If you're looking for a way to learn how to take better photos for your scrapbook layouts, consider listening to digital photography podcasts. The growing popularity of podcasting has made it easier than ever for experienced photographers to share their knowledge.
About Podcasts
Podcasts are essentially the modern equivalent of public radio programs. Most podcasts are simply audio files, but an increasing number of entrepreneurs are producing podcasts that feature video, downloadable documents, or a combination of tools. Podcasts are delivered online through an XML protocol known as RSS. Subscribing to a podcast is typically free and allows new episodes to be automatically downloaded to your computer. When you download a podcast, you can listen during the time that best fits your busy schedule.
The frequency of podcast programs varies. Some are delivered weekly, while others publish only two or three times per month.
You do not have to have an iPod or mp3 player to listen to podcasts. Although these devices allow you to listen to programs during your morning commute or while you're at the gym, it's easy to use your desktop or laptop computer to listen to the podcast of your choice.
To learn more about podcasting and how you can produce your own programs, check out the following links:
Finding Digital Photography Podcasts in iTunes
As the Web's most popular source of downloadable entertainment, iTunes is a great resource for finding digital photography podcasts. To begin:
- Download the free iTunes software from the Apple Web site.
- Click on the desktop link and follow the instructions to install the software.
- Open iTunes and click on the link that says "iTunes Store."
- Type "digital photography" into the search box.
- Click on the price icon to sort by price and place the free podcasts at the top of the list.
- Click on arrow icon next to the name of the podcast to learn more about the program and view a listing of previous episodes.
- Click on the "Subscribe" button to become a regular listener and have new episodes automatically delivered to your computer.
- Click on the appropriate link in the podcast section of your iTunes library to listen to the program of your choice.
Popular digital photography podcasts from iTunes include:
- Digital Photography Tips from the Top Floor: If you're still not sure what all the buttons on your camera actually do, let Christoph Marquardt help you take your photography skills to the next level. His podcasts are the next best thing to attending a training seminar for professional photographers.
- Photography 101: This informative video podcast provides lessons covering the fundamentals of digital photography. As an added bonus, you can submit questions for creator Scott Wittenburg to address in upcoming episodes.
- The Digital Photography Show: If you're already a fairly experienced photographer, this podcast will help keep your skills up to date while providing interesting new tips and tricks you can use to enhance your projects. Some of the many topics covered include making money from your photos, entering photography contests, and storing your digital images.
- Two Minute Photoshop Tricks: Kent Conklin delivers short presentations showing you how to complete digital image editing tasks using Adobe Photoshop software. This podcast is appropriate for both beginning and advanced photographers.
- Photoshop for Digital Photographers: Michael Rather provides in-depth explanations of common Photoshop functions. His listeners praise his simple, yet informative programs. The video format also makes it easier to follow lessons at your own pace.
Additional Podcasting Resources
While iTunes continues to be the most popular source of information for people interested in digital photography podcasts, there are several other podcast directories online that you may find useful. For example:
