Start a Stock Image Library
Image of Peacock shot at NYC Bronx Zoo
Finding the perfect high resolution picture of a peacock (or any image for that matter) can often be a difficult and expensive task. Just browse the top stock image sites and see for yourself. I don’t know about you but $10 bucks for one image is not gonna cut it for this small business owner. That’s why I love being a photographer, you can always grab your trusty digital SLR camera, get out into the world and create your own stock photo library. As a Web designer and Photographer I can’t express enough how much my photography skills have helped me in building web sites for my clients.
Having your own stock library of images is not only convenient but cost effective as well. Speaking of stock photography, I snapped the picture of the peacock above during a visit to the Bronx Zoo with my wife in 2008. This is one of the pictures from my ‘Nature’ stock collection (more to come).
I was completely captivated by the vibrant blue and green tones of the peacock’s feathers. Opportunities like this remind me of why I love nature photography so much. By the way, while we’re talking about peacocks, here are a few facts about peacocks you may not have known. Peacocks are polygamous by nature. In the wild male peacocks generally have a harem of 2 – 5 females. Also, the main use of the beautiful train (tail) of a male peacock is to gain the attention of the peahen and get her to mate with him (men, were all the same aren’t we, no matter what species) 
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As photographers we must always keep our eyes open to the beauty of the world around us. We often look to obvious, cliche subjects for inspiration, but elements such as; light, color, lines & composition are the true stars of great photography.
So what are you waiting for? Get out there and put your camera to work.
Learn it All with Lynda.com
If you’re an aspiring (or established) Web Designer, Photographer, etc. and you haven’t heard of Lynda.com, you’ve been missing out. I’ve been using the Lynda.com library for a few years now and it’s one of the best creative resources I have at my disposal. As a professional Web Designer & Photographer I have an obligation to both myself and my clients to provide the best services that I can. That means constantly improving my skill set by studying my craft. Lynda.com’s seemingly infinite archive of instructional videos can surely satisfy that craving for knowledge that consumes all of us creative types.
Here’s a list of a few of the courses they offer:
We all know that knowledge is the key to success in anything we do, and if you’re serious about being the absolute best you can be at your craft then it’s a no brainer. They even offer certifications upon completion of each of their courses. The video below is taken from their an example of one of their beginning web design courses.
From beginner Photoshop to advanced object oriented programming courses, Lynda.com has the full spectrum of creative education covered. I’m guessing your next question is how much will it cost? Right? Well, tell me this. How much value do you put in your education? That must sound like I’m avoiding the question but I’m not. How does $25 a month for 24/7 access to thousands of great tutorials, taught by leading professionals in the industry sound? For more on their payment options click here.
