Where do you go to learn?

[MarkBarbieri]

I'm curious about where people are going to learn more about photography (besides here, of course). DPReview is dying, but they were mostly gear reviews rather than technique.

I used to love Scott Kelby and all his training stuff. I'm sure that he's still awesome, but there is so much information out there for free that it is hard to justify paying $200/year for it. Scratch that. Just went to Kelbyone.com and they have subscriptions for $5/month. Maybe I'll look at it.

YouTube is my go to source these days. That's how I'm learning Resolve. Lot's of great content. It helps to have YouTube Premium or an ad-blocker, but it isn't necessary if you don't mind annoying ads. My favorite is Unmesh Dinda's PixImperfect channel. He's kind of cheesy at times, but it works for him. He does a lot of great tutorials explaining complex topics in a way that is easy to understand. I also like Matt Kloskowski, but I don't see nearly as much from him.

I keep up with what's coming out on CanonRumors. Obviously, that's focused almost entirely on Canon gear. It's nice to help plan purchases.

I'm not very active on other forums. I occasionally read DGrin, which is Smugmug's forum, but I hardly ever post there. I used to be a big fan of Luminous Landscapes and Fred Miranda, but I rarely go to either these days. I think I'm mostly happy with what I know about photography and I spend more energy experimenting rather than learning from others these days. Most of my "learn from others" stuff is focused on processing rather than taking pictures.

So for those of you who are photography fans, where do you go for inspiration and knowledge?

 

[KVH]

Ooooooh, tough question. I too am at a stage where I know just enough to do what I want and usually don't look beyond that. After shooting for 45 years, I get by and am very happy with what I know. Digital almost threw me years ago when it came out but I've learned to live with its limitations, at least relative to me. I know I won't ever by a Photoshop guru or anything like that as I don't want to spend that time at the keyboard. I can unsharp and adjust as I need to so good enough. Right now it's more about improving my eye and practicing my execution of what I know to improve my current shooting.

I'm very limited where I go online. I used to post a lot many years ago and got burned (my work was used w/o my approval). So online is kind of a PITA for me now when it comes to photography. Sometimes Photography Talk or Photography on the Net if I'm looking for something specific. But years ago, I realized how forums, regardless of site, tended to basically devolve into nothing but gear discussions (quite frequently rabid) leaving the discussion of the art form itself in the dirt. I just don't hang with that stuff anymore - and I won't even go near reddit. Online can be very useful for specific things - like right now I'm trying to figure out the best way to respool 120 onto 620 spools. And would love to learn more about IR this summer. But to better my storytelling or be able to see a scene differently? Better ways to do that than through a computer.

Then again, I love inspiration. For that I look to my books from people like Frans Lanting, Art Wolfe, Arthur Morris, Michael Freeman, Robert Adams, Joel Sartore and my fav, Galen Rowell. I've taken away a LOT from Galen's books. Too, re-reading Ansel's trilogy periodically (today in fact) for the umpteenth time. Some of Nat Geo's books aren't bad but a lot of duplication among the variations there. Every now and then I'll go to a real bookstore or a library and just browse the Art sections for ideas.

 

[boBQuincy]

I have been getting a lot of tips from the OM System Learn Center, they include tips geared toward some of the specific features of OM System cameras.

For processing I get some help from the Luminar Neo manual as that is what I use most of the time. For special processing tips I search the web for step-by-step instructions, just can't seem to sit through videos.

 

[fractal]

I currently peruse Fstoppers.com , petapixel.com , https://digital-photography-school.com/, www.phillipreeve.net

I also used to go to Luminous Landscape but after Michael's death and Kevin's departure it's not the same.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Ooooooh, tough question. I too am at a stage where I know just enough to do what I want and usually don't look beyond that. After shooting for 45 years, I get by and am very happy with what I know. Digital almost threw me years ago when it came out but I've learned to live with its limitations, at least relative to me. I know I won't ever by a Photoshop guru or anything like that as I don't want to spend that time at the keyboard. I can unsharp and adjust as I need to so good enough. Right now it's more about improving my eye and practicing my execution of what I know to improve my current shooting.

I'm very limited where I go online. I used to post a lot many years ago and got burned (my work was used w/o my approval). So online is kind of a PITA for me now when it comes to photography. Sometimes Photography Talk or Photography on the Net if I'm looking for something specific. But years ago, I realized how forums, regardless of site, tended to basically devolve into nothing but gear discussions (quite frequently rabid) leaving the discussion of the art form itself in the dirt. I just don't hang with that stuff anymore - and I won't even go near reddit. Online can be very useful for specific things - like right now I'm trying to figure out the best way to respool 120 onto 620 spools. And would love to learn more about IR this summer. But to better my storytelling or be able to see a scene differently? Better ways to do that than through a computer.

