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Your 6-Photo Phone Photography Portfolio

The capstone project for Smartphone Photography — a free Creative course. Pass it and you earn a certificate anyone can verify.

Start the course free Download the project workbook

The project unlocks once you complete the lessons. The workbook is free to download now so you can see exactly what is expected.

What you will submit

One public, viewable link to a portfolio of 6 before/after photo pairs across different subjects and lighting, each with a short note on your light, composition and editing choices.

What to do, step by step

  1. Shoot at least 6 final photos using only your phone, covering different subjects (include a mix such as a portrait of a person, a product/object shot, and a scene or place) and different lighting situations (e.g. window light, golden hour, open shade) so your range is clear.
  2. Apply the course foundations to each shot: clean lens, good light placed in front of the subject, deliberate composition (rule of thirds, clean background), and tap-to-focus with exposure set by hand.
  3. Edit each photo on your phone with a free app (Snapseed or Lightroom Mobile), keeping the original so you have a clear before/after pair for all 6 photos.
  4. For each of the 6 photos, write 1–2 sentences explaining your choices: where the light came from, how you composed it, and what you changed in the edit and why.
  5. Arrange the 6 before/after pairs and your notes into one portfolio — a free shareable Google Doc, a Behance/Carrd page, a Google Photos album, or a clean Instagram highlight — and make sure it is publicly viewable.
  6. Submit the single public link to your finished portfolio.

Files to work with

Project workbook (fill in, then submit)The whole brief, an evidence checklist, the grading rubric as a self-check and the link-sharing steps in one file. Opens in Word, Google Docs or WPS.Word · 6 KB

How it is graded

CriterionWeight
Range and variety: 6 photos genuinely cover different subjects (portrait, product, scene) and different lighting situations20%
Technical quality: photos are sharp, well-exposed and use good light, with focus on the right subject and a clean background25%
Composition: deliberate framing using the rule of thirds, leading lines, angle and a tidy background20%
Editing: before/after pairs show clear, tasteful, honest improvement with the right amount of restraint (not over-edited)20%
Reflection and presentation: clear notes on light, composition and edit choices, presented in a tidy, easy-to-view portfolio link15%

You need 65% overall to pass. A failed submission comes back with feedback and can be revised and resubmitted.

Before you submit: make your link public

If your work lives in Google Drive or Google Docs, open Share → General access and change “Restricted” to “Anyone with the link” (Viewer). Then paste the link into a private browser window: if it opens without sign-in, you are ready. A private link cannot be graded — it is the single most common reason a good project fails.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to finish Smartphone Photography before submitting the project?

Yes. The submission screen opens once every lesson in Smartphone Photography is marked complete. The lessons are where the methods, the Nigerian context and the worked examples the project depends on are taught.

How is the project graded?

An examiner scores each rubric criterion from 0 to 100 and weights them as shown on this page; you need 65% overall to pass. Most submissions are graded within minutes and you get written feedback on what was strong and what to improve.

Can I resubmit if I fail?

Yes. A failed project comes back with feedback; revise the weak parts and resubmit. A passed project is final — the certificate is issued and cannot be re-rolled.

What do I actually submit?

A write-up of what you did (under 5,000 characters) plus a public link to your work — a Google Drive folder, Google Doc, spreadsheet, GitHub repository or video. The link must open without sign-in; a private link cannot be graded. The free project workbook on this page walks you through all 6 steps.

Is the certificate real?

Yes. Passing this project issues a certificate with a unique verification code. Anyone — an employer, a client, a school — can open the verification page and see that the certificate is genuine and which project earned it.

More Creative projects

Ready to earn this certificate?

Smartphone Photography is free and self-paced. Finish the lessons, complete this project, and the certificate is yours to share.

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