Resources

Basic Camera Function Resources

Manuals

Canon Rebel Xti Manual
Canon EOS T1i Manual
Canon Rebel T2i Manual
- How to Shoot Video with a Canon T2i – VIDEO TUTORIAL COLLECTION
Canon EOS T3i Manual
Canon EOS 5d Mark3 Manual
Canon Vixia HF G30 Manual
- Walkthrough on using the Canon Vixia HF G30 – VERSION 1 – SLIDESHOW TUTORIAL
- Walkthrough on using the Canon Vixia HF G30 – VERSION 2 – SLIDESHOW TUTORIAL
Canon 580ex II Speedlite manual
Zoom H4N Recorder manual

Business Resources

The 3 Leading Organizations for Professional Photographers (Organizations that provide support, knowledge, advocacy, and member benefits for Commercial Photography, Wedding & Family Photography, Fine Art Photography)
Example Commercial Photography Paperwork
- I’m a big advocate on transparency and knowledge-sharing. If the photographic industry is better-educated on proper business practices, it sets the bar higher and helps all of us operate on a more professional level. This packet includes a template of the paperwork I use for standard commercial photography. Specifically, this was from an environmental portraiture shoot. It includes: Estimate, Confirmation, Change Order, Delivery Memo, Invoice, Terms & Conditions, and a Project Expense Checklist. Please feel free to use it as inspiration or as a basis for your own paperwork.
ASMP Professional Business Practices in Photography (purchasable through Amazon)
- This book is essential in a photographer’s business toolbox. It covers everything from marketing and pricing your work to licensing, copyright, releases, and negotiating tactics. Bonus: you can get it used for something like 5 bucks.
Top Model Release – A mobile app that allows you to carry a digital release with you everywhere you go.

Online Tutorials

POST PRODUCTION RESOURCES
- HDR
  - How to create a 32 bit HDR file (HDR the right way) #1 – VIDEO
  - How to create a 32 bit HDR file (HDR the right way) #2
- Adobe Bridge
- Adobe Photoshop Tutorials
  - Understanding Frequency Separation – a Walkthrough <———-READ THIS FIRST!
  - Example of Frequency Separation Editing – VIDEO
  - Understanding Layer Styles
  - Text Effect Walkthroughs – COLLECTION OF TUTORIALS
  - Understanding different retouching tools
  - Preview of different retouching tools – VIDEO
  - Handy Adobe Software Hotkeys and Shortcuts (Downloadable content!)
  - Photoshop General Overview
  - Understanding Layer Masks
  - Making Selections Pt 1
  - Making Selections Pt 2
  - Selective Color Adjustment Layer
  - Black and White Adjustment Layer
  - Gradient Map Adjustment Layer
  - Color Grading in Photoshop
  - Working With Blending Modes
  - Face Contouring
  - Dodge/Burn Toning Pt 1
  - Dodge/Burn Toning Pt 2
  - Dodge/Burn Toning Pt 3
  - Creating and Using a Look Up Table (LUT) – VIDEO
- Color and Image Specs
- Color Management Processes
  - Creating a Custom Camera Profile in Adobe DNG Profile Editor
- Printing
  - Soft Proofing in Adobe Photoshop

VIDEO RESOURCES
- Recording Video
  - Examples of Slow Motion with Various Frame Rates – VIDEO
  - Online Frames Per Second Generator – ONLINE APP
  - Understanding 1080 interlaced VS 1080 progressive
  - 3-Point Lighting
  - Shooting an Documentary Style Interview – VIDEO
  - Shooting a Timelapse #1
  - Shooting a Timelapse #2 (very detailed)
  - Editing a Timelapse – (VIDEO)
- Recording Audio
  - Using a Zoom H4N – VIDEO
- Interviews
  - Preparing for an Interview
  - Common Interview Questions
- Composition
  - 4 – Quadrant Composition – VIDEO
  - Rule of Thirds / Head Room / Wide, Medium, Close Shots – VIDEO
  - Concepts in Composition – VIDEO COLLECTION
  - 10 Best Movie Styles Montages Ever
- Editing
  - Introduction to Adobe Premiere CC – VIDEO
  - Adobe Premiere CC – General Interface Overview – VIDEO
  - Common Editing Techniques/Tools – VIDEO COLLECTION
  - Understanding Keyframes – VIDEO
  - Examples of Popular Cuts & Transitions – VIDEO
  - Using Blending Modes
  - Editing Tips to Improve Your Videos
  - Descriptions of Common Cutting Styles
  - Creating Graphics for your Video Using Adobe Photoshop – DOWNLOAD

Artist Statement/Business Building Exercises

Molly Gordon’s Artist Statement Worksheet – A creative-thinking exercise, designed to help you identify your business, talk about it effectively, and write an artist’s statement.
PEST Analysis (Political, Economic, Socio-Cultural, and Technological) – An exercise, designed to help identify environmental changes and factors in your industry’s market, and how these changes can either benefit or threaten you business.
SWOT Analysis (Strengths and Weaknesses in Opportunities and Threats) – An exercise, designed to help identify your own strengths and weaknesses and how to effectively take advantage of them to create opportunities and identify threats to your business.

Printed Materials

Blurb – Print custom designed photo books
Smartpress – A wide range of quality printed materials at very low prices (amazing customer service and turnaround time)
PrintPlace – A wide range of quality paper-based printed promotional materials at very low prices (excellent customer service and turnaround time)
Detroit Print Shop – A wide range of quality printed materials (best value for quality business cards)
4 Imprint – A massive selection of custom-printed promotional giveaways (incredible customer service)

Royalty Free / Stock Media

Envato Marketplace – Anything from audio and vectors, to photo, video, code, and website themes (very very cost-effective)
Audio Sparx – Royalty-free audio that sounds like popular music (great selection but a bit pricey)
Aalborg Soundtracks – Free-to-use instrumental music for non-commercial productions (small selection, but it’s free)
FreeSound – User-submitted audio files that are free to use (massive library of non-music sound effects)
Creative Commons – Learn about the best licensing movement for the creative industry
Moby Gratis – Moby licenses a ton of his music for student, personal, and non-profit media (It’s free, but takes time to get permission – plan accordingly)

Low Cost Designer Resource Files

Mighty Deals – Continually changing selection of severely reduced cost files: fonts, vectors, icons, web site themes, plugins, software, eBooks, online course, etc.
Design Cuts – Packs of quality design project components at rock-bottom prices.

Free-Use Program-Specific Files

Informative Websites