I believe education is one of the most important assets we have. Perhaps why I work in higher education. But I think it is important to have a laser focus when it comes to your education. I spent 4 years as an undergraduate that lacked focus and it’s still impacting me today. Certain areas don’t need formal education styles to learn. I think photography is a prime example of that. In formal photography education they teach you about the history, the foundation (this is important), photo journalism, and fine art photography. Well hate to be that guy but very few people make money in photo journalism and fine art photography these days.
So I set out to build a business from my photography as many people do. It can be intimidating to build a business, know what insurance is right for you, LLC, finding clients, marketing all of that. But there are thousands of people that have gone through those experiences and have been kind enough to share them so we can avoid some of those paint points.
Here are my learning resources and why I use them.
Lynda.com
This is an amazing resource for all types of things. Many employers even offer the subscription to their employees for free. If yours doesn’t you can get a free month then decide if you want to pay $20 or $30 a month after that. They’ve got an app for all mobile platforms include Apple TV and one of my favorite parts is they allow you to speed up the videos up to 2x so I can take more content in faster.
Six Figure Photography Podcast
Ben Hartley from Style Story Creative launched an extremely successful podcast and hosts different photographers, lawyers, accountants, and more all around how to improve not just your technical knowledge but more importantly the business side of photography. After discovering him I binged 40 hours worth of his podcasts in just two weeks and I’m learning so much from his catalogue. Listening to podcasts is such a simple way to absorb information on the go. I don’t think I’ve opened Spotify in weeks because of them.
Improve Photography
Jim Harmer and his crew have developed a fantastic website and a wonderful “Master Photography Podcast“. The diverse group is always bringing guests onto the podcast to help develop new ideas and content. Improve Photography’s website offers a TON of great free content as well as premium content containing Lightroom presets, photography contracts, and more. They also offer a free trial I highly recommend. And if that’s not enough Jim built RGPS “Really Good Photo Spots” iOS app that allows you to find some great places to photograph while you’re traveling. Also free.
Jared Polin FroKnowsPhoto
Jared is just part of a trio that delivers amazing content on the newest gear, photography news, and tutorials. Jared’s got an energetic attitude that constantly keeps you interested. He’s also fantastic at keeping up with his following on Instagram so go give him a follow. He’s got a great studio here in Philadelphia know as the Fro Factory that you’ll see feature in much of his content. I’ve learned more from him in 30 second segments than anything else. He’s also worked to develop a great app called “Gear Vault” for iOS and Android that helps you keep track of your gear and even insure it.
So these are a few ways that I keep learning and keep teaching myself. It’s also worth noting that I carry a camera with me almost everywhere all the time. Sure a DSLR is k kinda bulky but I’ve learned you never know when you’re going to capture a great image plus it’s a great way to master the ins and outs of your gear.
If you have any great resources you use to keep up on your photography please leave them in the comments below!