Phoenix Focus
Image of Phoenix Focus’ logo. The background is bright orange with dark blue for the writing on the right of the image, saying “Phoenix Focus”. On the right of the image, there is a white graphic picture of a pair of hands holding a modern camera, facing towards the audience.
Photography Fun for Everyone
Photography is a wonderful way to explore the world around us, practise mindfulness, and capture moments as they happen. This hands-on four-week program is designed to help everyone take better photos using just their smartphone. You'll learn how to use your phone camera with confidence and creativity to capture everyday moments and memories. Each session explores key photography principles, from composition and lighting to editing and storytelling, using simple tools and techniques that anyone can master.
This program is for anyone who wants to explore the world through the camera lens and is designed to make the most of modern smartphone cameras. It can also be tailored for students who have more advanced digital cameras.
Dates: Thursdays for 4 weeks starting 16th October, and one Saturday (optional extra, date to be confirmed)
Time: 6pm-7.30pm
What to bring: Your phone! (and from week two, your camera if you’d like)
Fee: $220 for the 4 Thursdays (fee to be negotiated for the Saturday field trip, depending on how many attend.)
Ages 14 and up (need to be able to be unsupervised, or have a caregiver with them)
NDIS and non NDIS participants welcome, Afterpay available.
Week 1: Fundamentals - camera basics and composition
Goal: Understand your phone’s camera features and start seeing like a photographer.
Topics:
● Phone camera basics: lens options, resolution, grid lines, aspect ratio
● Turning off the flash and using natural light
● Exposure and focus lock (how to tap and hold)
● Different camera apps
Week 2: Light, exposure and focus – Creating Intentional Images
Goal: Learn how to take control of lighting and exposure on your phone.
Topics:
● Understanding light: soft vs harsh, direction of light, time of day
● Adjusting exposure, white balance, depth of field
● Using shadows and highlights for creative impact
● Using portrait mode creatively (even for objects!)
Week 3: Editing
Goal: Enhance photos using free editing apps to bring your vision to life.
Topics:
● Best free editing apps: Snapseed, Lightroom Mobile, native phone options
● Basic edits: crop, straighten, brightness, contrast, shadows/highlights
● Colour adjustments: temperature, saturation, black & white
● Filters vs manual editing (how to avoid over-editing)
Week 4: Telling a story with your photos
Goal: Apply everything you’ve learned in a mini storytelling project.
Topics:
● What makes a compelling photo story (theme, consistency, emotion)
● How to sequence photos
Week 5 (Optional extra): Field trip to Downtown Darkroom Milawa - photography museum
Goal: Learn about the history of film and analog photography
To express interest, please enquire below: