No matter how good this photography website is, there's always someone else out there doing something slightly differently and always worth a little look. With an internet full of awesomeness, it hasn't exactly been easy to compile a list of just 20 of my favourites, but I think I've just about done it. The order is put together depending on how much I use a site, how easy it is to navigate and how good the content is, but if you think we've missed a site you love, let us know in a comment at the bottom.
1 – Pop Photo
This is by far one of the nicest photography websites to navigate around; packed full of information on tests and reviews of various cameras, as well as one of the most comprehensive buying guides i’ve come across. Originally created as part of a magazine, it promises to provide the best information written by photography professionals.
2 - Pixiq
If you want expert advice, take it from the professionals, who are certainly not hard to come by on this site. Its contributors list includes some top names, from which some of the best advice on the net is provided. Keep up to date with the latest releases at the ‘news’ section and find out what you should buy from the ‘gear’ section; this website can be an excellent resource.
3 – Outdoor Photographer
An excellent, comprehensive website for the aspiring outdoor photographer. This website is packed full of information on how to improve your photography, as well all the latest gear and technology tips. Columns by professional photographers keep the information insightful and the openness to visitors creates a welcoming social forum to share ideas and photos.
4 – National Geographic
If you’re starting to lack inspiration when taking your photos, or end up shooting the same old thing time and time again, this is one of the best resources to get you back on your feet with new and innovative ideas. Only the best make in into the National Geographic, and with photos, games and videos, you are given an insight into the way in which professional photographers take their photos.
5 – Digital Photography School
This is one of the most popular photography learning recourses on the internet; stacked full of information from beginner ‘how-to’ material, all the way through to cameras, equipment and post production techniques. Having been around for 5 years now, it’s got a dedicated community of visitors who use it as their ‘go-to’ website for photography information.
6 - Fro Knows Photo
If you’re looking to learn more about shooting in RAW, this is the guy to go to. On his site you’ll find all the usual information but with extensive knowledge about post production in RAW included and an excellent video series on YouTube to learn from.
7 – Picture Correct
A useful resource for learning more about exposure, light and composition; it moves past the basic ‘how-to’, into further detail with professional technique. It’s an excellent place to learn about more than just portraits and landscapes. There’s also a store with gear guides for well informed decisions on what to buy.
8 – Flickr
Even if you’re not into photography, you’re likely to have been on flickr before. It’s more then just an image hosting site though, it’s host to one of the world’s largest image sharing communities. Users can create free profiles to upload, tag, and organize their photos to share with the world and even join groups to share their photos with likeminded people shooting similar images.
9 – British Journal of Photography
This British site is another which is great for gaining inspiration, although it focuses more on news that ‘how-to’ information; a different approach to many of these other websites. It’s a great place to learn about upcoming releases and events as well as anything photography related. As well as all this, you’ll find interviews, videos, lens tests and much more.
10 - Strobist
If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about using your flash, this is the place for you. You can learn how to use off-camera flashes to illuminate subjects, with posts written in an incredible amount of detail so that you don’t miss a thing. I recommend reading through Lighting 101 and Lighting 102 to get yourself started.
11 - Photo Tuts+
A very user friendly and intuitive websitefor learning everything you need to know about photography. It covers composition, equipment settings, post-processing, film photography, retouching and much more. That’s why over 4 million people visit their network of tutorial sites every month.
12 – Cambridge in Colour
If you’ve ever googled how to do something with your camera, chances are you’ve visited this sight. Although it may be lacking in design, it’s one of the most detailed websites for learning how to improve your technique as a photographer and will prove to be of great help to a beginner.
13 – Luminous Landscape
Similar to Cambridge in Color, Luminous Landscape writes essays rather then blog post tutorials. Hugely in depth, they can be daunting at first, but provide valuable information. The site also hosts video tutorials to help you get to grips with post production.
14 – DiY Photography
For creative people on a budget who want to take their photography further. If you’ve ever been stuck on what to do with your camera, you’ll find something in minutes on this website as it gives detailed ideas on how to take a striking photo and create professional quality shots, using a little DiY to cut costs.
15 – ePhotozine
This website has been around for 10 years now and, although some of it’s design and navigation features could do with an upgrade, it has some excellent information on it. Learn tips and techniques while keeping up to date with the latest news and joining in with the photography forum.
16 – Fstoppers
If you have trouble reading from a screen, or you’ve just got a short attention span when it comes to the internet, this website could really help you out. It specializes in video posts rather then the traditional blogs and covers a wide range of topics: from photographic technique, to post production.
17 – Photo District News
Think of this as a news channel for photography. Probably one of the best news sources of it’s kind, this site features photography lessons and contests on top of the basic ‘how-to’s. You can get a real insight for what it’s like behind the camera with true stories of legal issues and photo sales.
18 – Akel Studio
Often people see a shot and wonder how it’s done, this man is your answer for that. He posts photos that he’s taken and (very kindly) shares all his information on lighting setups and how he took the shot. He also shares gear reviews, tutorials, tips and behind the scenes videos from his photo sessions.
19 – Ken Rockwell
A pretty simple website, but this man definitely deserves a mention. He specializes in tutorials and reviews and, if you’re not sure about something, you’re more than likely to find the information you’re looking for right here. If the website was a bit easier to use and had a nicer design, he’d be higher on this list.
20 – Lomography
Lomography has really found its feet in photography in the past few years and this website is its flagship website. With listings of gear, photos and news you’re in a good place to find some of the finest photo’s around that have been created without the use of photoshop.
Bonus Website
The Big Picture
This one is less of a photography website and more of a news website that heavily relies on photos. See news stories from the past week from around the world and the photos that photojournalists have taken to go with them. Some really excellent photography on there.
