iPhone Photography School Review (2024) by an Actual Student

This is an in-depth iPhone Photography School Review that shares my experience as a student of the program.

I have been a student of iPhone Photography School for some months now and have gone through several of their courses, I think it is high time for a review of the program.

This is my honest review if you are considering any iPhone photography school courses.

(screenshot of iPhone Photography School dashboard)

What is iPhone Photography School All About?

iPhone Photography School is an academy that teaches iPhone users how to take pictures and videos with their devices.

They have a blog filled with free tutorials, a youtube channel with over 500k+ subscribers, and a catalog of courses to help you become a better iPhone photographer and video editor.

iPhone Photography School has been in the business of teaching mobile photography since 2013, and that is nine years ago.

At the moment, they have about eight courses in their catalog which I will also talk about later on in the review.

And I have taken 5/8 courses they currently have in their catalog, and that makes me qualified to write a review about their courses.

Course Instructors – Who is Emil Parkarklis?

If you have seen some of the videos on the iPhone Photography School youtube channel, there is a high chance that you already know Emil Parkarklis. 

Emil is the founder of iPhone Photography School and he is also the face of the brand.

Among the eight courses on IPS, Emil Parkarklis is the sole instructor for two of the courses. And the two courses are the flagship courses most students take in iPhone Photography School.

I’m referring to the:

• iPhone Photo Academy and
• iPhone Editing Academy

A little about Emil Parkarklis is that he is an expert photographer who is self-taught and has been teaching these courses for the past nine years and still counting.

Since he is the one taking two of the courses, I did a bit of research on the other course instructors likewise.

Besides Emil, there are three A-player instructors that are more than qualified to take the courses:

• Clifford Pickett
• Andrew Scrivani
• Mark Hemmings

Clifford Pickett is a passionate photographer who sees the world through his lenses. He is the kind of guy that brings creativity to even the slightest thing.

Right from the courses, you can how beautiful his photography concepts are. 

FYI, Clifford Pickett is taking two courses also which are:

• iPhone Landscape Mastery and
• Capture It All

Since we are talking about a photography school, I took some screenshots of Clifford’s work:

I must confess that he is more than qualified to teach about iPhone photography and editing.

Andrew Scrivani, who is an instructor for one of the courses is a director, producer, and photographer.

He has quite a good number of followers on Instagram and other social media handles. Plus, he is verified on all of them.

Besides being an educator at IPS, he also has a premium community called Andrew Scrivani Academy.

Andrew has also photographed and worked for Oprah Winfrey, The New York Magazine, and Disney, just to mention some popular brands in which his work has been featured.

One notable fact is that Andrew specializes in food photography, and most of his past works with notable brands were related to food photography.

Hence, he is the instructor for the iPhone Food Photography course at IPS.

If you are a chef, restaurant owner, or someone looking to take good photographs of food, then you can never go wrong with this course.

(screenshot taken from Andrew Scrivani’s Instagram handle)

Mark Hemmings who is the last instructor to talk about takes three courses at IPS.

• Digital Camera Mastery
• Photo Shortcuts
• Lightroom Editing Mastery

Mark is a published author who has written two books on photography:

• iPhone Photography for Dummies
• Android Smartphone Photography for Dummies

From experience, he is a professional travel photographer. Similar to the other great instructors at IPS, he also has lots of experience working with big brands and even hosting a TV series on photography.

Besides IPS, Mark also teaches mobile photography on his social media handles, in TV series, and in several countries.

While taking the course, I definitely could tell one or two things that these guys were experts in what they are teaching. 

But never knew they are world-class instructors who do not make money by teaching the course but are also in the field capturing great moments.

So now, let’s get down to who iPhone Photography School is for.

How Does iPhone Photography School Help You?

The iPhone Photography School takes you from wherever level you are to becoming a master at iPhone photography.

Whether you are a traveler looking to document your journey or a passionate photographer, this school has the best courses for you.

I know this because I have bought most of their courses.

There is also an active Facebook community to help you share your results and also learn from others.

You could also use some editing help from some of the students.

Who is it for? (Hint: Photo Enthusiast, Travelers, Creators)

At first, I bought the iPhone Photography School courses in order to help me become a better content creator (because I have a channel I am working on).

Also because I wanted to get into creating TikTok videos. 

So, my motive for joining the program is to become a better content creator using my iPhone camera to capture beautiful scenes.

But immediately after I got access to the program, I then discovered that there are thousands of students whose goal isn’t even to become professional creators like I was hoping.

Instead, many of the students are into the program for diverse reasons, from taking nice photos for the gram, and travel pictures, to capturing and enjoying moments.

So, it wasn’t only about the business of making content.

Hence, you don’t have to be a creator in order to take any of the courses at iPhone Photography School.

Everyone wants to keep memories of moments they loved, had fun, or even faced struggles.

And taking pictures and videos is the best way to make the memories live longer.

Besides, it is a better way to tell stories to our friends, family, kids, and even our customers (regardless of who).

