Continuing on our top ten list every photography student should have, we are now at #5, start a professional blog.

What is a blog anyway?

Well, according to Wikipedia a blog (a contraction of the term “Web log”) is a website, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse chronological order. “Blog” can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.

Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, Web pages, and other media related to its topic.

The ability for readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs. Most blogs are primarily textual, although some focus on art (artlog), photographs (photoblog), sketches (sketchblog), videos (vlog), music (MP3 blog), and audio (podcasting), which are part of a wider network of social media.

As a matter of fact, YoungPhotopreneur.com is a blog. It’s a way for me to connect with like-minded people, and for us to have a community to come to, as well as keep others informed about my photographic endeavors.

Whether you have a blog, Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, or some type of social networking site, I think it’s a great way to keep people informed about what you’re doing as a photographer. Your website is more professional, while a social network can be a little more casual.

When you start building a fan base, especially with people who have never met you, it can be a great way for people to get a taste of your personality and know that you’re a real person and not just an excellent photographer:)

Most of my favorite photographers have blogs. Some of them even provide behind-the-scenes footage of their shoots, which can be a great way to learn new techniques and try them on your own!

So consider it. My first blog, before I decided to focus on YoungPhotopreneur.com, was just as fun. It connected my clients, friends, family, and admirers to me and kept them updated on recent projects.

Websites are a little harder to update, so having a blog, or some type of social network site can be a great compliment to your website, and people love it!

So what are you waiting for? Go set up an account and make some new connections! Speaking of connections, next time we’ll talk about networking and making those important contacts:)