Then again, I love inspiration. For that I look to my books from people like Frans Lanting, Art Wolfe, Arthur Morris, Michael Freeman, Robert Adams, Joel Sartore and my fav, Galen Rowell. I've taken away a LOT from Galen's books. Too, re-reading Ansel's trilogy periodically (today in fact) for the umpteenth time. Some of Nat Geo's books aren't bad but a lot of duplication among the variations there. Every now and then I'll go to a real bookstore or a library and just browse the Art sections for ideas.

I am a lot like you, I think. It’s unfortunate your pictures were stolen. I think a lot of people don’t really understand copyright issues, they think nothing of hijacking peoples’ pictures and using them themselves without permission.

The thing that made things “click” for me was Understanding Exposure. And I know he’s not well liked, but Ken Rockwell’s “Your Camera Doesn’t Matter” also resonated with me. I never took a photography class, I basically learned on my own, with the help of a lot of books and tutorials and many fun posters here who were patient with helping me learn what I needed to know. (Specifically I remember Kyle, aka handicap18 , first opening my eyes to concepts of composition in my own photos, for example.) Then I think it was just a matter of practice, and getting out and having fun with my camera. I have always, as long as I can remember, enjoyed taking photos. It was a personal challenge to get better at it. (I actually took it up more seriously as a “bucket list“ item after a bout with cancer; in particular learning to use an SLR camera.) I am at a bit of a crossroads, though, in deciding next steps, though @boBQuincy has already been helpful in that. Oh, and I also like to help people understand basic principals of photography when I can so they can improve their pictures, too.

 

[KVH]

I never got the hate for Ken Rockwell. I don't see him as much different than anyone else out there. Maybe not a thought leader as such but he's got solid skills.

After my post, I played customer. Went out, assuming no photography knowledge, to see how one would approach this on the interwebs. My first thought was content creators need to better keyword their stuff. And ditch the paywalls. Considering how much info is out there, some should be ashamed to try and charge for their content (unless it's highly unique). I did find some tutorials I would recommend, others that I was amazed they could keep a straight face with the wrong info they were putting out. I think someone could go out and learn from scratch online but any one of a few dozen books (NOT self published) on the subject would be infinitely better.

 

[PrincessInOz]

YouTube.

 

[KVH]

Am I the only person who focuses on books for learning? I mean, I know I'm old and all. And I know there haven't been a lot of great "photography as art" books in the last few years. But, ignoring PP and software image manipulation, I would think any book from the 60's on would be good enough to teach one how to shoot?

Are we saying that online is basically the educational frontier for learning since you need to handle a program that changes your image to get good results?

 

[boBQuincy]

Am I the only person who focuses on books for learning? I mean, I know I'm old and all. And I know there haven't been a lot of great "photography as art" books in the last few years. But, ignoring PP and software image manipulation, I would think any book from the 60's on would be good enough to teach one how to shoot?

Are we saying that online is basically the educational frontier for learning since you need to handle a program that changes your image to get good results?

In this digital age these are still my "go to" books:

 

[DSLRuser]

when I was learning...it was all YouTube and Bryan Peterson....I would take one of his examples and go shoot that way all day

 

[PrincessInOz]

Am I the only person who focuses on books for learning? I mean, I know I'm old and all. And I know there haven't been a lot of great "photography as art" books in the last few years. But, ignoring PP and software image manipulation, I would think any book from the 60's on would be good enough to teach one how to shoot?

Are we saying that online is basically the educational frontier for learning since you need to handle a program that changes your image to get good results?

I still have books. The original ones that I read when I first starting to take pictures are still in the house somewhere.

But these days, I'm looking to expand on techniques and photo editing. So YouTube is my go-to.

 

[BigOnDis]

Am I the only person who focuses on books for learning? I mean, I know I'm old and all. And I know there haven't been a lot of great "photography as art" books in the last few years. But, ignoring PP and software image manipulation, I would think any book from the 60's on would be good enough to teach one how to shoot?

Are we saying that online is basically the educational frontier for learning since you need to handle a program that changes your image to get good results?

I still use books for learning and for inspiration. I do watch YouTube as well. As far as the frontier of learning, I use ChatGPT for my work in IT to learn new topics, I will have to see if that can translate to photography as well. (I don’t mean generating photos with AI, which is a different topic)

 

[KVH]

Dang. I was hoping somebody would have some great new book that would help me work on and improve my eye. Haven't been paying too much attention to online stuff or new publications. Besides, I just don't have the patience to sit and watch videos, I guess.

 

[boBQuincy]

Dang. I was hoping somebody would have some great new book that would help me work on and improve my eye. Haven't been paying too much attention to online stuff or new publications. Besides, I just don't have the patience to sit and watch videos, I guess.

I don't have any great new books but some of the online tutorials are really helpful. As long as they are not videos, like you I do not have the patience to sit through those.