Strobist

Over the past couple days, I've been devouring a new photography blog: Strobist.

From the first entry, 'Welcome to Strobist':

Welcome to Strobist, where our goal is to promote more effective use of small, shoe-mount flashes.

That goal has been acheived. The site is split up into two sections: Lighting 101 and On Location. Lighting 101 is a straightforward guide to the basics. He covers both technique and equipment, with the focus being on creating excellent photographys quickly (not rushed, just not wasting any unnecessary time) and inexpensively. One of his core tenets is that by using small inexpensive flashes, you can create great, studio-quality light anywhere.

He also argues that by replacing big bulky studio lights (or not getting them to start with) with small flashes you'll be more likely to take them with you (he even shows how to make an ultra-portable setup with a stand, a flash, and an umbrella), and therefore more likely to actually use them. I have a few studio lights, and it is certainly a commitment to get them setup and ready to use. He shows how you can get the same, or better, light with a lot less setup time.

In addition to all of that, there is also a lot of just good lighting technique. In the On Location entries, he shows a photo or two and explains how he created the light in each shot.

So, if you're interested in photography, check out this site for some easy and cheap ways to create better lighting for your photos.