My Favorite Photography Websites

500px

It’s like Instagram without the selfies. I use this site to plan photo shoots. For instance, at the time of this writing, I’m planning a trip upstate as a writer’s retreat. But I also want to shoot photos. I go to 500px.com, search for images of “Hudson Valley,” which might lead me to “Olana” or “Rhinebeck”—all Hudson Valley terms—and I see where other people have taken pictures. Then I can head to my second recommendation…

Google Maps

I use Google Maps to get the lay of the land. Since this photo shoot is secondary to the writer’s retreat, I want to make sure potential shoot locations are nearby. I don’t want to drive 2 hours upstate only to drive another hour to get to a shoot location. I also use Google Maps to find interesting nature things, like ponds, rivers, islands, mountains, forests, etc. Those tend to be more interesting than a road. Switching to satellite view helps me figure out whether I’ll have line of sight to an interesting building over a pond, for instance.

Nations Photo Lab

NPL is my goto printer for photography. I like their user interface and their pricing. They also ship SUPER fast. I’ve sent stuff to them in the evening and had it ship the next morning. I’ve printed dozens of photos and they’ve never screwed up. Also Google “Nations Photo Lab Promotional Code” to see if they have any coupons. I often save at least 20-30%.

FStoppers and Petapixel

I check out FStoppers and Petapixel whenever I’m procrastinating. They have interesting photography news and tutorials. I just wasted 20 minutes clicking through their archives while I was writing this little list. Well done, me.

B&H

B&H is where I buy 99% of my photo and video equipment. If you want to buy a photographer [like me] a gift and you’re not sure what to get, a gift card to B&H is always a good idea.