Interested in learning how to get into photography? If you don’t have the time or budget to join a photography class or hire a tutor, there are many great photography apps out there that can help you learn and hone your skills just as effectively as any teacher. Apps are the perfect solution as they are inexpensive—sometimes even free—and provide you the luxury of learning anywhere, and at a time that’s convenient for you. So, if you want to learn photography and get a head start on your fellow aspiring shutterbugs, we’ve compiled some of the best photography apps out there for Apple, Android, and Windows.
The ubiquitous presence of mobile digital devices has helped promote the growth of educational apps that help everybody, from raw beginners to experienced professionals, in a multitude of areas. One that has drawn plenty of interest from developers is the creation of apps that deal with photography.
There are thousands of apps for a variety of Apple devices, including the iPhone, iPad, and iPod from Apple alone. And then there’s the Android operating system that covers all of Google’s huge number of licensees that make rival smartphones, tablets, and other devices.
While Apple gained an early lead in the tablet market with its iPad, the Android, developed by Google and licensed to hundreds of developers, has more than made up for its late start. Brands such as Lenovo, Asus, Samsung, and others have a wide array of tablets that can be used to view educational apps that provide tutorials and beginner guides.
Smartphone or Tablet?
While a smartphone (particularly a hybrid phone/tablet with a larger screen) can be used to learn photography, the best devices to view instructional videos are the 7-inch and 10-inch (or larger) display sizes that dominate the current tablet market.
The ease of viewing and high-resolution displays offer a much better platform for learning photography than that of smaller devices.
Apple iPad Pro 12.9″ M1 Chip
Few devices make learning photography via apps easier than the Apple iPad Pro 12.9″. This powerful iPad features the M1 chip, which helped it become the fastest device of its kind with astonishing performance and top-notch power—perfect for creating, editing, and enjoying the photo experimentation process. The Apple iPad Pro 12.9″ boasts an up to 50 percent faster performance than predecessors, with up to 40 percent faster graphics. The 12.9-inch retina display promises a stunning image experience, ensuring users can appreciate their content with true-to-life clarity.
Microsoft Surface Go
Another top-notch tablet for learning photography through apps is the Microsoft Surface Go 3 10.5″ 2-in-1 Touchscreen Tablet. With this workhorse of a tablet, aspiring photographers can enjoy an up to 11-hour battery life with fast charging and the speedy Intel Core processor. This tablet was built for work on the go, which means users can study and hone their craft everywhere, from an airplane to a hotel room or office, and any place in between. The Microsoft Surface Go 3 10.5″ 2-in-1 Touchscreen Tablet features a kickstand, which makes watching those photo-app demos or videos a hands-free breeze.
Sony Xperia 1 III
The Sony Xperia 1 III is about as powerful as tablets come, with incredible optics and speed, not to mention the mind-blowing 4K HDR OLED 120Hz refresh rate display. This top-notch display ensures an immersive photography-tutorial viewing experience. But it’s about much more than watching. With this tablet, users can also flex their creative muscles thanks to the four versatile lenses built in, not to mention the fast, accurate autofocus that ensures each shot is as sharp as the last. Just like high-end cameras, the Sony Xperia 1 III features continuous AF for moving subjects, plus a telephoto system for snapping from afar.
Check out the hands-on review of the Sony Xperia 1 III with Crissibeth Cooper.
Many apps are designed for both phone or tablet use, and many of the free apps will tout in-app sales of enhanced versions, magazine subscriptions, or related products.
Here are the best apps to help you learn photography:
Elements of Photography
Download: iOS, Google Play
The Elements of Photography app is one of the most comprehensive and immersive photography education experiences out there. It features dozens of chapters, subsections, tools, quizzes, and tips, all built with the budding photographer in mind. Users can take this app with them in the field for quick-tip reminders. Plus, the intuitive quiz section helps creators memorize those important skills, such as using manual settings. And, with stunning graphics throughout, this renowned photography-education app does it all, and then some. Photography curriculum with the Elements of Photography app includes low-light photography, exposure compensation, aerial photography, lighting, people and portraits, sports, and more.
