Great Online Resources for Aspiring Photographers

Taking pictures is a wonderful hobby. It’s creative, it teaches you to look at the world in a new way, and it forces you to go out and see different places. It is no wonder then that photography is an increasingly popular hobby amongst a broad range of people. Photographers take up the pastime for different reasons, they may want to document their family’s activities, they may have aspirations of turning professional; what every amateur has in common is that they want to be as good as they can be. Therefore, it is useful to know the places on the web to go to get tips, inspiration and guidance on various areas of photography. Here are some of the best resources out there.

Free Photo Editing Software

While some are against excessive use of digital editing in photography it makes sense to make minor adjustments to make the best of your snaps. Websites such as Picasa, Google’s free desktop software does all the editing basics and is also a great organisational tool. For those who are looking for a way to quickly make changes and have a handy place to stores a lot of pictures, Picasa is perfect.

Manual Photographer’s Guide

For those who prefer the analogue approach, the website Zippi has created this great manual photographers cheat sheet. There is no better way to hone your photography skills than learning your practice with a manual camera. In an age when anyone can make the most ordinary picture look special using various digital filters, there is an honesty to analogue which will ensure you up your photography game.

Buying Guide

The website Popular Photography is packed with awesome content for the keen snapper. One of the best features of the site is it’s Buying Guide section which fully tests and reviews a range of cameras and lenses. So if you are buying your first camera or looking to upgrade, make sure you check out this site.

21 Must-know Settings, Techniques and Rules

This listicle on Digital Photography School goes into detail on camera settings, techniques which enable you to catch a range of tricky situations and rules for you to follow, all of which will go some way to improving your photography skillset.

Inspiration

For a range of amazing images from the most original photographers, take a look at Lens Culture. This beautifully curated site offers thoroughly inspirational works from snappers working in the fields of street photography, documentary, landscape, portrait along with more abstract works.

My Photo School

For those who are serious about developing their craft, My Photo School groups together a range of courses in one location. From courses on professional photography to photo journalism, you can gain a range of skills from the comfort of your own home at an affordable price.

Post your Prints This great site enables you to send your snaps in physical postcard form to anyone you think will like the image directly from your smart phone. It may not be the pro’s first port of call but it is another reason to take more pictures and a rare opportunity to easily develop your images.