds, so please purchase mindfully. Ask me any questions or let me know any of your concerns before you register, by emailing me at JoyfullyGreen.com@gmail.com.
- In 2015, I was one of seven Honorees worldwide for the Photo of the Year from BlogHer Voices of the Year. Here's the story: Nervous, Honored, Grateful!
- In 2016, I was an Honoree for the BlogHer Voices of the Year, for a post I'd written about my son. You can read more about that here: The Opposite of Crickets.
- In December 2016, I was selected as a Judge for the 2017 Voices of the Year from BlogHer (Photography/Short Video/Eye Candy categories).
- My photographs and written work have been published five times in national magazines. In Spring 2017, Artful Blogging magazine contacted me to write an article for them about my creative process. Here's the announcement about its publication: The Heart-Warming Thrill of Getting Published. Bella Grace magazine published a full-length article about my work in Fall 2017.
- Since July 2012, I've been the sole photographer at the blog JoyfullyGreen.com. If you are unfamiliar with my blog, I encourage you to take a look through the archives at my photographs, as well as the collection of my favorites available for purchase at society6.com/JoyfullyGreen. Although I started my blog in July 2012 as an eco-blog, I quickly realized that the part of blogging which gave me the most joy (no pun intended) was finding the "perfect" picture to accompany my posts.
- In March 2014, I introduced my first online photography course, How to Take Better Photos of Nature and the World Around You. Since then, I've added several online photography courses to my teaching roster, including Beyond Auto Mode: How to Really Work Your DSLR Camera; Soul Focus: Finding Peace Through Photography; Soul Focus 2: Delving Deeper into Mindful Photography; and Pocket Photography: Making Art with Your Phone.
- I've been taking photos for over four decades, ever since I was a little girl and received my first Kodak Instamatic camera for a Christmas present at the age of 7. Before my senior year at Vassar College (where I majored in Art History), I was a photography counselor at Wesleyan University's Center for Creative Youth in Middletown, CT, where I helped instruct high school students in photography (including darkroom development--anybody remember those days?). I have taken traditional courses in Black and White Photography, Landscape Photography, and Digital Photography in Philadelphia, as well as Visual Art and Design courses at Parsons School of Design in New York.
Some kind words from students of my e-courses
"I am sure to take another course with you. You inspire your students, as well as teach." -- Penny M., Scotland
"I learned so much in Joy's online courses... it's changed the way I take pictures, but even more, it's changed the way I look at the world. I can't thank her enough." -- Amy K., California
"I have taken two of Joy's courses and learned SO much. I highly recommend her courses. You don't even need a camera. The second time I did a course I ended up having to use my phone and got some sensational shots." -- Eliza F., Australia
"I have taken many of Joy's classes, some more than once...and I learn something new every time. Did I mention she is an award-winning photographer? Another bonus: You will make lots of new friends in the supportive, private classroom!" -- Jerri D., Colorado
Registration
Will you join me for three super-creative weeks of mobile photography fun? Spaces are limited, so please don't hesitate to say "YES!"
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P.S. Another other questions? Drop me a line at JoyfullyGreen.com@gmail.com