10 photographers and videographers I admire and follow

If any of you are as big a fan of podcasts like TechTock or The Candid Frame as I am, then this post will be familiar.

Near the conclusion of each of their episodes, the host will ask each subject to suggest one or two photographers whose work they admire that listeners should check out.

Likewise, during the past two years, I have developed a short list of photo and video shooters whose work I really enjoy. I stumbled upon them early in my personal learning process, sought and received valuable advice from several and check all of their Web sites quite often.

Without further ado, here is that list:

1. Philip Bloom

Philip Bloom really needs no introduction these days. His Vimeo uploads each generate thousands of views, as does his Web site, and he’s really become a leader in the HD-DSLR education process. Anyone looking to learn how to shoot high-quality video with a Canon 5D Mark II or 7D need only look at his tutorial-laden blog posts or his other pieces as quality examples.

2. Carlos Delgado

I first met Carlos while we were interns together during 2008 at the Erie Times-News. We worked on several assignments together, he as the photographer and myself as a very, very green reporter in awe of his lighting knowledge. It was also likely no coincidence that I bought my first camera later that summer after he returned to California following his six-month stay in Pennsylvania. He later offered a photo portfolio critique that really helped me to develop an eye for peak action and cleaner backgrounds in my own sports photography.

3. Tom Guilmette

Tom has one of the coolest jobs in television - as camera operator atop Fenway Park’s Green Monster in Boston. He blogs frequently about that gig and many others he picks up, offering helpful tips to others in the TV industry, as well as students like myself who simply love learning about the technical side of video production.

4. Jimmy Hickey

I came upon Jimmy’s work after he joined SportsShooter last August and was immediately drawn in by many of his images. He definitely has a great eye for capturing peak action with creative lighting, and his portraits also display an awesome understanding of light for a college student. As someone two years his elder, I can only envy his excellent body of commercial and portrait work .

5. Brad Mangin

Anyone interested in sports or baseball photography who is not familiar with Brad’s work should definitely follow the hyperlink above. His baseball images are consistently among the very best and always capture great light on a clean background. On a personal note, Brad turned down my original application to SportsShooter, and rightly so. He gave me clear instructions on why some of my images flat out sucked and how to improve.

His SEO ain’t bad either. Give “sports photography” a search on Google and you can quickly learn how to effectively market an image archive and leverage it as a personal business.

6. Rod Mar

Rod is in the same category as Brad Mangin in terms of skilled sports shooters. If you’re interested in capturing the very best possible football and soccer action shots, you’ll want to check out this former Seattle Times staffer’s work. I also really love how he displays images on his custom PhotoShelter Web site — as big and crisp as possible.

7. Dustin Snipes

Another shooter who, these days, needs no introduction. Dustin has won several SportsShooter Photographer of the Year awards, along with a host of other honors, all just a few years out of college. His portraits are among the most dynamicly-lit I’ve ever seen. He does a great job on his blog of taking us behind the scenes of most of his shoots, though I still would have no idea how to produce images half as great as his.

8. Melissa Wade

Talk about SEO. Melissa’s hockey images, especially at the college level, are always technically spot on. I could never fathom matching the hours that she puts in at each rink, and it really shows in her work. I first contacted her back when I bought my first DSLR, and she offered a few tips on how to get the best out of the gear you have when shooting hockey. I look to her site and recent images on Facebook for inspiration each time I feel like I’m producing the same, boring hockey shots.

9. Andrew Weber

Andrew and I shot side-by-side during many events at Bowling Green State University, while I was a photographer for The BG News and he for the Sentinel-Tribune, where he’s still employed part-time. Of course, he also shoots for US Presswire, the University of Toledo (where he’s additionally placekicker for the Rockets’ football team ) and it would seem a host of other freelance clients. His work ethic and consistently captivating images should inspire any fellow student photographer.

10. Enoch Wu

Last but certainly not least, Enoch taught me much of what I know. The photo editor at The BG News for two years, he helped me on the sidelines of my first college football game and on many shoots that followed during my inaugural year as a student newspaper shooter. Though technically my boss, he never treated me as a subordinate and his encouragement early on for me won’t be soon forgotten. I have since transferred from BG, where he will graduate from in a few months, but we’ve stayed in close contact as we have both embraced the possibilities of converging media with video DSLR’s.

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I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing where much of my knowledge and inspiration comes from. And to those listed above, keep up the fantastic work!