3 Apps That Helped Me Learn Smartphone Photography

Of course, YouTube and online courses are popular for learning smartphone photography, but what if your best teacher was already in your pocket? These apps don’t just help you hone your skills—they inspire your next great shot while you practice.

1

500 px

Browsing other photographers’ photos in the 500px app taught me a lot about guidelines, contrast, and other smartphone photography essentials. The Mood Gallery categorizes different styles and moods, such as perspective, travel, and black and white photography. For specific smartphone images, search for the name of your device in the search bar (for example, “iPhone”).

I usually save any photos I like for future reference. In addition to using the tool to learn new photography styles, I also turn to 500px if I need new inspiration in familiar categories.

The 500px blog includes more comprehensive photography resources, but you’ll have to go to the website because they’re not available in the app.

Browsing in the 500px app is free. You can get paid subscriptions, but I don’t think these are necessary if learning is your only goal.

I used to like the 500px subreddit, but the subreddit is more or less dead now (no one has posted anything new in over a year). I suggest joining r/photography as an alternative to get more feedback on your photos and improve your learning.

Download: 500px per iOS | Android (Free in-app purchases available)

2

Lightroom

In addition using Lightroom to edit my smartphone photosI learned a lot from their community. Like 500px, you can browse multiple categories. I find that Lightroom has a better mix of smartphone and professional photos, and I like to see the exact editing process for each picture. This is an excellent way to learn if you want to achieve a particular style or experiment.

Lightroom also lets you see remixed versions of people’s photos, making it easier to explore different editing styles even more. I also learned a lot about choosing subjects and color theory, as well as understanding what my phone is capable of. To access Lightroom, you need a subscription.

In addition to editing other people’s photos and gaining inspiration, the Lightroom app allows you to save user-created presets that you can later apply to your own photos.

Download: Lightroom for iOS | Android (Free in-app purchases available)

Many photography-specific mobile apps are great for getting hands-on photography and editing experience. I use these tools to learn more about composition, gain inspiration for my next photoshoot, discover the best times to photograph and improve my editing skills. All are excellent companies for long-form publishing resources.

3

Unscripted

Although it is largely oriented towards professional photography, I use Unscripted to help you discover unique poses for smartphone photos. The app has a complete suite of posing styles divided into several categories, with information on the correct camera settings. This is particularly useful if you change the opening in Fashion portrait or when you download a smartphone camera app with the option to change the ISO, etc.

Unscripted’s Sunracker function is also useful. On the home page, I can see the weather for my location and the sunrise/sunset time. So it is much easier to prepare for different conditions and know when to go out for better lighting. If you have a paid subscription, you can see when Blue Hour and Golden Hour are in your current location.

I use the Unscripted app for resources on color theory, social media marketing, and numerous other applicable smartphone photography topics. Their catalog of photographer interviews helps you get additional tips and even inspire you to level up your photography game.

Download: Unscripted for iOS/iPadOS | Android (Free in-app purchases available)