BetterPhoto.com offers courses (for a fee), an online community, and loads and loads of user-submitted pictures at which you can gaze with longing, wishing yours were as good to learn from and be inspired by. (They also offer website packages with photo galleries, but these are not cheap.) The photos are worth a look; especially the Editor’s Picks.

Then there’s Darren Rowse’s (yes, you’ve heard of him! He’s ProBlogger.com) other site, Digital Photography School. Geared toward beginners, but full of interesting techniques and tidbits – and a forum too! I feel like I have not even yet begun to explore his site. I got sidetracked with 13 Lessons to Teach Your Children About Digital Photography (and learned a few things for myself). Next, on my TBR list is a short article answering the question, What Digital Camera Should I Buy My Child? (We have a birthday coming up in my house.)

Now, here’s something I think is kind of noteworthy: I found both of these sites through social networking. Not Google.

One of my Linked In contacts is an awesome photographer, and I noticed she belonged to a Linked In group called BetterPhoto, which led me to the corresponding website. SCORE!

I follow Darren Rowse on Twitter (like all the cool kids do), and he just happened to mention his Digital Photography School in a Tweet recently.

I’m a pretty good Googler, but entering a search string and holding your nose whilst clicking through the list does not even compare to finding sites like these through connections you know and trust.

Interesting. Last week, I posted a question about how social media was paying off for people in terms of money. I think I’m getting part of y answer. I haven’t laid down any cash at BetterPhoto yet, but I’m sure my clicks added some small amount of revenue to Darren Rowse’s site.

And it’s a pretty nice way to find good things on the Internet, whether you’re wearing your marketing hat or not.