Photography resources

If you know me at all, you know that my number one favorite hobby is taking pictures. I just love photography - all aspects of it, from finding locations to shooting technique to lens mastery - and even post-processing and printing. And of course sharing photos with friends, family and co-workers (whom have all been very supportive over the years).


A photo of me playing photographer, by Scott Kriner.

Now, I just so happen to know for a fact that there are at least four or five professional photographers reading this blog, along with several whom I’d put in the advanced amateur category, like me. So, forgive me if you already know all this stuff. Move along, nothing for you to see here.

Sidebar: Of course now you’re wondering what “advanced amateur” means. Advanced amateurs obviously haven’t made photography into a full-time career, although from time to time we might make a few bucks to help pay for gear. We might eventually capture something good enough to use as stock photography for other projects, or maybe even sell a print or two. We generally know what our cameras can do, how to make manual adjustments, how to frame good shots, what sort of light to look for, yadda yadda yadda. But we know that there's a lot we don't know, and bug you pro photographers for tips and recommendations all the time. A lot of our friends and family seem to like and respect our work (a few are probably “just being nice”) but nobody from National Geographic or Sports Illustrated or AP is knocking on our doors (yet).

A real pro, on the other hand, makes a living from his photography. He knows the business-end of things just as well as shooting and lighting techniques. He knows his way around a studio, can quickly set up lighting rigs, and has developed workflows that maximize the use of his time and therefore maximize profit. After all, he’s gotta keep the lights on. People pay for his images, whether they appear in advertisements, newspapers, Web sites, etc. He carries photo release forms and business cards in his gear bag.

Can an advanced amateur come off with a shot that a pro would admire? Of course. My point is, there’s a big gap to be bridged before moving to the pro level, and it doesn’t always have to do with what kind of camera you own or how nice your photos are. And yes, this is all a gross oversimplification so don't nitpick.

Anyway, back to the point of this piece. As with computers, I often get asked for advice about cameras and photography (for whatever reason, a lot of my friends and clients are into digital photography). Sometimes I even provide personal training or “tutoring” for aspiring shutterbugs. Although I’m not a pro photographer (yet), I am a professional communicator and have trained thousands of people on all sorts of subjects over the years. So that’s what makes me kinda qualified to at least teach beginners some digital photography basics.

Of course nothing beats a one-on-one, hands-on lesson when it comes to photography, especially if it’s ‘in the field.’ That can get expensive after a while, however, and time is a factor. For those who really want to learn more about photography, you're in luck - practically everything you’d want to know can be found online, and most of it’s free and waiting for you to come along and absorb it. Only my friend Scott has taught me more than what I’ve learned online. That’s one of the great things about the Internet and the Web - all the info you could want on practically anything, with free refills!

So, without further ado, here are some resources for you to get started:

photo.net - my favorite resource. It’s got some great articles and forums, and the members aren’t snooty and for the most part won’t look down on beginners. That said, please do use the search tool before posting a question; no matter how nice or not-so-nice a particular forum’s members are, they are often irritated (myself included) by somebody who posts a question that’s been asked and answered a dozen times already. If you subscribe to photo.net (just $20 a year) you get your own gallery space and personal address (mine’s http://photo.net/photos/vincedistefano), where you can post your own shots and even invite the community to critique your stuff and/or rate your photos. I often browse the Nikon forum, with no particular question in mind, just to see what sorts of questions others are asking - and what answers they get.

Thom Hogan - If I may be so bold, Thom reminds me of me, only with a LOT more experience, greater skill, a nicer tan, and obviously far superior time management habits. He’s a computer guy from way back and is now a tech/Internet/photography writer who’s also a tremendous photographer and workshop teacher. I don’t know how old he is. Hopefully he’s at least twenty years older than I am, so that I can constantly remind myself “Calm down...you’ve got twenty more years to get to that level...” People ask me how I manage to squeeze in all the different things I do. Trust me, I’m freshman pledge fodder in the fraternity run by guys like Hogan.

Anyhow, Thom is a Nikon man, but you Canon people can still find a lot of good stuff on his site. For example, check out his recent "Get ing the pixels right" blog post. He also produces really nifty “complete guides” to cameras which are said to blow away Nikon’s own publications. I’m thinking of getting his complete guide to the D300.

KenRockwell.com - Ken Rockwell is another Nikon shooter who does a good amount of writing, including lots of photo gear reviews. For some reason, though, some of those “in the know” let out a hearty “hrummph!” when they hear mention of a Rockwell product review. I guess sometimes his opinions are a bit controversial, but I haven’t noticed it. I do know that his “Seven Levels of Photographer” satire piece is pretty funny, but any time somebody mentions it at another photography site or forum, a big flame war ensues.

digital-photography-school.com - good tips here. Their articles tend to be easily digestible, “ten things to remember”-style pieces. They have a weekly email list, a critique forum, and also a “Weekly Assignment” activity which I plan to try out at some point.

PCPhoto Magazine - great printed mag that covers a wide range of digital photography topics. It’s nice to do some “offline” reading from time to time. Note that the “PC” in “PCPhoto” does NOT mean Windows, as opposed to Mac. It means “personal computer.”

Digital Photography Review - when you’re feeling a bit spendy, go to this site first to make sure you're not making an expensive mistake. Their reviews can be very technical and comprehensive.

Adobe’s Lightroom Forum or Apple’s Aperture Forum. Only applies if you use either of these programs, of course. (I recommend Lightroom, thanks for asking).

B&H Photo - the one most photographers cite as their fav online store for digital cameras and equipment. Good selection, good prices.

shootsmarter.com - just recently discovered this one, looks promising.

* IMPORTANT POINT WHICH I NEARLY FORGOT:

READ PRODUCT REVIEWS. Even if they’re for a camera you already own. You would be amazed at how much you can learn from incidental information like this.

OK, maybe this isn’t a huge list of resources. But honestly, if you’ve got time for much more than this, you’re not out taking enough pictures.

Now, you pro and advanced amateur photographers out there - post back and tell us about YOUR favorite resources!