Thanks to the enthusiastic photographers who joined me for my first-ever sports photography workshop! We had a great time getting a little more comfortable with complex cameras and thinking about the tasks involved in making great sports photos. We spent a little time discussing learning and equipment resources during the class. Below are a few of my favorite places to go when I’m thinking about advancing my craft.

PHOTOGRAPHY SITES AND FORUMS

Sportsshooter.com has many years of forum posts and discussions answering all sorts of questions about how to shoot different sports at all levels.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/index.html

Digital Photography Review is a great place to read forums, articles and discussions about gear including camera bodies and lenses.

https://www.dpreview.com/

Digital Photography School is an online blog with years of posts and resources for every level of photographer. Much of the content is geared toward beginners, but there is something for everyone. Some of the content is free and some isn’t. There is value in the paid classes, etc. but the information taught and presented can be found in other places, too.

https://digital-photography-school.com/

Lynda.com is a vast learning resource including beginner through advanced video-based courses ranging from understanding equipment to interviews with amazing photographers to every imaginable software product related to photography and much more. It is subscription-based and some organizations (such as University of Michigan) provide access as a benefit to employees. The content is far-reaching and includes learning on almost anything that can be done with a computer and much more. Highly recommended. Look for the one month free subscription for new members on the front page and give it a try.

https://www.lynda.com/

PODCAST

I am a fan of Big Lens Fast Shutter, featuring two professional sports photographers. Caution: they do not censor their language and can be very critical of photos. They do hold themselves and photographers who submit photos to them to extremely high standards. They will certainly make you think twice about keeping/deleting/publishing images. Don’t let them discourage you, but tune in for some entertaining critique. Their web site links to podcasts as well as their Flickr.com pages where photographers submit photos for review. There is some good stuff there.

https://biglensfastshutter.com/

READING

You can’t beat the price of Jason Youn’s 99c Photography guide. Get it in paperback or for your Kindle here.

BUYING CAMERAS, LENSES, AND GEAR

Sometimes a kit camera and lens combination can be a great buy at places like Costco. I generally look to buy professional-grade gear and I never buy it new. I prefer to look at the top-of-the-line gear from the last 10 or 15 years and I buy most of it from KEH.com. They have consistently sold me gear in condition as good or better than they advertised. Once, I decided that a lens was too used for my taste, and they gladly took it back for a full refund. Actually, I just sent it back and paid the difference for a slightly better condition copy and the one they sent was like new.

https://www.keh.com/

Other reputable online stores include B&H Photo and Adorama. Another used gear source that I have heard good things about is Roberts Camera, although I haven’t ever purchased from them.

Do you have photography resource that you love? Shoot me a note or leave a comment here.