Matt Granger alternatives

Raptor Mike

Raptor Mike

Messages
2,812
Name
Mike
Edit My Images
Yes
So I've been enjoying Matt Granger aka That Nikon Guy on YouTube. I've learnt quite a lot from his videos and I like the way they are conveyed with a little humour and unedited bits (which is great cos it shows even pros faf about a bit). I like the banter with the lady who seems to be his main model, Tina.

So I was wondering if anyone has any YouTube recommendations for photography videos like his please. If so if you could please post a link that would be great.

Thanks, Mike
PS Although Matt Granger's are portraits, vids on portraits or landscapes would be ace. Thanks again (y)
 
Last edited:
I learnt a hell of a lot from Karl Taylor. I even went as far as buying his DVD's.
 
I gave up on Matt Granger and Jared Polin as being people who are likeable, entertaining and who excel at marketing to the unknowing, but neither of the guys are skilled photographers - they just get by on our being even more unaware than they are. Best of luck to them but they are not high end educators.

On YouTube look up
Jared Platt
he lectures for Profoto on there.
He has only done about 5 or 6 videos so far but he is very, very good at giving reasons for the choices he makes in positioning lights etc. So far he is the best technique explainer I have found. He is a man with an eye for detail - he corrects stuff that Polin and Granger do not even realise is bad technique - I have come to realise they are not advanced enough photographically to note flaws that are glaring to a skilled technician and artist. As I learned more myself, I realised just how poor they are as photographers. Platt is in a different league altogether.
 
Forgot to say, also look up "B and H photo" on YouTube, loads of tutorials by well known photographers. Excellent resource.
 
Trouble with YouTube is it's more about likes and subscriptions so the Matt Granger & Jared Polin's tend to be more characters so you feel entertained rather than educated. Saying that I do have both on subscriptions but tend to pick and choose what they offer.

If you want to learn I'd have a flick through Adorama and B&H Photo, Both are shops in the states so tend to be a lot of videos on 'stuff/gear' or sponsored and Adorama tend to lean to the more basics but B&H have some great guest speakers and they tend to record the 1-2 day seminar/talks that guest photographers take at their NY shops.
 
What do you think of Mike Browne? I am considering buying one of his photography course.
 
Phlearn is pretty good for for photoshop and lightroom tutorials.

I tend to like anything with Zack Arias because he's a nice guy who says it how it is. I also really like Chase Jarvis, Joe McNally, Scott Kelby, David Hobby and Karl Taylor.

If you're serious about videos/education, you might want to look at Creative Live, Lynda or Kelby Training.
 
fabphoto said:
What do you think of Mike Browne? I am considering buying one of his photography course.
Click to expand...
I saw a YouTube video by this guy (Mike Brown) called "Don't zoom - MOVE! Focal Length Explained" in which he claims that your perspective doesn't change when you change your viewpoint.
Anyone who puts out stuff like that under the guise of a tutorial clearly hasn't a clue what they are talking about.

It's made me very wary of anything I see posted on YouTube under the guise of a tutorial, unless I know the credentials of the author.
On the basis of that "tutorial" I'd keep well away from him.
 
Last edited:
Thanks everyone for all the suggestions (y) Ive already got phlearn on subscription and I have a Scott kelby PSE9 book so will check him out but will be checking out all the others too. I also have lancarta subscribed.
 
I took Matt Granger and Jared Polin to a certain point and then after Jared started fighting online with his buddy about selling merch I just stopped watching, and shortly after Granger started his nude shoots book I felt it had run it's course. Most of the others just use the free vids to lure you into buying dvd's. I like Phlearn for the photoshop stuff and bought some pro vids, but the free stuff he does is actually good enough. Watch enough of them and you build it up.

Haven't found much else very interesting but echo that some of the B&H videos are worth a watch.
 
UaeExile said:
Phlearn is pretty good for for photoshop and lightroom tutorials.

I tend to like anything with Zack Arias because he's a nice guy who says it how it is. I also really like Chase Jarvis, Joe McNally, Scott Kelby, David Hobby and Karl Taylor.

If you're serious about videos/education, you might want to look at Creative Live, Lynda or Kelby Training.
Click to expand...
Another vote for Phlearn.
I also like the Adobe tutorials by Julieanne Kost
 
I want to like Tony Northrop but his wife ruins the vids for me. Especially in the newer videos. Alex Koloskov is probably one of the best product shooters I've ever seen. Karl Taylor is quite good too but i get the impression he doesn't really like having to do the videos buts advertising that comes free.
 
