The Ten Commandments create a clear mental and physical foundation for mentoring smartphone photography. By organizing the chaos of light, creative composition and emotion, the Commandments become a valuable aid to beginners and 35 mm shooters as they negotiate the nuances of smartphone technology.

1 – THOU SHALT
ADJUST CAMERA SETTINGS

Smartphones are powerful, but power without understanding creates hesitation. When uncertain, settings default to auto-everything and students hope for the best. This commandment is not about  memorizing features – it’s about students learning a photographic language that enables them to shoot with confidence.

2 – THOU SHALT
STABILIZE YOUR SMARTPHONE

Sharpness isn’t technical — it’s emotional. If an image feels unstable, viewers feel uneasy. Whether handheld, mounted on a selfie stick, or secured on a tripod, stabilization ensures consistent focus regardless of changing weather, time of day or camera position.

3 – THOU SHALT
DEVELOP OBSERVATIONAL POWERS

Creativity is not a personality trait – it’s practiced observation that brings experimentation to the process. From lighting, to composition, to point of view, to perspective, to viewer retention, critiques are ongoing during each workshop.

Through guided mentoring and peer interaction, students learn how meaningful images are created – and how they connect with viewers.

4 – THOU SHALT
CONTROL YOUR TECHNOLOGY

‘Working the Scene’ begins after the first frame. It requires stepping back and evaluating light, composition, camera position, background distractions, and focal emphasis. Small adjustments – a shift in height, angle, or timing – often create dramatic improvement.

The difference between average and exceptional is rarely dramatic. It’s deliberate…

A smartphone does exactly what you tell it to do. Once students understand modes, lenses, and exposure control, they gain the freedom to refine an image edge to edge. Working a scene transforms a quick capture into an intentional photograph.

5 – THOU SHALT
BECOME A STUDENT OF LIGHT

From seasonal shifts to second sunsets and the power of contrast, light is the element photographers pursue relentlessly. It cannot be controlled — only understood. When patience meets commitment, photographers stop chasing light and start anticipating it.

Light transcends borders, cultures, and words. It shapes mood, defines texture, and communicates emotion without translation. This is where patience becomes practice. When people recognize good light, they arrive earlier, stay longer, and move with intention. Light doesn’t just shape images – it shapes behavior…

6 – THOU SHALT
BELIEVE IN COMPOSITION

Composition is how viewers are invited into an image – or kept out. Without compositional awareness, images feel busy, confusing, or forgettable. With it, even simple scenes gain strength and emotional weight. This isn’t about rigid rules – it’s about guiding attention of the viewer.

Smartphone photography thrives on movement. Step left. Step back. Drop lower. Raise higher. Framing rewards participation. The more you move, the more intentional your images become. Composition transforms observation into action. Play Ball…

7 – THOU SHALT 
APPRECIATE DETAIL

Our workshops celebrate details often missed in every day life. Whether its the veins of a leaf, the ground shadows we walk on, or the texture of an aged saguaro, details define our world.

Though not always immediately visible, photographing details is like an easter egg hunt. They are the unnoticed elements that hold stories together.

8 – THOU SHALT 
DEVELOP PATIENCE

Different memories create different photographs. The impact of a scene depends on recognizing opportunity as it unfolds. That graduation image wasn’t luck — it required readiness and patience. 

The right place. The right time. The right instant. Moments reveal themselves to those who are attentive and prepared. A perfect sky can dissolve in seconds. A gesture can vanish in half a breath. The arrival of a moment only comes once…

9  – THOU SHALT
ELEVATE IMAGE QUALITY

We introduce in-camera editing based on skill level and smartphone version, focusing on restraint and intention. When students see a before-and-after transformation — light balanced, distractions removed, emotion clarified — something clicks.  

Editing is not repair, it’s refinement…

10 – THOU SHALT 
REMEMBER THIS COMMANDMENT

There will come a day when you look at a photograph you’ve made and quietly smile. The light is right. The composition feels balanced. The moment holds.

You’ll remember the mentoring, the group energy, and the process that led you there. That’s when you realize you’ve crossed a threshold.

Gratitude…