So if you are wondering if the iPhone Photography School is worth it for you, then yeah, it is.

Whether you want to learn how to take better pictures and videos of your travel moments, or of your toddler, then here is the best mobile photography school at the moment.

Well, I might be biased because I have not taken any other iPhone photography courses besides IPS.

But hardly will you find A-class instructors who are excelling in the field and are not in the education niche to make some bucks because they have a reputation to protect.

What is inside the iPhone Photography School?

Great, question.

As I said earlier on, there are currently eight courses at IPS.

Two are taken by Emil Parkarklis

Two are taken by Clifford Pickett

One is taken by Andrew Scrivani

Three is taken by Mark Hemmings.

In this section, I’ll start by covering what is in the iPhone Photography School as a whole.

Good Customer Support Team 

One of the first things I noticed when I started taking the iPhone Photo Academy course was how diligent and responsive their customer support team was.

Anytime someone asks a question in the comment section of the course, their customer support team is swift to give a knowledgeable response to the student.

This also includes technical questions about iPhone photography.

And this goes to show that even the support team is also an expert at mobile photography. You can identify a comment from the support team by the “staff” label attached to it.

As someone who has taken a lot of courses before, one of the downsides of most courses is the lack of a responsive support team or lack of experienced teams.

But Iphone Photography School passes this checkpoint and excels at customer support.

Lifetime Access to the Course

If you like to take courses slowly whether because you have a busy schedule or not, then you will find this interesting.

IPS offers you lifetime access to all the courses you buy and that is interesting.

For me, this is an important feature I always check for whenever I am considering a course. 

In fact, when I started taking the iPhone Photo Academy course, I stopped for quite a long time (because of busy schedules) that I even got an email from the team:

But this is the beauty of signing up for a course that offers lifetime access, so you can learn at your pace.

Consistent Updates 

Apple is consistently releasing new iPhones, similarly, IPS is consistently releasing new updates to their course when need be.

The recent iPhone 14 has also been updated in the course to take into account the new features it comes with.

So if you are wondering if it will cover your iPhone’s model, well, it does. Because the courses are always updated with new course outlines. Plus, iPhone cameras are very similar and there are only a few differences that the courses also cover.

Beautiful Course Portal

Compared to most courses that use third-party online coaching platforms to host their courses, the iPhone Photography School has its own custom course platform.

The course portal is responsive on all devices whether mobile, tablet, or desktop.

Here is a sneak peek of the dashboard.

Now, let’s review their flagship courses.

1. iPhone Photo Academy

iPhone Photo Academy is the #1 flagship course of IPS (iPhone Photography School).

It is the very first course on the platform and it is solely taught by the founder of the platform, Emil Parkarklis. 

It is the best recommendation for anyone getting started with iPhone photography with beginners to intermediate experience.

Emil does a perfect job in simplifying the course and making it very easy for anyone to follow along whether you are a Gen Z or a retiree in her sixties.

I do not say this metaphorically, it is the reality, there are hundreds of students in their fifties who are also taking the course.

What is also more interesting is the fact that literally all the videos and pictures were all shot on an iPhone.

So that means, you can see the magic at work even while taking the course.

I will rate this course 5.0/5.0 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and that is because it is very easy to follow along and the lessons are actionable and not filled with fluffs.

From taking the course, here is a highlight of things I love about the course:

• It has lots of modules and course content (this is a result of consistently updating the course content every now and then to make it the best resource on mobile photography)

Hint: the iPhone Photo Academy course is nine years old.

• There are lots of sample pictures taken in the course of recording the course (and I really mean lotssssss)
• The instructor talks slowly so that everyone can pick up what he is saying. This means two things if English isn’t your first language, then you will appreciate the slow speed of speech. 

Also, they also provide captions for the courses. So, you can also switch ON the caption.

On the other hand, you can also watch the video at a faster speed, in case, you prefer it that way.

The course portal is very flexible and responsive to cater to all audience types.

Price

The iPhone Photo Academy costs a one-time fee of $99. This is an affordable price when compared to other premium courses that offer this kind of value. You can also pay a three-month payment of $39/month.

2. iPhone Editing Academy

After iPhone Photo Academy, the next flagship course on IPS is the iPhone Editing Academy course.

This course is also taught by the founder, Emil Parkarklis. 

As you must have guessed, this was also the second course created on the platform.

It is a course that teaches you how to better edit your photos as a professional.

This course teaches advanced editing skills to edit your photos and turn dull pictures into bright and captivating ones.

I must inform you that the iPhone Photo Academy also comes with some editing lessons, but this takes it a step further.

If you already have some knowledge and experience taking photos with your iPhone, then you can consider taking this editing course.

But this might not be the right place to start if you are a beginner. Instead, I’ll recommend the IPA (iPhone Photo Academy).

Or better still, you get both of the courses as I did.

The best part of this course is loads of assignments given to students to work on alongside an active Facebook group to post results. This is a fun way to learn photography and editing.

