Best 8 of 2008

A new year has begun!  Happy New Year to my online friends and family!  Last year was a great year – it marked the first full year of blogging for me.  It showed me how challenging it is to generate new, useful, and meaningful content for readers on a regular basis.  Format changes, layout changes, content delivery changes, and a host of other things have kept the blog active for going on almost 18 months now.  So, what has kept things going?  A great deal of fellowship and other bloggers have shared their wisdom and experiences with me, both personally, professionally, and through their own regular posts.  To all of them, I would like to issue a collective “thank you.”  However, just as in anything, some are more instrumental in their value, and I would like to deliver special thanks to a few of them.  So, without further ado, here are the “Top 8 of 2008“!!!

  1. The Online Photographer – Michael Johnston delivers a steady stream of photography-related content, including articles, news, reviews, and insights into such a wide and diverse range of subjects, it astounds me.  Thanks Michael for your regular pearls of wisdom!
  2. Photoshop Insider – Scott Kelby is perhaps one of the most prolific writers of our time on photography and Photoshop.  Suffice to say, he definitely has his finger on the pulse of the photography community.  If you want to know what’s going on, and what’s coming up soon – stop by Scott’s blog.
  3. Strobist – David Hobby’s blog/site has become the de facto resource for anything and everything relating to lighting for photography.  If you want to get schooled on lighting, Strobist is the place to go.  He has several resources including the Lighting 101, Lighting 102, and regular content that is both educational and inspirational.  If not in your bookmarks, add it today!
  4. This Week in Photography (a.k.a. TWIP) – Led by Scott Bourne, and contributing photographers Alex Lindsay, Steve Simon, Ron Brinkmann, and Fred Johnson, these professionals get together once a week in a podcast to deliver some of the best audio content on the web.  A little more than a year old, they’ve risen quickly to become the creme de la creme of audio podcasts.  The blog also has great tips and content delivered regularly by Scott.  Thanks to this entire crowd for raising the bar on audio podcasting!
  5. Digital Photography Life – Led by Scott Sherman and Michael Stein, this podcast started under another name by another sponsor, and their departure from the airwaves shortly was a source of great concern for me.  These guys are the normal guys, the enthusiasts of photography – just like me (only probably more knowledgable, insightful, and entertaining).  Their weekly podcasts are always a kick to listen to and make for perfect commute killers!  Thanks to Scott and Michael!
  6. Jason D. Moore – I would be remiss in not mentioning Jason’s influence not only on my blogging, but also on my photography.  Jason was generous enough not only to include me in his now famous “Weekly P&P” listings, but also  as a contributing member to the now well-known and respected Geographic Composition series.  Without his generosity and kind words of support I would not be where I am today either as a blogger or a photographer.  Thanks Jason!
  7. Photowalking Pro – Jeff Revell has become a household name for introducing the idea of photowalking to the masses.  From there he has springboarded to become a well-respected member of the photography community.  He has tutorials, reviews, and just tons of great content that are inspirational and meaningful for anyone of any background and ability.  He was generous enough to also donate time to being on the CB Interview series.  Thanks to Jeff for taking the time to participate, and to also serve as a source of inspiration!
  8. Michael Palmer Photography – Michael has shown me, both through his comments here, as well as through his contributions to the Geographic Composition Series and on his own blog, that when push comes to shove, in the end, it’s always about the photograph.  He has produced some amazing images that he has willingly shared in a variety of outlets including those mentioned, as well as on his won website.  Whenever I need a dose of pure inspiration, I look through his photography, as well as his comments here.  So, thanks to Mike for all your support and motivation through the past year!

These are just some of the resources and friendships I have developed that have had a meaningful impact on the quality of both my photography and blogging in 2008.    Thanks again to the whole gang!  It’s been a great ’08 – let’s make it a fine ’09!  (Yeah, that was cheesy, but it rhyhmed!)

In the meantime, keep on shooting and best regards to the entire community for a prosperous and bountiful new year!  Happy Shooting!

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