Bloggers Toolbox: Photography!

As a blogger, I know photography is an integral part of each and every post I write. I’ve discovered through other bloggers, personal searches, and trial and error which photography resources out there have worked the best for me. So I’ve created my version of a “toolbox” with recommendations for (free!) sites and software to use when looking for, and editing images – as well as sites that help hone your photo-taking skills!

 

This image is used by permission from Hobbies on a Budget and edited using pixlr

Editing Images– I edit quite a few of my photos, so being a student on a budget naturally means that I can only afford photo editing in the free price range. While an ipad, macbook, and photoshop languish on my perpetual wishlist here are the best photo editing sites that I’ve found and frequently use!

pixlr – I love this photo editor, it’s fast, free, and super easy to use. You can apply a few filters, or you can do serious hardcore editing with this online (no downloads or registration here!) program. They have so many unique, fun ways to play with your images- I could spend hours on here! They also came out with photo collages- so now you can make those on pixlr as well (I used it to create my facebook banner!).

picmonkey – This is another amazing (free) photo editing tool- also, no downloads required. What’s really great is that right now you can edit your pictures to completely (or partially) change the look of a person! Helloooo 70 pounds lighter me! This is a great tool for playing around with lighting, tones, and colors- definitely worth a try, you’ll love it! They also just came out with a “create a collage” option.

photovisi – I initially used this online tool as a way to make fast and easy collages. You can use the backgrounds and formats that they already created for you, and just upload your images into them – or you can choose your own formatting and play with things a little bit. If you’re looking to throw together a fast collage then this is the site for you.

Finding Free Images – Sometimes you might be working on a deadline, or can’t for some reason get a shot of what you’re looking for for your post. Here’s a few really great free photo resources for bloggers:

Hobbies on a Budget Blogger Resources – My blogger friend Sharon, not only runs a great blog, but she also put together some great blogging resources- including her own (taken by Hobbies on a Budget) free images for bloggers! They’re all %100 original and %100 free- in fact I grabbed one of her images to use as my featured image for this blog post! Thanks Sharon! She also has some great posts on how to take great photos- check them out here!

Flickr Creative Commons – A lot of people are utilizing flickr’s creative commons for excellent images, just make sure you read what kind of license the image your using operates under!

Becoming a Better Photographer – Looking to hone your photo-taking skills? Want to learn how to make all your shots “professional looking”? Well these sites can teach you everything you need or want to know about photography- free!

The American Museum of Photography – This virtual museum is a great resource for learning about the history and process of photography (think how cool you’ll sound saying things like “yo this filter I used made my photo look like a real daguerrotype!”). Also they’ve got links to loads of great sites for whatever your photography needs are!

Digital Photography School – Most amazing photography site ever. Loaded up with tips, tutorials, how-to’s, and tons of info on techniques and equipment. This site pretty much provides a free education in photography.

National Geographic – Want your images to start looking Nat Geo worthy? Then head right to the source! Nat Geo offers loads of tips, tutorials, articles, and naturally- inspiration!

Daguerreotype

5 Comments

  1. July 2, 2012 / 7:42 pm

    Thanks Krista! Great resources here. I appreciate you including my Free Image Resource for bloggers in your toolbox! The library of images is growing daily! I have several hundred more images I took on vacation and I just haven’t had time to get them added! Thanks so much! Guess I better go get them added 🙂

    • July 2, 2012 / 7:47 pm

      Sure! You take great pictures – I can’t wait to see what you’ll add!

  2. July 9, 2012 / 12:37 pm

    My brother suggested I might like this web site. He was totally right. This post truly made my day. You cann’t imagine just how much time I had spent for this info! Thanks!

  3. Dani K
    July 15, 2012 / 3:01 pm

    These are great resources even for people who don’t blog. I miss Picnik, and I’ll have to try some of these. I am also bookmarking this page for the free images in case I need a stock photo for use at work.

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