Find inspiration and develop your skills with tips from the best photography websites.
(Image credit: Getty Images / Metamorworks)
The best photography websites can be both practical resources and a source of inspiration for both beginner and professional photographers, providing gear reviews, how-to guides, industry news and bucket loads of ideas. With camera hardware and editing tools always advancing, even the most experienced photographer needs to keep up with what's happening. The internet was one of the reasons digital photography boomed in popularity, and it remains a great repository of information.
Below, we've picked out the best photography sites online today. We've included sites that provide regular reviews to help you decide what kit to buy (don't miss our own guide to the best cameras and the best photo editing software) and also sites that feature tutorials and ideas as well as forums with strong communities.
We think the best photography website today is Digital Camera World, the world's fastest-growing photography site. We might be a little biased since it's our sister site and we see the guys at the Christmas party, but we find the site to provide a great balance between news, reviews, tutorials and inspiration.
It covers covering every aspect of image-making. There are thorough reviews and buying guides to help you choose what kit to use, from the latest mirrorless cameras to drones and accessories. Digital Camera World also provides informative tutorials on how to use that gear, along with news about the latest competitions, product launches and events. It's our go-to site for everything photography-oriented.
Cambridge in Colour describes itself as a learning community for photographers. As well as tools and tutorials, it has an active online forum where you can seek answers to even the most obscure of your photography questions. There are over 20,000 active participants so there should always be someone to help you out. It's free to register so if you prefer to do your learning in a forum environment, this can be a handy resource.
03. Photography Life
Photography Life covers everything from news to pro tips (Image credit: Photography Life)
Founded by a photography fanatic and with a roster of equally dedicated writers, Photography Life is an excellent source of news, articles and reviews. It's also a fantastic place to find plenty of how-to guides, from beginners' tips through to more advanced tutorials covering things like heavyweight technical matters and even running a photography business.
04. Fstoppers
This is a great place to submit your shots for feedback (Image credit: Fstoppers)
Starting out in 2010 as an online community aimed at educating and inspiring photographers, Fstoppers has grown since then into a massive photography resource that's packed with news, opinion pieces and tutorials. There's plenty of inspiration to be had from its gallery of users' photos, as well as its Photo of the Day competition, and its online groups are the ideal place to talk photography, share your work and get feedback from the community.
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05. Camera Jabber
Camera Jabber is a goldmine of news, reviews and tips for photographers (Image credit: Camera Jabber)
Built by photographers for photographers, Camera Jabber offers up a nice mix of news, reviews and buying' guides on everything from phone cameras and DSLRs up to the latest action and 360 cameras. You'll also find a wealth of how-to material that'll take you through the photographic basics and on to more specific guides on things like editing your shots and building a portfolio. It's updated daily, and always worth checking in to see what's new.
06. British Journal of Photography
The British Journal Photography has been supporting photographers since 1854 (Image credit: British Journal of Photography)
The British Journal of Photography has been around since 1854, and it's kept up with the times since then. Its website is a great accompaniment to the venerable magazine, serving up thought-provoking photography and fresh perspectives every day. It can be a great source of photography inspiration. Meanwhile, its student and professional awards are a great way to discover new talent – or, indeed, to get your own photography skills recognised.
07. DIY Photography
DIY Photography has been running for over 10 years and is crammed with useful advice
Started in 2006 as a place for gear-lusting photographers, DIY Photography is a great place to pick up expert advice and read about the latest kit. Again written by photographers for photographers, it's heavy on the tutorials with hundreds of useful how-to articles online, plus a whole load of DIY tips that'll help you build your own gear rather than splashing out on expensive kit.
08. iPhone Photography School
Don't have a camera? You can still take excellent photos with your phone
Just because you don't have a heavyweight camera, it doesn't mean that you can't take beautiful photos. iPhone Photography School has one simple aim: to help you take better photos with your iPhone than most people can with a DSLR. It does this with plenty of in-depth tutorials covering photography techniques and photo editing, as well as articles and regular competitions. The sites charges for access to its courses, but its blog can be read for free, and it provides tips on editing apps and techniques along with video tutorials.