Price

The iPhone Editing Academy costs a one-time fee of $299 or a three-month payment plan of $119.

3. iPhone Landscape Academy

Now here comes one of the courses taught by Clifford. The iPhone Landscape Academy is a course that teaches you how to take unforgettable landscape pictures.

I shared some of Clifford’s works above, and we can both agree that those pictures are magical.

But here is the interesting part, those were not produced by chance, Clifford has hundreds of more unforgettable pictures that you can’t but wonder if those places or environments ever existed.

Well, that is the power of capturing the moment.

I am not yet done with this but just as expected, this course is a WOW.

Clifford was literally on the open field all through the course showing how it is done as compared to sitting in a room with controlled lightning.

Is this course worth it? Absolutely.

Let’s talk about the price.

Price

iPhone Landscape Academy costs a one-time fee of $199 or a three-month payment plan of $79. 

4. Capture It All

The other course Clifford teaches at IPS is the Capture It All course. Besides the two flagship courses, this course is also one of the popular courses in the online school.

If you want to take your iPhone photography to the next level, then the Capture It All course is for you.

This course approaches iPhone photography in a cinematographic way, teaching you, how to capture wider views.

The course was shot in Mexico, with Clifford, making it a wholesome experience watching as he enjoys Mexico capturing all moments.

And speaking of capturing it all, Clifford also teaches how to make use of drones with your iPhone to capture much better cinematographic moments.

Beyond the lessons, the experience of seeing lots of places in Mexico captured in photos and videos is awesome.

(Inside the Capture It All course)

Price

The Capture It All costs a one-time fee of $199 or a three-month payment plan of $79.

5. iPhone Food Photography

Finally, let’s talk about the iPhone Food Photography course by Andrew Scrivani. 

This is the fifth course I bought, and although I am yet to dive deep into it too, for the review, I watched a few sessions, and it was worth it.

Based on the previous courses I have taken, I can vouch that the IPS team is setting a high standard for mobile photography courses.

So, you cannot expect anything less from any of the courses on their platform.

If you are a chef or someone who deals with food and would love to take better photos of your food, then I recommend this course.

Not only is Andrew a famous and renowned food photographer, but he also has lots of recommendations.

And from the comment section inside the course, there are lots of people praising the course.

That is your proof that the course is worth it.

Price

iPhone Food Photography costs a one-time fee of $99 or three-month part payments of $39.

There are three other courses too

I won’t be able to write a review about the three other courses as I am yet to take the course.

But then, since I have taken 5/8 courses, I can surely guarantee that the remaining three courses will be a wow too.

So, if you are considering grabbing any of these courses, you can grab them via my affiliate links (I earn a commission at no extra cost for you). 

Here are the links to get the courses:

Are students getting results?

So far from the iPhone Photography School review, I can confidently say that students are getting results. The comment section is proof that people loved the course and were more than satisfied with it.

Here are some students’ comments about the course:

How much does iPhone Photography School cost (price)?

iPhone Photography School courses cost anywhere from $99 to $299. 

Here is a quick breakdown of the cost of individual courses:

• iPhone Photo Academy – $99 
• iPhone Editing Academy – $299
• iPhone Landscape Academy – $199
• Capture It All – $199
• iPhone Food Photography – $99
• Digital Camera Mastery – $99
• Photo Shortcuts – $199
• Lightroom Editing Mastery – $299

Any Discount?

Currently, there is no discount for any of the courses, but I’ll be sure to update this article immediately if there is any discount. 

Although they have a timer that says they are providing a discount on their page.

Well, that is just a selling technique; the price has not increased for quite some time.

But then, based on the value dished out in these courses, it is worth the price, and I wouldn’t hesitate to pay more for the course.

From my perspective, if you are considering any iPhone photography course, look no further than this.

UPDATE: There is an ongoing discount deal saving you more than 50% on all the courses. You can find the links to the deals here.

Refund Policy

iPhone Photography School offers a money-back guarantee in case you are unsatisfied with the course. They offer a 30-day money-back guarantee. So it is worth the trial.

Cons of iPhone Photography School

So far, I have said beautiful things about iPhone Photography School, and you must wonder if there are downsides.

Well, at the moment, I haven’t found any deal-breaker from my perspective.

A major downside will be that the course is only targeted at English-speaking countries. So for people who don’t understand English, this might be a downside.

But I really can’t come up with any deal breaker at the moment, but will definitely update this article anytime I find one as I journey through the courses myself.

Social Media Profiles

Here are the official handles/accounts of iPhone Photography School.

• IPS Instagram
• IPS Facebook Page

Should you buy their courses?

Absolutely, I recommend IPS courses.

I recommend their two flagship courses, the iPhone Photo Academy and iPhone Editing Academy courses.

The IPA will teach you how to take better photos while the IEA will teach you how to better edit them to look magical and attractive.

And that is all from my end, over to you.

Have you taken any of these courses before?

Please tell me about your experience, I’ll be happy to hear from you.