The emergence of net-based photographic communities has been a great boost to my interest in photography. Photoblogs is a great way of finding photographic talent; equipment-oriented blogs and fora are helpful for understanding cameras, lenses, films, chemistry. Pre-net times meant the local photoclub and the local photo store and not much more
Something is missing, though: materiality. Looking at pictures at a computer screen is not the same as looking at a real print with its details and tonality. That becomes apparent when I buy well-printed photobooks and visit photo galleries.
Blake Andrews has started a print swap chain. I think this is a great idea.
Yet another reason to make something out of my plans for starting doing prints again.