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I’ve seen the question posed innumerable times – I just bought a DSLR camera, now what do I do? The replies have often been summarized as “practice, practice, practice”. But I have always answered with the way that best suited me: “learn, learn, learn”. How can you practice when you don’t know where to start? I consider myself self-taught, although I did take a community college course when I first started out. And I highly recommend anyone just starting out to take a course that extends over multiple weeks and months that will start by familiarizing you with your camera’s functions and will include some practical application of use of the camera – one in which you take your camera to class with you.

After completing the photography course I pledged to myself to read everything I came across pertaining to photography. I spent an entire year, about 2-5 hours a day, 3-4 times a week, reading books, magazines and browsing the internet, joining online photography “schools” and reading articles linked from email I received from “pros”, following up on subjects of greater interest with web searches. There is a an overabundance of amazing and free articles on just about any and all aspects of photography online. Over the course of that year and even today I save articles that seemed to hit home to me, that fill a niche in my education, and I want to share those with you in an organized format.

I also encourage you to attend lectures, go to conferences/expos on photography, and go to workshops where you hone your skills in spectacular settings with the help of the workshop leader who can be both guide and teacher. And join a local photography club. Most photo clubs have monthly competitions with excellent judges that critique photos. Even if you don’t compete at first, the lessons from seeing another photo critiqued can carry into your own photography. My first year I took notes of critiques and made a list of “do”s and “don’t”s. Just a few examples on my multi-page list are “do use a leading line to take the eye into the center of the photo”, “don’t include a white sky in your photo”, “don’t have a triangle in a corner” or “don’t center your subject”. All great tips that helped to form my vision and be able to create winning photographs.

When I first started this website I stated on the home page that I would be starting a Linked Photography Course, and even trade-marked the title and created the syllabus. I eventually took it down, feeling sheepish about promising something that had yet to materialize. Finally, this is the first in a new series that starts at zero and will lead you to an advanced level (hopefully), simply by reading articles so readily available on the website!

I am going to start with a list of my favorite photography online learning resources. I subscribe to each of these, and every week I am mesmerized by the articles on just about anything.

1. Picture Correct Photography
2. PetaPixel
3. Digital Photography School
4. Light Stalking
5. Tuts+
6. Photonaturalist
7. Photzy
8. Take Great Pictures
9. Photofocus

My favorite blog and photographers I aspire to:
Dreamscapes – These guys are among my favorite photographers and I am delighted to have photographed with Ian Plant, Joseph Rossbach and Kurt Budliger.

For great podcasts, check out:
1. Photography Roundtable
2. Martin Bailey Photography

Online Classes:
1. Creative Live
2. Bryan Peterson School of Photography

The first lesson is on Camera Basics, and is a video on dslr basics. To get the free video join Photzy (it’s free!), put the video in your new digital ‘locker’, and watch – the link to the video is here .