With the rise of the digital camera and the prevalence of the Internet, we can now quickly share our images with people all around the world faster than ever before. Both amateurs and professionals alike are joining social networking sites to learn from each other and to get feedback on what they can improve upon. If you’re a person who enjoys photography as their hobby, you can get inspired on what to shoot by visiting any number of websites. Today, we’re sharing six of them that we believe do the best job at stirring something inside of you. Look through these sites and see if you don’t have the urge to grab your camera and go!
1. 500px
Watch out Flickr, there’s a new photo darling in town. Though the first version of 500px debuted in 2003, it was during its relaunch in 2009 that the creative community really took notice. While you peruse, you’ll notice that this site is more focused on the fine art aspect of photography. Started to help photographers gain greater exposure, 500px is more than just a pretty platform, it’s a community, a place where people who have a similar passion come to get valuable feedback. If you’re just getting started, 500px is a a fantastic place to see some high quality images. Or, if you’d rather sit back and appreciate the work of others, you can always just comment, “like” or “dislike” and collect your favorites.
Tip: To get a photographer’s honest opinion about this site, check Thomas Hawk’s blog post where he compares 500px to Flickr.
If there were such thing as a 500 lb gorilla in the online photography world (in other words, the seemingly unbeatable presence), it would be Flickr. Started in 2004 and acquired by Yahoo! in 2005, Flickr is the popular image and video hosting website that has a very active community. Photographers come here to show off their best pictures to their family and friends (private) or even the whole world (public) and the site makes it easy for you to organize all of your important moments into designated folders. A countless number of photographers claim to have been inspired by all the creativity coming out of this site. Also, Flickr is a great platform to discover young talent or to follow those dedicated enough to shoot one photo a day, everyday for a year, in a 365 set.
Tip: Bookmark Flickr’s blog to see some inspirational sets or to just read their latest news and updates. It’s also a great place to visually stay up-to-date on world events as Flickr will post on everything from natural catastrophes to world festivals.
With photos carefully selected by the editors of Photo District News, PDN Photo of the Day is a fantastic place to see some high quality work. With large images displayed prominently across the screen, this site immerses you in some incredible photography. One can submit their work, but should keep in mind that the editors of this site are looking for “surprising, delightful, funny, interesting or otherwise remarkable photographs.” Come here to see everything from gorgeous celebrity portraiture to thought-provoking photojournalism.
Tip: Scroll down the page to see their list of categories. If you’re only interested in learning about one type of photography, this is where you’ll want to start your search.
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