Are YouTube Photography Channels Past Their Peak? The Question has Been Asked.

An interesting YouTube video by "The Photographic Eye" makes a few points.

Globe, AZ. My first short road trip since moving. Gotta get out more.

Welcome to the weekend!

I have had my head down all week working on my new ventures, and I had to come up for air yesterday and take my wife for a drive in the Pinal Mountains. We love to visit that area; Globe, Safford, Superior, and even Winkleman. The amazing beauty of the desert mountains calls us to visit often in the winter. They get a little toasty in the summer, so we visit and hike when we can.

Since moving out here, well, actually since mid-summer, we haven’t done even the smallest road trip due to putting all of our extra time into preparing the house to be sold.

But we realized that we could go up to Superior in less time than it takes us to go to the other house, so we took a little road trip. Had a blast, some delicious burgers at Porter’s (Superior, AZ), and still got back early enough in the afternoon for some more head-down work.

I am going to do the same trip on my motorcycle next Sunday. Watch for video and a blog post about that ride.

Now on to the topic of the day: Have YouTube Photography Channels Burned Out?

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I have noticed that I spend fewer minutes on YouTube following photographers than I did a few years ago.

I lost interest in how they made coffee and those imaginary gigs that weren’t.

I have never been interested in the “how to” channels because after 50 years doing this stuff, I know how to.

And that is just me, of course. I am sure you all have different reasons for following the folks you follow. I mean no disrespect.

When I saw this video a day or two ago, it really hit home. I agree with many of his points in this video and have a few opinions of my own I’ll share next year.

But for now, take a few minutes and watch what he has to say.

Let me know what you think in the comments. If there is interest, perhaps we can do a live webinar to discuss. Let me know in the comments.

Below is a short list of a few of the YouTube photographers who I believe are interested in the betterment of photography and photographers.

There may be someone not on this list that you think should be here, and if so, I may not know of them. The comments are open for names.

I am very protective of my time and my input channels. I carefully monitor what goes in and have no time for stuff that is either uninteresting, straight-up wrong, or self-indulgent influencer shit.

From a brand new project making images of these old stand-alone buildings east of Phoenix. This is digital, but the project will be shot on the Fuji 680.

My Favorite 11 YouTube Photo Channels.

Dan Milnor. (Link)

Dan is the real deal and has put together a wonderful and eclectic set of videos that run the range from personal vlog journals to no-bullshit question-and-answer shows where he pulls no punches and tells the truth.

The Photographic Eye (Link)

Looking for advice on what new camera system to buy in order to make your images even more awesome than awesome itself… awesomer, if you will. This ain’t the channel for you. Quiet, elegant discussions on the ‘art’ of photography. Knowledgeable and fascinating, this channel may help you escape GAS and get back to making images that matter.

Ben Horne (Link)

If you enjoy watching a consummate photographer do his thing, then Ben may be one for you. Ben takes us out in the field a couple of times a year and shows us the way he makes his landscape images on film and 8x10 cameras. Witty, smart, and very descriptive, his videos are fun to watch and full of little sparks of wisdom for any photographer.

Samuel Elkins (Link)

An editorial photographer and film devotee. Samuel takes us along on shoots, shares insights on shooting, and provides a nice mix of gear talk with the how and why he makes his images. He doesn’t overly upload, so you can follow his channel without getting bombarded with low-value videos.

Nick Carver (Link)

Nick uploads only a few times a year, but if you are interested in both film photography and making large prints of your work, Nick has the goods. From wandering with his camera, to taking us along on specific shoots he has planned, you get a good dose of how a real professional approaches their work.

Willem Verbeek (Link)

Another youngster with a lot of energy, Willem’s videos are both fun to watch and full of inspiration. He is mostly (exclusively?) film, but his approach to photography is timeless.

The Bite Shot (Link)

If you are into food photography, there is no better channel than this one. Inspirational, down-to-earth, knowledgable, no-nonsense info on the subject of shooting food. From gear to DIY to the all-important ‘whys’ of food photography, you cannot go wrong here.

Simon Baxter (Link)

Landscape pro Simon takes us on trips, shows us how he shoots amazing landscapes, and, more importantly, discusses why he makes the choices he makes to get the spectacular images he produces. This is a quiet channel, with only a few uploads per year. The content is well produced and paced.

Sean Tucker (Link)

Sean is the thinking person’s photographer. He is deeply committed to making imagery, helping others understand the complexity of image-making, and sharing terrific street, portrait, and landscape photography. This is one of those channels where you can get lost in the stacks.

Thomas Heaton (Link)

The videos are expertly created with great pacing and terrific content. Thomas takes us along on the trips and shares everything from why he chooses the camera he is using to why he changes his viewpoint while making an image. Along the way, you get to know a charming and well-spoken creative who is both fun and knowledgeable.

The Art of Photography (Link)

No list of photography channels would be complete without Ted Forbes’ wonderful videos on photography, photographers, images, magazines, and everything photographic. Even when he is doing a gear review, it is far different than most as he focuses on what the new piece of gear does for the photographer making their art. One of the best, for sure, Ted knows his stuff. And delivers it with ease.

Tomorrow will be a list of blogs/journals I follow for inspiration, guidance, and keeping the batteries charged.

See you then.

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