David over at Strobist.com makes a passionate argument for pro photographers using their down time in this economy to work for free. He believes it gives him the kind of total creative control he’d forgotten about when trying to shoot for a living, and says that it often leads to paid gigs. Lots of pro photographers on his blog both agreed and disagreed, leading to a very lively discussion. Check it out…

Jodie Coston, a freelance photographer who has won numerous international awards for her images and makes her living selling photography online, has an online photography course sponsored by the morguefile.com. This course is free and open to the public. Lots of excellent examples, and she covers both the theory and the practical application of professional photographic techniques.

If you have mastered all these techniques, you may be ready to start selling photography online too.

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Lesson 1: Composition And Impact – It’s A Beautiful Photograph, But Do You Know WHY It’s Beautiful?

Lesson 2: Aperture And Shutter Speed – How They Work Together.

Lesson 3: The lens – choosing camera optics.

Lesson 4: ISO, Grain, Transparency vs. Negative, Specialty Films

Lesson 5: Fun Effects – Camera Filters, Soft Focus, Zooming And Panning

Lesson 6: Landscape, Nature and Travel Photography

Lesson 7: Portraits And Studio Lighting

Lesson 8: Studio Lighting – Still Life and Product Photography

Lesson 9: Tying It All Together

Lesson 10: Special Requests

In this inspiring TED video, David Griffin, the photo director for National Geographic, reminds us again how photography connects us to our world. David talks about how we can use photos to tell stories. His message is especially important to any photographer who offers albums or photo books to their clients.

With all the bad news this past week, spending 15 minutes recharging your batteries with great photography may be the best investment you can make.

Eventually every professional photographer considers selling his or her work as fine art. I don’t blame them. I have seen prints in my customer’s studios that I would gladly display in the lab, or even in my home. And today the Internet makes it easy to sell fine art online.

However, selling online is the last step in the process. Think of any famous artist: they developed a unique style, created an exciting and desirable “body of work” (an art term), and presented it to influential buyers. The same rules apply to fine art prints.

To build your body of work, I believe you should start by making a commitment to yourself to become a Master Photographer. Becoming a Master is not about the title or the ribbons — it is about honing your craft as an artist. The skills you learn will both improve your fine art prints, and make your photography more valuable to your business.

Once you have a body of work, you need to show it to buyers. According to Nancy Markoe, faculty lecturer at the Art Business Institute, the only way is to exhibit at retail art shows and galleries. Although difficult and time-consuming, talking directly to buyers will teach you which colors and themes are desirable, and how much people will pay for your prints. One of the most exciting jobs at our lab is to make fine art prints for a photographer’s first competition or show.

While the Internet made it easy to put your photography in front of thousands of customers, the same old rules still apply: it takes years of work and effort to become a successful (and profitable) artist.