In this short conclusion to his instructional DVD, Norwegian photographer Erik Almas gives 10 basic “steps” to becoming a photographer that caught our eye. It’s not that they’re groundbreaking; in fact, you’ve probably heard most of these at least once before.

But put all together, and following on the heels of the humorous Onion article on pursuing your dreams, they make for a great set of inspirational steps to follow if you’re trying to go from hobbyist to professional. Read more…

Matthew Gore of Light & Matter created this beginner-friendly video tutorial on the three basic elements of exposure: aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. It’s explained with easy to understand illustrations and examples, and features graphics and sounds that are reminiscent of old 8-bit video games. You can also find a text-based version of the tutorial here.

The Three Basics of Photography (via Xatakafoto)

If you’ve ever tried shooting in a dark location without using flash or a tripod, you probably know how difficult it can be to remove camera shake from your photos. Alex Jansen — a photography enthusiast who’s an officer in the US Army — has written up an awesome tutorial on how you can apply some of the tricks used by rifle shooters to shooting with a camera:

I am by no measures a “pro,” but I understand my fundamentals very well, and this specific set has been drilled into my head so many times that it is now second-nature. I am going to teach you how to “shoot” your camera like a high end rifle because at the end of the day, the fundamentals stay the same in every aspect.

The guide focuses on the US Army’s four fundamentals of marksmanship: steady position, aiming, breath control, and trigger control.

Making the Most of Long Exposure Handhelds [Pentax Forums]

Image credits: Photographs by Alex Jansen/Pentax Forums

Destin of Smarter Every Day made this helpful video in which he and his daughter explain the basics of light painting and digital camera sensors using “super simple speak”.

Here’s a beautifully designed cheat sheet by Miguel Yatco that you can use to introduce people to the fundamental concepts in photography. You can also order it as a poster for your wall over on Zazzle.

Manual Photography Cheat Sheet (via Laughing Squid)

Online SLR Camera Simulator is a neat flash app that helps teach the fundamentals of using an SLR camera by letting you tweak different variables and settings, then showing you what the resulting photograph would look like. It’s a great way for any beginner to become more familiar with a camera’s controls, though nothing beats going out and practicing by taking real photos — though this app would have been a lifesaver before the digital era.