Apple recently started offering customers one-on-one phone-based tutorial sessions with a "Photos expert," allowing them to receive training on using the image editing tools built into the Photos app.
According to a new support document, Apple users in the United States can sign up for a 30 minute session with an Apple Support Advisor that's an expert in "using Photos to transform pictures from good to amazing."
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It's not clear how useful these sessions will be for customers as they seem to be conducted over the phone with no visual aid included.
You'll have 30 minutes one-on-one with a Photos expert who'll describe how to edit pictures from your own collection. They'll tailor the session to your skill level and show you how to get the results you want.
The support document instructs customers to update their Macs and iOS devices to the latest versions and call using speakerphone or headphones for hands-free access to editing tools while talking to an advisor.
Apple says that customers will learn about all of the editing tools that Photos offers, from Auto Enhance to detailed color and light adjustments. The lesson will also cover editing Live Photos and images taken in Portrait mode along with tools like cropping, filters, and more.
While phone-based Photos app tutorials appear to be a new offering, Apple has long offered online lessons for new device purchasers.
The Personal Setup feature, for example, lets new device owners get help from Apple in store or online, with Apple support staff helping users find apps, personalize their devices, and discover key features.
On the iPhone, for example, Personal Setup covers details like transferring contacts, setting up email accounts, and using Find My iPhone, plus it includes "handy camera tips" and App Store suggestions.
Apple also hosts many "Today at Apple" training sessions in its online stores on topics like editing videos, getting started with coding, shooting photos on iPhone, photo walks that focus on photography tips, and more.
Apple's new online Photos session appears to be something of an online extension of Today at Apple and the Personal Setup process, with Apple perhaps planning to extend these online tutorials to other topics in the future.
Top Rated Comments
Apple says that customers will learn about all of the editing tools that Photos offers, from Auto Enhance to detailed color
- And now, sir, please press the auto to enhance button- Done
- Congratulations, you have just mastered auto enhancing! That will be $99.99 for this lesson. Next, we will cover how to automatically adjust exposure using the "automatically adjust exposure" button
The difficult part is taking the photo and where most people should be spending 90% of their time learning to improve. It's far more important to learn how light works before trying to edit a photo. Garbage in, garbage out. Though I'm still amazed at how far you can push a modern RAW. But even the best camera can't save a photo with splotchy light all over someone's face, and exposing properly the first time will make editing MUCH easier.
Most people could also improve their photos massively if they got closer to their subject and zoomed with their feet. Move around a lot when you take photos and try different perspectives and you'll learn a lot faster. Get down on the ground. Climb up somewhere high. Walk around your subject and watch how the various forms created by lines of contrast and curvature interact with elements in the background to create visual movement and interest. Always pay attention to the background when shooting and notice how that changes the photo. Lastly, the single most important thing that most people can do to improve: stop centering your subject in every single photo. Look up the rule of thirds and the golden ratio.