YouTude, YouTuve, yotube, youutbe...you might be asking, "Alex, what in the world are you talking about here?!"
Well, first, let me share with you a personal story that you might find humorous...
My son, who at the time of this writing is four-years-old, loves YouTube.
I was on his iPad the other day and was looking for something in his history and saw all the variations of how he had been searching for YouTube.
YouTude and YouTuve was in there quite a bit, and then yotube, youutbe, youtubr, youtue, and youtub were other misspellings. LOL.
Don't get me wrong - I give the little guy credit for knowing how to spell at all. Heck, when I was his age, I was playing in a sandbox with cat poo in it unable to spell much of anything. LMAO.
Back on topic...
Regardless of how you spell YouTube, as photographers, there's no shortage of kick-ass channels for each of us to find our fix of photography tips, gear reviews, and post-processing tutorials. YouTube has a seemingly endless supply of photography videos.
To help you cut through all the so-so resources out there, I've outlined (in no particular order) 21 of the very best YouTube photography channels.
Top YouTube Channels for Photographers: Cooperative of Photography (COOPH)
Our friends over at the COOPH put out some of the best photography content on YouTube.
Whether you want to learn DIY photography hacks, how to improve your drone photography, how to take better smartphone photos, or something in between, this is the channel for you.
Not only are their videos produced really well, but they're fun and are typically quite short, too.
My Favorite COOPH Video: 9 Tricks and Hacks to Up Your DIY Photography Game
Top YouTube Channels for Photographers: Kai W
If you enjoy photography and humor, Kai W's channel is for you.
His dry wit and sarcastic remarks often steal the show in his videos, but don't let his sense of humor fool you...
Kai is an expert photographer and is one of the best photography teachers on YouTube, in my opinion.
He also has excellent gear reviews and gear comparisons that help beginner, enthusiast, and even pro photographers figure out what gear is best for their needs and how to take better photos.
My Favorite Kai W. Video: Things Only GEEKS Do
Top YouTube Channels for Photographers: Peter McKinnon
We feature Peter's videos in our articles on a regular basis because the dude knows what he's talking about (he's an award-winning photographer).
His tutorials combine his know-how with his excellent personality, so his videos are both informative and entertaining.
Perhaps the best thing about Peter's channel is that he often talks about a photography trick or technique, then shows you how he implements that trick or technique, and then gives you even further instruction on perfecting the image you've taken by offering tips on things like what lenses to use, why you should print your photos, how to edit your photos, and so on.
My Favorite Peter McKinnon Video: Make Your Photos Pop With One Click Using Lightroom Presets
Top YouTube Channels for Photographers: B&H Photo Video
As one of the biggest and best photography stores, B&H certainly has the street cred to dole out advice on things like cameras, lenses, and other photography gear.
But their channel isn't just about the gear you need to buy...
Instead, they enlist some of the best photographers in the world to do detailed photography tutorials. And by detailed I mean detailed. Many of their videos exceed one hour in length!
My Favorite B&H Video: 7 Ways You're Using Your Camera Wrong
Learn More:
Top YouTube Channels for Photographers: Mango Street
Not only are Rachel and Daniel of Mango Street excellent photographers, but they also have a warm, inviting vibe about them that makes you want to sit down at your computer and watch all their videos in one fell swoop.
Like the videos from the COOPH, Mango Streets videos are short and sweet, yet packed with tons of great advice for photographers that are looking to up their game.
From smartphone photography tips to stepping up your editing skills to finding ways to take better portraits, there's a lot to love about this fun and quirky duo's channel.
My Favorite Mango Street Video: 10 Tips to INSTANTLY Take Better Photos
Top YouTube Channels for Photographers: PHLEARN
The bread and butter of PHLEARN's YouTube channel is teaching viewers how to edit photos.
Whether you're on team Lightroom or team Photoshop, you'll find dozens of videos that help you improve your editing workflow.
