Saturday, October 9, 2010

Photography Tips: My Top Five Sites

Camera and lens, Pentax 18-250mm



TOP FIVE PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT SITES:

Pay no mind to alphabetical or numerical order here; organization puts a damper on my inspiration and I’ve got some real work to do, later.
Here is the list I promised for those readers interested in buying cameras:

OUTDOOR PHOTOGRAPHER
The best Photography Magazine you can buy if you’re into Landscape, Nature, Travel, Wildlife or any other type of outdoors photography. I get both the online and printed editions. The articles are all written by working professionals. They give you the latest tips and techniques and display photography Ansel Adams would wish he’d have done.
Usually, this magazine is what inspires me to start researching for my next outrageously expensive piece of camera equipment. Others on this list advertise in Outdoor Photographer but, I visit all these sites and check prices and reviews before making a final decision on what to buy.

STEVE’S DIGICAMS
There’s a wealth of information on this site and it’s an old favorite of mine. He has professional reviews on just about any camera you can imagine. Many times he gets to play with a new camera before it even hits the market in the USA. Often, a camera will have different model numbers or names, depending on whether it’s being sold in Australia, Europe, Japan or the USA. This site is a goldmine for me, living in Japan and trying to advise people all over the globe.

CNET
Here’s a site that I always visit before buying, just to see what the users/customers have to say in their product reviews. If a camera or piece of gear has the slightest defect, someone here will tell you about it, no holds barred!
I do take into consideration the person complaining may have no clue when it comes to using their camera. So, it pays to read many reviews.

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY SCHOOL
Plenty of free information about cameras and lenses may be found here. It is one of the best sites for tips and techniques.  And, they have some excellent tutorials for anyone interested in learning the business of photography.

ARORAMA CAMERA
Here you’ll find cameras and accessories, prices, sales and reviews. Many times I’ve ordered from this site just because it’s quick, convenient and they have no problem shipping to Japan. I’ve had camera equipment, software and electronics show up at my house on a Sunday morning from Adorama and everything arrived safely, in working order.

Browse each of these sites and you’ll find they all have valuable information to offer, photo shooting tips, forums, contests and advice.

There are dozens of other photography sites I visit and I don’t mean to slight any of them. When I’m thinking of buying my next camera, lens, or any other photographic equipment these just happen to be my Top Five Sites.






2 comments:

Unknown said...

nice site mike,
informative and inspiring.
i had the privilege of meeting you last weekend at the bus stop in kin. thanks and keep up the good work.

RyukyuMike said...

Marcus,
Glad to see you enjoyed your visit and reminded me about the bus stop.
Share my site with your friends and maybe we'll get together sometime and do some shooting or beer drinking, whatever you prefer!

Cheers,
Mike