A swipe file is nothing more than a repository for ideas. Whether it’s pages ripped from magazines or links to various web pages, your swipe file is your “go to ” spot for inspiration. You shouldn’t copy exactly what you’ve swiped, but use it to create your own version of that shot or photographic style.

Inspiration from Photo Mags

Articles in photo magazines are a great catalyst for you to try new camera techniques. A subscription to Pop Photo, PC Photo, Outdoor Photographer, Natures Best or any other photo magazine is well worth the small cost. When you’ve read the issue, rip out the articles that interest you and file them in manila folders. Your local library is another source for photo mags you may not see on the bookstore shelves. They frown upon people ripping up their magazines. Just make copies of what you need.

A number of magazine publishers post popular articles on their websites in PDF format. Downloading these files may save you from cutting up your own magazines. Look in the Table of Contents or Advertiser Info pages of your magazine to find their website.

Online Swiping

The Internet can be a great resource also. Digital photography websites like this one are quite prevalent. You can bookmark websites and individual articles to return to later. Printing out articles will let you access the information without having to be online. Visit the TeachMeToShoot Links Page for a list of many of these resources.

Using one of the online bookmarking services will let you access sites you’re interested in from any computer. You can get a free account at Yahoo, Google, del.icio.us, StumbleUpon, and many other sites. All your links are stored at the online service and are accessible through any computer and web browser. Also check out Google Notebook as it lets you store and categorize pages of info.

Using one or all of the methods here, your swipe file will soon be full of ideas and inspiration. You’ll find it to be a great resource for the future.