Online Learning With YouTube
During the past two years of the COVID pandemic I'm sure we've all spent more time than usual "online!" While I've wasted plenty of time scrolling through funny, stupid and irrelevant memes and posts, I've also managed to find a wealth of useful, interesting and helpful photography content, especially on YouTube.
A lot of the photography material on YouTube focuses on equipment reviews and comparisons, but I find it best to mostly avoid those channels. After all, it's not the camera/lens/accessory, it's the photographer that makes the image.
Here are a few examples of my favorite photography related YouTube channels: two that stress the artistic aspects of photography, and one that emphasizes technical know-how for specific equipment - the iPhone.
Expressive Photography
Alister Benn, based in Scotland, is the creative force behind Expressive Photography on YouTube. The Expressive Photography channel has over 1 million views and stresses the artistic aspects of landscape photography. I love the many ways that Alister takes the viewer out into the field as he explores diverse and stunning locations, captures his landscape and seascape images, and includes his audience on his creative journey as he processes his keepers.
Alister Benn
Feeling, emotion and creativity are constants for the Expressive Photography YouTube channel. And these are just the right things that my photographic journey pines for at the moment.
Benn mixes in-depth interviews with other great landscape photographers, and in-depth exploration of their images, with his own adventures experiencing incredible landscapes, from his native Scotland to the Gobi Desert. A constant message: enjoy the landscape that you're in, capture the feeling that you're having.
Expressive Photography's Latest Videos
Even if landscape photography is only a minor interest for you, any time invested on Alister Benn's Expressive Photography channel will be time well-spent!
Benn, while having the advantage of incredible close-by landscapes in his Scotland home, is clearly an excellent landscape photographer, worthy of emulation! Explore Alister's exquisite landscape images at his fine art portfolio & prints website.
Benn has also authored several eBooks expounding his approaches to landscape photography. I've even bought one: The Path to Creativity; and it is outstanding. Please check out his eBooks offerings.
The Photographic Eye
Alex Kilbee is a UK based photographer and his relatively new YouTube channel, The Photographic Eye, has over 2.5 million views just since the end of 2020.
Alex Kilbee
Alex can talk endlessly and eruditely about all the creative avenues of photography. He constantly shares the works of numerous excellent photographers, both historic and current. And he always emphasizes the necessity of developing and nurturing one's own creative vision and style. He also stresses that true creativity involves always shooting for yourself, while developing and refining your vision(s), rather than bending to the preferences of others.
The Photographic Eye - Latest Videos
Every time I watch one of Alex's videos I'm inspired, encouraged, and motivated to press forward with my own view and version of creative photography. Please do explore The Photographic Eye. You will be glad you did!
Have feedback for Alex Kilbee? Contact him at: alex.kilbee@gmail.com
iPhone Photography School
Technical and equipment oriented YouTube content can also be superb. One example that's currently expanding my repertoire of photographic tools is the iPhone Photography School. Emil Pakarklis's iPhone Photography School channel has enshrined a wealth of useful and interesting iPhone focused content with over 25 million views!
Emil Pakarklis
APS member Michelle Simmon's programs and advice on iPhone photography have definitely been an inspiration to gain more knowledge of my iPhone camera's capabilities. And stumbling on the iPhone Photography School has surely helped me build on my meager understanding of the iPhone's potential.
Slow Shutter App
Emil's wide array of iPhone techniques and applications videos will definitely multiply your creative tools for using your phone-camera! I had already been using the Snapseed app for several years, but I also had the Slow Shutter app languishing on my phone for ages, without really knowing how to use it! Emil's recent video: Long Exposure iPhone Photography: Advanced Techniques, cured that right away! Now I know how to use Slow Shutter for waterfalls/moving water, night scenes and more.
That just scratches the surface, so please do peruse iPhone Photography School for a huge range of iPhone capabilities, approaches and techniques.
Some iPhone Photography School Videos
I highly recommend that you take advantage of iPhone Photography School! The camera that's always with you won't be of much use if you don't know how to use it!!
YouTube for You
The three examples I've just described probably won't be ideal for your photography! Search and surf YouTube for channels that speak to your needs for your photographic journey. I bet you will find some gems of wisdom and greatly expand your photographic creativity. Please let me know what you discover. Thanks!