I watch Matt Granger & Jared Fro. I like the formats although I can honestly say that apart from learning to sniff equipment before buying, Jared has taught me nothing much.
Adorama, Snap factory. PHlearn & Gavin heuy also have some very technical lists but are long and heavy. For Lightroom there's a mad Frenchman called Serge Ramelli you will talk you through LR (if you like highly saturated images).

There is always DigitalRev with the very dry Kai
 
Peter69 said:
I watch Matt Granger & Jared Fro. I like the formats although I can honestly say that apart from learning to sniff equipment before buying, Jared has taught me nothing much.
Adorama, Snap factory. PHlearn & Gavin heuy also have some very technical lists but are long and heavy. For Lightroom there's a mad Frenchman called Serge Ramelli you will talk you through LR (if you like highly saturated images).

There is always DigitalRev with the very dry Kai
Click to expand...

Gaha gota love serge. Take a pretty average shot and PP it till it looks good.... then overcook it
 
If you want a laugh, 'smokingstrobes'.... you couldn't make the accent/voice up if you tried.....
 
My own personal favourites are (this could turn into a long list) on YouTube; B&H, Adorama, the slanted lens, snap factory, photovideoEDU programme.

If you want to pay for great education then look no further than KelbyOne the worlds best photography and post processing tutors all under one roof but you have to pay $250 for a years subscription.

Some of the names that have already been mentioned are good.
The Fro is certainly marmite, I like him but know plenty of people that don't.
I don't like DigitalRev but know a lot of people that like him.
Gavin Hoey is very good and not as awkward in the flesh as he sometimes comes across on camera.
Mike Brown is good, full of useful tips and easy to understand.
Mark Wallace good speaker easy to understand and has a big library of videos on using flash and strobes.
Frank Doorhof will blow your mind at his results
Jerry Ghionis ozzy with a good sense of humour and a genius with a camera a must watch for everyone.
Robert (Bob) Harrington this man teaches flash photography so simply and a really easy to understand. I have started shooting portraits since watching his videos as they gave me that eureka moment!!
 
I used to like Matt Granger as when I first came across his channel on YouTube he had models of all ages and sexes. To me that was great, as so many demonstraters take the ultra easy path of photographing a young, flawless girl - which is almost no challenge and teaches the viewer almost nothing about how to cope with variety. Sadly as he got more popular he just took the easy route like everyone else so his videos became reduced to a couple of middle aged tubby guys eyeing up young girls (he has an 'assistant' now). I was really sad he caved and took the easy route instead of being original and yes, he does now come across as creepy in a way he did not in earlier videos. I have stopped watching his stuff due to the directions he has chosen to go in.

The new book he is pushing makes him seem increasingly tasteless and distasteful (naked people in front of world landmarks). I thought the first book which apparently was photos of naked people in their own homes had more of an artistic or social base so it seemed OK and possibly interesting (I have not seen a copy myself), but naked people in front of landmarks just seems desperate, tacky and just an outdoors version of page 3.
 
Matt Grangers content for me has gone downhill since the channel and he got so popular. He also put up a fair number of frankly oof and crappy images which doesn't help. Fro just gives me the creeps and speaks so much drivel, Google his pre-Fro days...

Some great channels listed above and especially B&H, Mark Wallace, Gavin Hoey, Phlearn, Tim Grey, Frank Doorhof, Jerry Ghionis, Serge Ramelli, Zack Arias, Strobist etc.

I also like Joe Brady and Tony Corbell. It's Bowens and Sekonic centric but still lots of really good content.
 
wezza13 said:
( re: Mike Brown) He's very entertaining and certainly knows his stuff, without wanting to get too involved in the technical aspects of it all.
Click to expand...
I'd strongly dispute that.
As I said in my previous post, I saw a "tutorial" of his on YouTube called "Don't zoom - MOVE! Focal Length Explained" which revealed he has no understanding of viewpoint and perspective.
He is adamant in the video that change in perspective is due to change in focal length, and not because of a different viewpoint.
I entered into a debate with him on YouTube feedback, but it's clear to me he has no understanding of the basic principle of perspective.
On that basis, I'd be highly suspicious of his other opinions.

That's the trouble with YouTube, any fool can set them self up as being an "expert" without any qualifications, and many do.
 
Thanks guys for even more recommendations. I have subscribbed to a lot already and will take a look at the new suggestions.

I still like Granger but I thought it would be good to check out advice from other toggers on YouTube. Thing is I didn't know where to start and who was worth watching any who was just winging it, so thanks all :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top