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Black Friday Deals On Learning

There will be several black friday deals related with photography available online. Screenshot image by Chad Ecklof

Welcome to another edition of Let’s Talk Photography!

The holidays are here and, if you’re like me, you’re thinking about all the great deals that are coming up on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. For a photographer, these deals can be significant when it comes to upgrading your gear. But, this year I’d like to give you another option for Black Friday shopping. Instead of running out and buying the latest and greatest new piece of equipment, why not make a great investment in knowledge?

The newest technology will certainly give you a boost in your photographic arsenal, however, knowing how to properly use your camera and understanding all that goes into making a great photograph can be a greater tool than any microchip or advanced sensor. Think about it, for years and years, even before these wonderful computerized cameras, photographers have been capturing spectacular images that have inspired us and left us in awe of the world around us. How did they ever do that before there were 50 megapixel cameras with advanced autofocus and low light capabilities? The answer is simple, they understood how to capture the light and they knew how to use the gear they had to accomplish that.

One of the best websites for learning photography is CreativeLive.com. CreativeLive offers courses that delve into the many aspects of photography as well as creative and graphic design. Their range of topics and skilled instructors is unmatched by any other site. And, as I’m writing this, they are already offering 50 percent off savings on their individual courses for pre-holiday savings. If you’ve never visited the site, I highly recommend this to be your first stop in learning photography.

Another great site is Fstoppers.com. Fstoppers has an incredible library of tutorials that are readily available and free along with either written or video courses that you can purchase. Also with a variety of professional photographers contributing, this site will easily provide a one-stop shopping experience for any level of photographer looking to expand their creative knowledge.

If you’d like to learn more about the post processing and software side of creative photography, then I’d have to send you to Phlearn.com. Amazing tutorials to guide you through the inner workings of Photoshop and Lightroom and many other software suites. They have 486 free tutorials that will help you to become a master of all that is post processing.

Of course, if you’re looking for more traditional lesson based learning, you’ll always be able to find a plethora of information on both Udemy.com and Lynda.com. These sites are the standard in online learning and have hundreds of courses on photography and creative design.

Another great place to find knowledge is in the free semester long class offered by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). That’s right, they put a whole semester online for free and it can be found at this address: https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/architecture/4-341-introduction-to-photography-and-related-media-fall-2007/.

There are so many places to go for a great education or to expand your knowledge in photographic arts. And, with all of this available, why not spend your time and money this year on getting a higher grasp on the how to side of being a photographer. I know the new equipment is very tempting and exciting, but I’d like to challenge you to visit just one of these websites this season and see if there isn’t something out there that gets you inspired to learn and grow in your photography.

Until next week, happy shooting!

Is there a topic that you’d like to learn more about? Send feedback, share your photos, or offer topic suggestions to talkphotos@ecklof.com. If you’re looking for a place to connect with local photographers in Chautauqua County, search for the group “Shoot ‘n Share Chautauqua” on Facebook.

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