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Working in an Apple store in my early twenties while attending university was a lot of fun. For five years, I dedicated my spare time between classes to product launches, merchandise resets, endless customer interactions, and four different roles between two stores.
One of the roles that took up most of my Apple career was the wonderful role of Creative, where I taught classes within the Apple Store, and it still holds a very special place in my heart. It's also a role with photography at its heart — and an excellent opportunity for Apple staff to share their photo-snapping tips with iPhone owners.
The Creative Role & Today at Apple
Creatives hold a lot of knowledge about Apple's software and hardware and spend their days in an Apple store teaching customers through the delivery of the Today at Apple program, a vast and curated array of free sessions.
Today at Apple was created by the ex-senior vice president of retail, Angela Arendhts, with the desire to turn Apple stores into modern-day town squares where people could meet and connect. The goal was to ensure that the Apple Store would become the best place to experience Apple's technology guided by experts, the Creatives, to unlock creativity and foster human connection.
Today at Apple features sessions for all ages and all skill levels, from product basics for those who are new to Apple technology to more advanced sessions on how to draw with Procreate or compose music on GarageBand; from group sessions with educators to school field trips focused on learning the basics of coding.
The role of a Creative is to learn the curriculum for all these sessions and deliver them to attendees and sometimes, if you happen to work in a big flagship store, to witness the delivery of these sessions by industry leaders, musicians, designers, and other VIPs.
The best part about being a Creative and learning the Today at Apple curriculum was that no matter how long I had used Apple products for, there was always something new to learn; the one session I learned the most from and had the most fun teaching was the Photo Walk, since rebranded as a Photo Tour.
What is a Photo Walk/ Photo Tour?
A Photo Tour is perfect for those with some iPhone photography experience who need help applying their knowledge when taking everyday pictures, or for those who would like to be more creative with their photographs. A Photo Tour is also a super fun tourist activity, especially when visiting big cities like London, New York, Rome, and other travel hotspots across the globe, where both architecturally and aesthetically, there is a lot that can inspire breathtaking shots.
These sessions are an hour and a half as the Creative team will take you through a quick refresh of the camera settings to tailor the experience to your iPhone model, explore a few composition techniques before heading out, and some editing tips upon returning to the store.
There are many types of Photo Tours, so you can choose which one best matches your style. You might have a city break coming up and would like to learn more about framing architecture, or perhaps you want to master the art of taking candid portraits for your social media feed; either way, Today at Apple has something for everyone.
Why should you attend a Photo Tour?
One of the best parts of teaching a Photo Tour was seeing the group of attendees, at first shy at the table in the store, coming together to help each other out during the session, and then erupting in triumphant celebrations during the showcase of what everyone had captured during the tour.
I, like many attendees, might have known how to work an iPhone camera. But in this age when we are all so linked through the internet and social media, yet quite isolated behind the comfort of our screens, it was truly empowering to be able to experience an hour and a half of collaboration and human connection.
So, as an ex-Creative at an Apple store, I strongly encourage you to experience a Photo Tour at least once to unlock the full potential of your devices, connect with people, and perhaps inspire others by sharing your perception of the world through the lenses of your iPhone camera.
How to book a Photo Tour
If you are intrigued and would like to attend a Photo Tour or another Today at Apple session, here's how to book one:
- Browse the catalog of Today at Apple sessions offered at your local Apple Store at https://www.apple.com/today/ or via the Apple Store App
- Once you find a session you are interested in book it with your Apple ID
- If you are looking for a different location, search the store/city you are interested in and browse their programming!
Next steps...
Today at Apple is a great way to get to know your Apple technology, and here at iMore we want to help you take that knowledge of Apple software even further!
For the next few days, as part of our themed iPhone Photography Week, we have partnered with iPhone photography experts to create a curated and detailed collection of articles to help your iPhone photography game reach the next level. From editing tips to composition techniques, we have something for everyone, and we cannot wait to see your amazing shots!
Share your Today at Apple stories with iMore on X (Twitter) using #iMorePhotographyWeek