From removing dark circles from under someone's eyes to adding realistic-looking text to a photo to installing Lightroom presets, this channel has everything you need to perfect your images in post-processing.
My Favorite PHLEARN Video: The BEST Way to Sharpen Portraits in Photoshop
Top YouTube Channels for Photographers: Chris Winter
Chris Winter's channel is mostly about photography gear, including excellent gear reviews and information on where to get the best deals.
What makes Chris' gear reviews so great is that they are multi-part series, so you don't have to watch one giant video just to learn one specific thing about the camera or lens in question.
Instead, Chris parcels the details out into several smaller videos, making learning about your gear much, much easier.
My Favorite Chris Winter Video: Top 25 Best Photography Channels on YouTube
Editor's Tip: In the market for a new lens? Don't buy one until you learn about the virtues of having a 50mm prime.
Top YouTube Channels for Photographers: Jessica Kobeissi
What's so great about Jessica's channel is that it's incredibly unpretentious.
She doesn't pretend to know everything, nor does she try to make her videos appear as though she never makes a mistake.
It's that kind of approachable persona that makes her channel an ideal place to learn about everything from using props in portraits to taking photos of strangers on the street to figuring out what gear to use.
My Favorite Jessica Kobeissi Video: Michael's Craft Store Photo Challenge
Top YouTube Channels for Photographers: Professional Photography Tips
Specializing in landscape photography, Joshua Cripps of Professional Photography Tips is the master when it comes to breaking down the process of planning landscape shoots, taking landscape photos, and editing them in post.
He also produces a number of videos on how to use specific landscape photography gear, like the various filters you need to get the best photos.
His videos are fun and to the point, but highly informational, too!
My Favorite Professional Photography Tips Video: Photography Mistakes - Stop Screwing Up Your Shots!
Top YouTube Channels for Photographers: Karl Taylor
Karl Taylor is a renown product photographer, but his channel is much more than how to make everyday objects look cool.
Instead, he has detailed photography tutorials, chats with other professional photographers, how to properly light portraits, and so much more.
Karl offers detailed demonstrations about how to tackle the art of photography, and he also has Q&A sessions in which he tackles some of the most common problems people encounter when taking photos.
My Favorite Karl Taylor Video: Seascape Photography Cheats, Tips, & Tricks
Learn More:
Top YouTube Channels for Photographers: Tony & Chelsea Northrup
The king and queen of photography books have a great YouTube channel as well.
In addition to excellent photography tutorials on all manner and scope of subjects, Tony and Chelsea also offer up plenty of things to think about in their podcasts, which they broadcast on YouTube.
This dynamic duo also has plenty of videos on practical photography tips that will help you find more success and take much-improved photos.
My Favorite Tony & Chelsea Northrup Video: Photography Screwups
Top YouTube Channels for Photographers: Thomas Heaton
Thomas Heaton's channel is all about landscape photography...
His videos offer a behind-the-scenes look at the process of landscape photography, so you gain a better understanding of just how difficult it can be to get "the shot."
Thomas' channel also delves into the business of photography as well as gear recommendations for tackling all kinds of landscapes.
My Favorite Thomas Heaton Video: One Photograph Shot & Edited On Location
Top YouTube Channels for Photographers: Mike Browne
What I enjoy most about Mike Browne's channel is that he gets straight to the point.
There's no long intros or time messing about with trying to be cool or funny - he just dives right in and starts educating viewers on things like photography composition, various camera settings, and practical tips for using photography accessories.
His videos are short and very focused as well, so you know that if you click on a video to learn about color temperature, that's exactly what you'll get!
My Favorite Mike Browne Video: Sunset Photography Tips
Editor's Tip: Your photos deserve a spot on your living room wall. See what your images look like as fine art.
Top YouTube Channels for Photographers: Serge Ramelli
By and large, Serge Ramelli's videos focus on one thing - mastering Lightroom.
His Lightroom tutorials are the best in the business, with highly detailed step-by-step instructions for getting the most out of your images.
