Learning from YouTube
You can learn a lot about photography watching YouTube videos. But granted, the number of channels and number of videos is overwhelming and being new to photography it can be difficult to know where to start and what to prioritise. That is the aim of this post: to give you some anchor points regarding photography and YouTube. It is just my list, and I don’t claim it is fair or comprehensive – my hope is that you can use it as a starting point and grow your own list from there.
Daniel Norton – portraits and light
If there is one photographer that really knows about portrait photography and especially all aspects of lightning (flash, fill, etc), then it is Daniel Norton. When it comes to lighting, he is my guru. Period.
Daniel is a NY based photographer who has been a very successful photographer in the fashion industry, but now is more focused on teaching, both via his YouTube channel and his podcast over at Avoice. He also co-operates with Adorama, so often his videos are published under the Adorama brand, but you can also find videos that he publishes on his own channel. And of course he has both his own homepage and is on Instagram. His podcast is different from the videos in the sense that it “discuss what it means to be a creator in today’s content rich world” (quote from the podcast).
Marten Heilbron – reviews
Marten Heilbron is a YouTuber proving that to be successful you don’t need to be young and make fast paced videos, as long as your content is competent and relevant. And his channel certainly is. He describes his own channel as “detailed hands-on reviews, explanations and demonstrations of cameras. Here you will find honest and detailed camera reviews, along with some how-to videos and the occasional travel review.” – and it is a very precise description of his channel and its contribution. And then Marten always has that bit of humor and twinkle in the eye that adds an extra dimension to watching his videos. So look no further if you want a camera review and a camera demonstration in one go.
Tech Gear Talk
If you want to watch some of the best produced and most “delicious” reviews on Youtube, the channel Tech Gear Talk is worth a visit. He reviews a lot of non-photography items as well, such as smartphones and the like, so the channel is wider than “just” photography gear. His motto is “Buy it Nice or Buy it Twice” and it may not always be good for your wallet, but he certainly has a point!
Kai W – reviews
The reviews from Kai W almost could not be further away from the ones Marten Heilbron gives. Kais’s videos are made by the same small team and have a crazy or desperate angle, as if he really really does not want to do the reviews at all. I get the impression that he finds it a bit boring and therefore he tries to escape out of the traditional frames for review videos using crazy ideas or storylines in the videos. I often find that his conclusions (the last 20-30 seconds of the video) is where he gets serious. So pay attention to the very last words in his videos – this is where the good and serious assess-ment of the gear under review is to be found.
Steve Perry – wildlife
If you want to know a thing or two about both wildlife photography and how to make the most of your Nikon camera, look no further than to Steve Perry’ channel. He talks fast and his videos are packed with information, but always relevant and based on facts and experience. And what I really like: he often presents evidence rather than just making a claim.
Sean Tucker – creative process
If you are looking for lens and camera reviews, then the channel from Sean Tucker is NOT for you. He has a very different focus, more aimed at the process of being creative and why we do it. He does have some videos that address the “how-to” side of photography, but he is never into the details of a certain camera or a certain lens; he’s channel is gear agnostic. His videos often start and ends with some very beautiful footage in slow motion with accompanying music, and in between he talks and debates on a certain subject. It is one of those channels that I return to again and again, maybe because I like the philosophical aura that seeps through each well made video.
Jamie Windsor – history
Jamie’s channel may to some be a bit in the same league as Sean Tucker, but I find him slightly less philosophical and a bit more towards the “how-to” side of photography. What I really like about his channel is that you can tell he has years and years of experience and he happily shares this with his viewers. Also, he often tells the story or the history behind a certain concept or hot topic.
Christopher Frost – Lenses
If you want a short focused lens review, this is the channel to go to. Christopher has specialized in lens reviews and often uses the same “template” for the videos so you know what to expect and secures that all the vitals are covered. And he has a calm voice and well paced way of presenting the lenses and their performance, which makes the videos a pleasure to watch relative to some of the more “noisy” channels.
Mike Browne – Learning photography
If you want to learn photography from a guy who you can tell loves to teach and share knowledge, then look no further than Mike Browne. This is probably one of the channels where I have learned the most about photography and basic concepts such as aperture and dept-of-field and how that impacts your images. If you listen carefully, you will find that he not only addresses the “how-to” part but also often talks about how to get “in the zone” of seeing great images long before you lift the camera.
Omar Gonzales – Fuji and entertainment
If you want to have a laugh and be entertained while still learning a lot about especially Fuji, look no further than the brilliant channel from Omar Gonzales. If you want to know him a bit better, paying a visit to his homepage is a way to do it. He claims to be camera agnostic, but I learned a lot about especially Fuji cameras and lenses from watching his videos. He is not a full time youtuber but has a portrait and event business.
James Popsys – Entertaining learning
James Popsys has a special relationship with sheep and that is one major reason to watch his channel! Another is that you learn a lot about photography and he has a great sense of humor and irony that makes watching his videos a true pleasure. And he puts a lot of thinking and perspective into his videos that you do not find with many other channels.