Idealist For those who want to make a positive impact in the world but aren’t sure where to start, this Web site is just the place. Promoting “action without borders,” Idealist.org lists more than 58,000 nonprofit and community organizations worldwide that focus on the arts, environmental protection, human rights, education, animal welfare, women’s issues, and more. Visitors can search for a volunteer opportunity, internship, job, or local events, and can connect with people around the world who share their interests. Visit the site’s Image Gallery to peruse photos of both individual members and volunteer groups, complete with descriptions, personal statements, and e-mail links.  

Light Work, Syracuse NY Light Work supports photo and digital imaging artists by mounting exhibitions in Syracuse University’s Robert B. Menschel Media Center. Donations from the diverse talents of their Artists-in-Residence program continues to build its permanent collection. The Syracuse-based organization also offers lectures and classes, and publishes Contact Sheet, a graceful monograph series. 

Marketing Photos Marketing consultant, author and educator Mary Virginia Swanson uses her blog space to assemble and disseminate valuable and current information about photographers, photography, and the art market. The daily, annotated posts cover a wide range of photo-related information and events, and testify to Swanson’s experience and understanding of ways of the photography world. Among the useful features of this superbly organized site are the clearly identified categories of information, such as Approaching Deadline, Approaching Events, Funding for the Arts, and Swanson’s own picks MVS’s Musts. 

Photo District News Online An indispensable resource, PDN Online’s comprehensive site literally covers the “waterfront” of information relevant to photographers. Its front page is dedicated to extensive photo news coverage, product reviews and features, but there are also links of several PDN initiatives and alliances- each a distinct and valuable source in its own right. PDNedu is a support system for emerging photographers, offering news, photo critique forums, features, contests, portfolios galleries and examples of photo-essays from students around the country. PhotoServe is a “visual database of the world’s best photographers,” a sort of society page that keeps track of assignments, exhibitions and awards of establish photographers. The site includes a monthly portfolio gallery that comes complete with a search engine for its archives. PhotoSource is PDN’s all-in-one professional photography directory, full of national and international industry resources. There is also a link to IPN, the Independent Photography Network, an organization that provides stock photography from independent photographers and small agency reps. PDN shows its support of photographers of all types through its generous gallery space. Here you find all levels of photographers and photojournalists- established, emerging, or even “legendary”. Online only features as well as in-depth reporting for subscribers. 

Photographic Center Northwest – Darkroom rental Based in Seattle, Photographic Center focuses on education and promotion of fine art photography through a wide variety of activities. Along with public programs and offerings, the Center also opens its darkrooms (both black & white and color) as well as its digital lab to the public. Equipment and rates are described on the facilities rental page. The Center’s other undertakings include its non-profit gallery, which shows emerging and mid-career artists and is also a forum for juried public exhibitions. Meanwhile, the Center’s school offers a credited fine art photography certificate program, intensive 10-week courses, workshops, member and youth programs, and lectures. Its site includes a list of reviewed links, useful for Northwestern photographers.  

Sixth Street Photography Workshop – Darkroom Rental For years now, the disenfranchised denizens of San Francisco’s downtown streets have had access to artistic self-expression thanks to the Sixth Street Photography Workshop. The non-profit set up shop in one of the city’s more notorious sectors in 1991, offering street people and other marginalized groups the opportunity to express themselves through photography. Sixth Street funds its free community photo and developing workshops in part through the rental of its modern darkroom facilities to paying members. Intermediate and advanced photographers are invited to become members and to enjoy unlimited access (during business hours) to the fully equipped darkrooms, all the while providing quiet support for their fellow artists. 

Toronto Image Works – Darkroom Rental To mix digital and photographic business with digital and photographic education is certainly unusual, but this Toronto-based company seems to manage both tasks very well. From its converted factory space, the institute offers customers processing, printing and framing services while providing students with options from evening continuing education classes to the full out one year intensive program of “Photoschool.” There’s even room for those in between: TIW’s darkrooms for those who just want to develop and print pictures.  

Women's Studio Workshop Specializing in photography, printmaking, hand papermaking, ceramics, letterpress printing, and book arts, the Women's Studio Workshop invites artists participate in a variety of programs including a studio residency designed to support the creation of a new body of work. The six to eight week residency comes with generous stipends and unlimited studio time, backed-up by technical assistance from WSW staff.