Perhaps the most important thing that you can do to improve your photography, other than continuously taking photos and pushing yourself to try new things, is to read as much as you possibly can. You should plan to read everything about the art that you can fit into your schedule. I’ve already mentioned the importance of pulling out that owner’s manual and really getting to know your camera. There are also lots of great books on the subject, but the focus of today’s post is to highlight some of the blogs out there that I’ve come across that have really helped to shape my own photography, as well as how I think about the art and my future in it.
These blogs are listed in alphabetical order, and you’d do well to add even one of these to your normal reading routine, but I certainly recommend following them all. After a short description of the blog, I’ve listed three posts from each that I’ve recently enjoyed and/or shared with others.
The Big Picture
When you don’t take any photos for a while or you find yourself in a rut with your images, occasionally you lose sight of why you started doing this in the first place. Looking at just one set of photographs on The Big Picture is enough to get you excited about your art again, and if you follow the blog regularly, you’ll get that feeling every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday when a new set is posted. As I watch snow flurries drift past my window, I’m reminded of a post from a couple weeks ago that shared 42 amazing shots of the white stuff. One warning, the pictures on TBP are large and can take a while to load on slower connections, but they’re well worth the wait. If the shots collected on TBP aren’t enough to get you energized and motivated to go out and take some photos, photography may not be for you after all.
Recent Highlights:
Digital Photography School
As the name somewhat implies, Digital Photography School is all about teaching you how to use your camera and improve your images. They’ve covered just about everything from how to properly hold your camera to how using film can improve your digital photography. Beyond improving your technique, DPS also provides in-depth reviews on cameras and equipment, as well as tips and tricks on how to make those images really stand out. Perhaps one of the best offerings that DPS has is its forum, which gives you a place to share and get critiques of your own photos, and also interact with other active photographers and build additional resources in the community.
Recent Highlights:
- Getting Better Contrast in Your Photography
- 4 Practice Techniques to Develop Photographic Observation
- Get Silly for Serious Lifestyle Images
The Photo Argus
Similar to The Big Picture blog, The Photo Argus brings together amazing collections of photographs to inspire you to go out and do more. Just last night, an article on TPA inspired me to shoot more photographs of the toys we have in our home. It actually wasn’t the article in the picture above, but rather, this one instead. In addition to these posts, however, TPA also offers information, tricks and tips on how to achieve some of the effects that are showcased in these gallery posts. Of the five photo blogs that are listed here, The Photo Argus is definitely the one that motivates me the most to get out of the house and challenges me to explore new things with my own photographs.
Recent Highlights:
- Quick Tips for Urban Photography After Dark
- Must Have Photography Gear That Won’t Break the Bank
- How to Paint With Light in a Photograph
Photojojo
Although their products can be a tad bit pricey, what Photojojo lacks in bargains, they more than make up for with creativity and uniqueness. Subscribing to their feed will not only keep you abreast of their store offerings, but will keep you inspired with new ideas and new directions to explore with your photography. One week, they’ll bring you a crazy do it yourself projects like how to attach a DSLR lens to a camera phone and the next bring you back down to earth by sharing things like the “Before I Die I Want To” project. The DIY spirit that they show through many of the articles they post and links they share are part of the reason why I began this website in the first place.
Recent Highlights:
- Photo Philosophy to Brighten Your Brainy Bits
- Make Your Own Cork Photo Coasters: Corksters!
- Your Own Page-a-Day Photo Calendars Make Your Photo-a-Day Even More Gorgeous
Photopreneur
I only just discovered money making blog Photopreneur a couple of weeks ago, but so far the articles that I have read have been extremely interesting, and I hope to start applying some of the ideas that they’ve set forth (and, of course, sharing those experiences on this website) in the coming days and months. The first post that caught my was their write-up on Growing a Baby Photography Business. Let me stop right now and say that I have no plans of ever starting such a business, but with our second child due in less than two months, I want all of the advice that I can get on how to take great photographs of the little guy. This example just goes to show you that even if you aren’t looking to raise your income with your photography, knowing
Recent Highlights:
- Magazines that Take Pictures from Amateurs
- When the Caption Counts As Much As the Picture
- Creative Ideas for Photography Books
There are plenty of photography related blogs that can help improve your photographs or inspire you to try new and different things. A few others that are worth looking at, but didn’t make it onto this list are Strobist, DIY Photography, and Photodoto. Of these three, I would say that Strobist is the most important and informative. If you can’t find this post in the future, each of these sites are listed on my blogroll at the bottom of every page on this website. In the meantime, I’d love to hear about some other great photography sites in the comments, feel free to share ‘em if you got ‘em.
Tags: Digital Photography School, DIY Photography, Photodoto, Photopreneur, Strobist, The Big Picture, The Photo Argus
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