Though many of his tutorials are on processing landscape photos, you'll find other content as well, like how to take long exposures with a smartphone and a fun "Ask Serge" Q&A series.
My Favorite Serge Ramelli Video: I Wish I Knew This When I Started Editing in Lightroom
Top YouTube Channels for Photographers: Matt Granger
As a professional photographer and photography teacher, Matt Granger knows the ins and outs of photography like no one else.
His YouTube channel features tons of helpful tips and tricks, including plenty of gear reviews, photography hacks, and even some enjoyable parody videos about photography.
Matt also does a lot of behind-the-scenes videos that help clue you into how he approaches planning and executing his photo shoots.
My Favorite Matt Granger Video: Portrait Editing Tutorial - Simple Beauty & Dramatic Detail
Top YouTube Channels for Photographers: Jared Polin
Fro Knows Photo, as Jared calls himself, is a fantastic photographer who's fun and energetic videos get to the heart of how to be a better photographer.
Jared's videos delve into a variety of topics, and include things like gear reviews, how to process your images, and tutorials that tackle common photography problems, like how to get sharp images in low light.
He also offers up weekly reviews of the latest photography news so you can keep abreast of what's new and exciting in the world of photography.
My Favorite Jared Polin Video: 17 Photoshop Tricks to Edit Photos
Learn More:
- Beginner Photography Tip: Advanced Controls That Will Take Your Photos to the Next Level
- iPhone Photography Tips: 5 Tricks to Master Landscapes With Your iPhone
Top YouTube Channels for Photographers: Sheldon Evans
Though Sheldon's YouTube channel is relatively new (just three years old at the time of this writing), he's amassed a huge following with his photography know-how and ability to create entertaining and educational content.
Sheldon focuses mainly on offering specific and actionable photography tips in each video - which means his videos are short and to the point.
From outlining beginner photography mistakes to avoid to drone photography tips to reviews of things like the best smartphone photography apps, you'll find something for everyone on this channel.
My Favorite Sheldon Evans Video: 3 Adobe Lightroom Tips to Speed Up Your Editing
Top YouTube Channels for Photographers: Irene Rudnyk
For those of you interested in learning more about portrait photography, Irene Rudnyk's channel is definitely worth a look.
Not only does Irene have excellent behind-the-scenes videos that explain how she gets the shots that she gets but she also has tons of post-processing tutorials.
There's even a few videos in which Irene recounts her photography fails, which are fun to watch because she explains why she failed and how to avoid failing in similar situations yourself.
My Favorite Irene Rudnyk Video: Failed Photoshoot Redo
Top YouTube Channels for Photographers: The Art of Photography
Ted Forbes of The Art of Photography offers practical advice and insights for photographers of all skill levels and experience.
In addition to slick tutorials that help you up your photography game, Ted also has awesome gear reviews that will help you determine what gear you need and what gear you don't.
Ted even has fun photo assignments that get you thinking about critical aspects of photography.
My Favorite The Art of Photography Video: Polaroids in Brooklyn
Top YouTube Channels for Photographers: SLR Lounge
SLR Lounge has a plethora of photography tutorials that hit on just about any topic that you can think of.
Also included on their channel are photography business tips that help you be a more successful photographer and gear tips so you know what the best gear is for your type of photography.
As a bonus, their videos are typically short and sweet!
My Favorite SLR Lounge Video: 15 Tips for When You Have Trouble Focusing Your Camera
Top YouTube Channels for Photographers: PhotoRec TV
What's so great about PhotoRec TV is that Toby Gelstone offers up content for photographers of all skill levels on how to learn photography.
That means that whether you're a beginner in need of tips for stepping up the quality of your Instagram photos or a pro that wants details about the Sony A7R III, you'll find what you need.
Toby also highlights different types of accessories, from lenses to bags to camera straps that are helpful when shopping for new gear.
My Favorite PhotoRec TV Video: My Approach Basic Settings - Manual Mode & Auto ISO