I have a vision and a plan to make a place where sharing information, encouragement, skills, and enthusiasm can be done in a truly supportive creative learning environment that values diversity of styles, origins, levels of experience, creativity, and respects all individuals.
I think there is a need to provide a more humane experience that is usually missing from the often-times impersonal internet experience.
As the internet develops and more and more people spend more and more time on it, there is a need for people to connect to people as people, not as just a screen name or a persona with some odd avatar that is not even human.
I hope to further that and help people better enjoy photography as either a hobby or profession, regardless of whether someone is an Amateur or a Professional or an Artist. That is my goal.
To reach my goal, it will take a lot of work and time and effort.
I have begun the foundations of that with this site you are visiting today. However, this site (PhotoMentors) is just the beginning and you are seeing it when it is just starting and with a fraction of the people and information I intend to have in the future.
The Vision
I have a vision for a better place for photographers.
In the future, there will be a place where photographers of all levels can come together and enjoy photography, learn from one another, and share without fear of harsh treatment.
It will be a place founded on the Golden Rule, to treat others with respect and compassion. It will be populated by people who treat people in a humane manner and connect person to person.
It will be a place where the atmosphere is alive with the energy of creativity and a place that fosters and supports the most creative dreams and work.
It will be a place full of photography from all genres, with respect for the classic and respect for the cutting edge.
It will have a free and public virtual library full of learning tools, countless free lessons and free photography tips.
It will be a place where those more experienced help those less experienced.
It will be a place where no question is considered stupid and where the pursuit of answers is encouraged and rewarded.
It will be a place where Art is discussed and encouraged.
It will be a place where photos have meaning, and photographers with a social conscience have a place to show photos that can touch the heart and stimulate the mind.
It will also be fun, stimulating, and challenging.
That is the vision.
You can make it happen.
Become part of it.
Steadman
Now, I invite you to join me on a learning journey that I believe will prove exciting and fun for you. It all starts with a simple phone call, and that is free.
At the very least, take a moment to add your name to my email Newsletter list so I can keep you informed in the future. You can sign up for the Newsletter by going to our Contact page here on this site.
If this vision for a better place to learn and enjoy photography appeals to you, then please help this cause by telling at least three of your friends about this site. Let them know where to find us. If they love photography, I am sure they will appreciate your tip to them.
__________________
Seven ways you can help other photographers and yourself too!
Have you heard of Karma?
It is the belief that all deeds can shape the past, present, and future experiences. In the West, this is sometimes expressed by the Christian concept of “you reap what you sow.” In short, do good to others and good may come to you. I truly believe that helping others helps not only them, but also ourselves in ways we often cannot anticipate. Each action of good you do, can make the world a nicer place. Do you believe in the Golden Rule?
1. Tell others about this site. If you frequent photography forums and see a good opportunity to let people there know about this site, please do. Others who read your favorite forums or blogs may be looking for free lessons and inspiring photographs from which they can learn. Or they may be new to photography forum posting and need some guidance on how to learn more from getting critiques of their photos. Just direct them to www.photomentors.com.
This site is written to inspire photographers of all levels and help them have a better experience in photography. We even have seven pages devoted to tips on how to have a better experience on a photography forum and those tips may help your favorite forum have better posts and more participation.
2. Please tell at least three of your friends in your community or social network about this site. If you are on Facebook for example, you could tell your friends. They could be at any level of photography. Anybody who likes photography can benefit from the free lessons or from seeing the thousands of inspiring photographs from some of the world’s best photographers. PhotoMentors has things designed to be of interest to ALL levels of photographers from Beginners to Advanced Professionals.
3. Click on one of the social bookmarking links in this page and let others know about this post or page or this new site. Look in the right column of this page and almost all pages on the site for the link that says “Free Tell a Friend” and click on it to go a pop up list of bookmarking links. It is easy and fast. Or you can send an email to a friend through that link too. Here is another link so you can bookmark this page right now in two clicks of your mouse in two seconds.
Please take two seconds now to tell others about this site and thereby help us help and inspire more people. Just click this share button below.
4. Add a link to PhotoMentors site to your blog or site. Or write a post on your blog about what you saw on this site. Did you see a photo that inspired you when you viewed a Masters of Photography Gallery here? Did you learn something about a photographer you had not known about before? Tell others about the thousands of photos by Masters of Photography found here. Remember, our focus is on providing free access to all kinds of photographs and information that will inspire photographers of all levels.
5. Save yourself time while also helping other photographers. In the future you might come across a newbie or someone new to photography. They may be looking for inspiring examples of great photography or they may want some guidance. This site may help them have a better experience with photography too. You won’t have to type much to help them, all you have to do is simply post a link to this site and that may solve their problem with a couple of clicks of your mouse. Simply tell them to look for the section on Free Lessons and Tips. That helps them, saves you time, and helps me help other photographer learn. So, that is a Win+ Win+ Win.
6. Subscribe to the PhotoMentors mailing list for our FREE Newsletter. Why? Because the more subscribers the newsletter has will help us negotiate special offers and discounts from vendors that can then be passed on to you our readers.
It will only take a moment to add your email to the list. Simply fill in the simple Subscribe Form found on the right column of all page here on the site. Look in the lower right column. The newsletter will keep you informed when we have special offers and opportunities for our friends around the world. You will also learn about exclusive discounts and other nice things.
Don’t worry about receiving too many newsletters or emails from us. We only send out the newsletter infrequently, but when we do, there will be something of value in it for you. There will be many valuable and exclusive things coming in the future, including great opportunities for photographers, so don’t miss this easy way to hear about it first.
7. Look around this site. You might find something else that interests you or helps you. In 2010 we expect there to be hundreds of pages of content, thousands of inspiring photos, and hundreds of free educational videos.
I recommend seeing the Site Map (Table of Contents) so you can easily see the long list of articles, posts, and pages listed by topics.
If you would like to see if I can help you as a mentor, then just give me a call using the Skype button or the phone number at the bottom of each Page.
Finally, do what you can to help others post their photos and also get comments and have a good time doing so. That makes the world a nicer place and gives us all more nice photography to see on the net.
Thank you for your help.
Steadman
________________
Your First Introductory Call is free, but what you might learn later is priceless!™
If you have Skype, simply click on the “Call Me” button below to make a free Skype-to-Skype call. Before you do, make sure the top button says “I’m Online.”
If you don’t have Skype yet, you can download the free Skype software in minutes via the link below the buttons below.
Or, if you want to call using your own land-line phone or cellular phone, simply dial our Direct Dial number: (646) 233-1511
Our phones are generally answered during our flexible Global Operating hours of 9:00AM to 9:00PM EST (New York City Time Zone). Feel free to call anytime within that 12 hour window, 7 days a week.
If we are not on a call with another photographer, we will be happy to speak with you. If you get our voicemail it means we are on a call with another photographer. In that case, simply leave a detailed message on our voicemail with instructions on how we should contact you.
If you prefer to send an email you may do that by visiting our Contact Page. Or by using the following email address:
steadman@photomentors.com
Most voicemail messages receive a call back within two hours, whenever possible. All emails are answered the same day, whenever possible.
.
» Get Skype, call free!