Udemy
Download: iOS, Google Play
When it comes to apps for learning photography, it’s hard to beat Udemy, one of the Internet’s best-known education destinations. Udemy features expert-taught classes across genres, whether users are looking for the nitty gritty of learning photography (think how to use a camera) or more general skills that might be essential to running a photo business, including marketing, SEO, design, and more. The Udemy courses are available on or offline, with AirPlay and Chromecast capabilities for learning on a larger screen like a TV. The app also includes notes, learning reminders, quizzes, and Q&As with instructors, plus picture-in-picture for simultaneously watching and practicing new skills.
Creative Live
Download: iOS
Brainchild of photography legend Chase Jarvis, Creative Live offers some of the best photography and videography education out there—especially through the seamless and portable Creative Live app. This app promises all of Creative Live’s best features: streaming live classes, lessons of the day, AirPlay connectivity for streaming on the TV, offline access for learning sans WiFi, and much more. Creative Live’s instructors are at the top of their games, giving users the chance to learn from the best of the best. Education content is available for subject areas like photography, video, art, design, music, audio, and entrepreneurship—to name a few.
LinkedIn Learning
Download: iOS, Google Play
LinkedIn is no longer just for networking. The company has expanded into the education space—and they’re making serious waves with next-level learning content. LinkedIn Learning features more than 4,000 courses across the business, tech, and creative genres; the latter includes everything from photojournalism 101 to mastering commercial photography. These courses are available for downloading and learning offline, with curated courses picked for an expert-guided learning experience. In addition to watching and soaking up the course content, users can share the courses they’re taking with their LinkedIn network—showing potential employers their dedication to the craft, with certificates of completion available to add to LinkedIn profiles as each course is finished.
YouTube
Download: iOS, Google Play
If there’s one catch-all place to learn just about anything—be it installing a new light fixture or perfecting the craft of photography or videography—it’s definitely YouTube. This social platform has it all, and the educational photography content is impressively detailed and helpful. Just look at the AdoramaTV channel! AdoramaTV alone features classes and videos on unique lighting, creative reflections, gear reviews, photo editing, fun effects, troubleshooting, all taught via expert hosts. Given its breadth of content, the YouTube app is undoubtedly one of the best apps for learning photography, from videos on the Adorama TV channel and beyond.
Adobe Lightroom
Download: iOS, Google Play
Adobe Lightroom isn’t just for desktop. The smartphone app gives users full control when editing their photos—just like the desktop version—with color corrections (including color isolation), lighting adjustments, healing, presets, masking, profiles, and more. Beyond editing, Lightroom is an ideal app for learning photography with an arsenal of educational content, including tutorials on everything from gradients to light enhancements, and color corrections to astrophotography settings. Click the “learn” section of the app to access this educational content, which is sorted into beginner and intermediate levels. Don’t miss the “discover” section as well to find inspiration from other talented creators.
PhotoPills
Download: iOS, Google Play
If astrophotography is of interest, download the PhotoPills smartphone app. This jam-packed photography app helps creators learn how to plan the perfect photo day, from timing the shoot to sunset, using augmented reality to figure out the Milky Way position, or just about any sun, moon, or star situation in between. The PhotoPills app features a 2D map-centric planner and 3D augmented reality option to help creators visualize the scene well before arrival, with intel on the sun, moon, Milky Way, celestial equator, Polaris, and more. It comes with a photo plans manager for compiling and saving multiple shoot ideas. The built-in calculator also guides photographers through suggested settings for long exposure, timelapse, and star trails.
Learning photography doesn’t have to entail poring over heavy books and memorizing overwhelming technical terms and explanations. In this day and age, you can already learn and practice photography with just the tap of your finger, thanks to photography apps.
