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Navigating your photography journey and photography ideas with little to no inspiration can be difficult. Sometimes all that’s needed is the right photography inspiration.
The funny thing is, though, is that inspiration is all around—if you know where to look. There’s no better place to find it than from content creators and photographers on YouTube!
Here are our picks for the 10 best photography YouTube channels so you can get some photography ideas to get your creativity flowing, whether that’s street photography, portrait photography, fashion photography, and everything in between.
1. Samuel Elkins
Photo source: The Discoverer
Have a Tighter Photography Workflow
Snapping a good photo isn’t always about the photo itself, but rather the experience of producing and sharing it with the world. Samuel Elkins encapsulates this idea in the work he’s accomplished since moving to Los Angeles.
Minimizing the steps in his workflow is a large part of what he teaches on his channel. His methodology is perfect for photographers looking to cut down on the time spent editing so they can go out and shoot more photos instead.
Think about how you can tighten up your workflow so you too can spend more of it in the photography inspiration phase.
2. Mitch Lally
Photo source: Two Blushing Pilgrims
Photography Workflow is Essential
Having the best lighting is optimal for capturing stunning images and natural lighting for portrait photography is a no-brainer. Mitch Lally shows his viewers on YouTube his approach to portraiture using nothing more than natural lighting and keeping the setup simple.
This method encourages you to not worry about so many factors in your workflow. It’s a streamlined approach that can save time while enhancing the creative process.
Starting with no lighting equipment demonstrates a more budget-friendly side to photography. Mitch’s method shows that as a portrait photographer workflow is essential, perhaps even more so when starting out.
3. Daniel Simmons
Photo source: Instagram
Things You May Not Have Thought Of
Daniel Simmons is a fashion and lifestyle content creator who has developed a unique aesthetic and style of fashion photography as evidenced through his self-portraits and lifestyle photography. He’s proven time and time again that he’s a relevant trendsetter, as seen from his Instagram following that’s almost at the one million mark.
By focusing more on the modeling aspect of his content, aspiring photographers can learn how to position clients the next time they do a model shoot. Daniel has a different take on learning and doing photography, and newer photographers can learn from him.
Directing models on how to pose, for example, may not come to mind for certain photographers. However, Daniel shows that it should be considered and mastered to some extent.
4. Lizzie Peirce
Photo source: Lizzie Peirce Website
Communicating With Clients Effectively is Key
Enjoying photography is one thing, but making a living from it is entirely different. It’s an exciting opportunity that should be taken advantage of if it’s a path you want to pursue.
Lizzie Peirce is a Toronto-based photographer whose content highlights the steps needed to turn your skills in photography into a business. This includes teaching what gear to use in certain scenarios, what in-service packages should consist of, and how to price them.
She also shows how to communicate with clients, such as writing contracts effectively. Lizzie sells an online course for beginners looking to get started on making money right away doing what they love.
5. Faizal Westcott
Photo source: Borrow Lenses
The Key to Successful Street Photography
Do you struggle with knowing how to capture street photography best? Purposely going out of your way to plan and seek interesting subjects to photograph can be a difficult approach for this style of photography.
Street photography mostly requires capturing moments as they happen, unplanned. However, having initial photography ideas for street photography is a good first step.
Faizal teaches viewers to slow down and photograph random events, adding authenticity to the art form. These events are often people going about their daily lives performing basic tasks, whether commuting, doing construction work, or couples eating brunch on a Sunday.
The possibilities are endless! Finding beauty in the unexpected is the takeaway Faizal wants his viewers to have.
6. Roman Fox
Photo source: Roman Fox Photography YouTube Channel
Photography Ideas Don’t Require the Latest Gear
Let’s face it, camera gear isn’t cheap and it’s only getting more expensive with the rise of new technologies. Social media trends hyping photography gear from the early 2000s make it even pricier.
Do you need the newest and trendiest gear to produce stunning images? Not at all! Roman Fox is a travel and YouTube photographer on our best photography YouTube channels list who believes a great image catches the eye from the get-go.
Roman debunks opinions on the newest gear being what consumers need. He educates his viewers on YouTube about the best uses of certain gear and posts weekly videos that educate them on how to produce amazing photos on future trips away from home.
7. GxAce
Photo source: GxAce Photography YouTube Channel
You Don’t Need the Best Tech to Produce Quality Photos
Having a creative block is inevitable for some people—perhaps most of us at some point in our creative careers—but watching the right content creator can spark immediate inspiration. Casey Cavanaugh is one of many who does it and does it very well.
Although a street photographer and product reviewer at face value, he knows how to produce content with great storytelling using a large budget and cinematic level. Casey suffers from a rare joint disorder in his hands called Arthrogryposis, which means taking photos is more difficult for him than most people.
Despite this, he educates his viewers on how he works around this disability to produce quality work even without the best camera gear. Truly a YouTube photographer to behold and worthy of being on our best photography YouTube channels!
8. Teo Crawford
Photo source: Teo Crawford Photography YouTube Channel
Get Better At Photography Through Doing
Photography is a hobby and skill that can be fun and thrilling, but, at the same time, hectic and overwhelming. Here’s one photographer on YouTube that doesn’t make the art feel like a chore.
Teo Crawford’s photography YouTube channel ditches the fast-paced and hype energy of taking photos for a more tranquil and therapeutic approach to documenting his life and surroundings. From using smaller digital cameras to shooting film photography, Teo caters to hobbyists who aim to enjoy taking photos regularly.
9. Manny Ortiz
Photo source: Manny Ortiz Photography YouTube Channel
Know What Gear to Use and When
In today’s world of photography where imperfections in photos are viewed as artistic choices, striving for the highest quality of producing images is undeniably what makes the most money.
Manny Ortiz, one of the photographers on YouTube, teaches viewers about the best photography gear money can afford and what you can achieve with it. He also regularly proves that cheaper alternatives can perform the same tasks without much noticeable difference.
This kind of service to viewers helps them avoid turning a blind eye to camera equipment that is truly needed versus luxury items that won’t directly help people become better photographers.
10. Anthony Gugliotta
Photo source: Anthony Gugliotta Website
A Passion for Educating Others
What’s the best lighting setup? What’s the difference between APS-C and full-frame cameras? Should I fork over an extra few thousand dollars for this item? If you have these questions, Anthony can likely help answer them.
There’s no end to learning from Anthony’s content. He dives into new topics every week, with tips and tricks on ways to improve your overall workflow as a photographer. The quality and quantity of his content have made his channel one of the most prominent photography YouTube channels to date!
Putting It All Together
Now that you’ve had a chance to dive into some of the best photography YouTube channels out there for 2024, put everything you’ve learned together so you can achieve some wonderful photography inspiration and even greater results!