09. Digital Photography Review
Digital Photography Review is bursting at the virtual seams with all the sector's latest news and product reviews
Digital Photography Review has long been a popular destination for digital photographers, and it's bursting at the virtual seams with all the latest news and product reviews. In March 2023, the site announced that it would stop operations and remain only as an archive, but the site was bought by Gear Patrol, and as of June 2023, is again operating as before. It provides video tutorials, buying guides but the site is perhaps best known for its wide-ranging forums, where photographers and camera enthusiasts answer questions and discuss new products and techniques. There are even forums for specific cameras.
10. The Spruce: Photography
The Spruce: Photography is both an advice centre and repository of extensive further reading
Part of the Spruce Craft site, The Spruce: Photography is both an advice centre and a repository of extensive reading. Once you're on this website's photography channel, you'll be clicking from one useful video to another before veering off down a rabbit hole of enlightening articles. There's plenty to enjoy – including plenty of guides to the fundamental aspects of photography, making it a great photography site for beginners
11. Digital Photography School
Digital Photographers School aims to help photographers get the most out of their cameras
Digital photography enthusiast Darren Rowse is the man behind Digital Photography School, a site that aims to help photographers get the most out of their cameras. With sections including photo tips, gear and post-processing, all the essentials are well covered. Like some other picks on our list of the best photography websites, it offers paid-for courses, but it also provides plenty of free content.
12. Strobist
Strobist is a must for anyone just starting out with light
Strobist is about one thing: learning how to use off-camera flash to take photos to the next level. It takes a little patience to navigate its archive of 'assignments' to find theones that interest you, but it's an invaluable resource for those starting to venture into flash photography as well as those who are looking for new ideas for ways to uses their flashes. If you're a complete beginner at lighting, the free Lighting 101 course starts from the very beginning, and covers all the theory you need quickly and succinctly.
13. 500px
Connect with like-minded people at online photography community 500px
500px is a different proposition from most of the other sites on our list. It's a photo-sharing site that puts a focus on image licensing and getting exposure. Founded by Oleg Gutsol and Evgeny Tchebotarev, it's now owned by the Chinese stock image giant Visual China Group. The online photography community has a library of well over six million photos that can be a great resource for inspiration. There's also a blog and news.
14. The Photo Argus
Find helpful tips, tricks and techniques on photography blog The Photo Argus (Image credit: The Photo Argus)
The Photo Argus is an online resource for photographers from novice users to advanced pros. The site provides useful information, inspiration, techniques, photographer showcases and more. Find what you're looking for using the organised topic sections or browse through the Popular Posts and the most up-to-date articles on the homepage.
PetaPixel is a website offering tutorials, news, kit reviews and features on individual photographers' work. The tutorials are imaginative and practical, offering videos and screen grabs to guide you through each step. Equipment reviews cover new cameras, lenses and more. News covers all sorts of interesting tidbits from the photography world, including some amusing ones.
While not technically a website, Photography Week is a digital magazine, so we're including it here. Packed with beautiful photography, it offers heaps of fresh inspiration every week, along with creative ideas, must-try photo projects and video reviews, and straight-forward practical advice on how to get the best from your camera. It's designed specifically for mobile devices, and each issue features reader galleries, how-to articles and step-by-step videos.
Full disclosure: It's another of our sister titles, also made by Future Publishing. Get it on iPad and iPhone, Android devices or through Zinio for multiple devices, including computers.
17. Flickr
There's no Flickr alternative that offers quite the same wealth of inspiration (Image credit: Flickr)
Flickr is a photography website that probably doesn't need much introduction. It's heyday was in the first decade of the century, when it grew to become a popular photo sharing site with a strong community. However, successive takeovers and changes in policies coupled with the rise of social media mean it's not the site it was. However, it's still a great place to find photos for inspiration. A great feature for beginners is that many images are uploaded with the data on the gear, shutter speed, aperture and ISO used, which can be a good way to learn.
Craig Stewart is a writer, SEO strategist and content marketer, and is a former editor of Creative Bloq. Craig has written about design, typography, tech and football for publications including Creative Bloq, T3, FourFourTwo and DSG, and he has written a book on motoring for Haynes. When he's not writing, you'll usually find Craig under his old car learning about DIY repairs the hard way.
