If you're a newbie, deciding where to invest your money can seem daunting, there's equipment, software, computer hardware, lighting, etc., and the list goes on. One place you can save money is to take advantage of available online resources.
Strobist.com is a wonderful blog that has great "How To" courses that are 100% free. The posts are informative and easy to follow, often times providing a look behind the scenes. This site is such a great resource BUT, promise me one thing. You must check out the archives on the lower right side. Lots of great tutorials there. I promise you will not regret it. Information galore.
Lynda.com currently has over 360 courses dedicated to photography. If you're a visual learner, these video tutorials are a great resource. Pricing plans starts at $25/month with access to over 100,000 video tutorials. There is no long-term commitment so you're only out $25 if you don't like it but, here a little secret... they also have a YouTube channel with FREE video excerpts from their tutorials.
Flickr.com. When I made the decision to jump into wedding photography, the groups on Flickr were invaluable. This site might seem like just a photo sharing website, but it's much more than that. Trust me when I tell you, get involved in the groups.
Flickr is a photography community that shares a wealth of personal and technical information. Often time photographers will share what camera, f/stop, shutter speed, lighting equipment, editing software and other details of how s/he got the shot. All for FREE.
It doesn't matter if you're new to photography or a seasoned pro. There's always something new to learn. You just have to get involved.
