Some Cool Links for Photography Addicts

Another fabulous week in the world of photography passes us by, and Toad Hollow Photography has been busy compiling this weeks list of tutorials, photography and interesting blogs to share with everyone.  This comprehensive list contains some truly wonderful works by some talented artists and photographers, and the Toad hopes you enjoy checking these out as much as he did in bringing them to you.

Check out the Toad’s photo blog and extensive gallery of 1750+ images on their Canadian Landscape Photography site.

TUTORIALS

Quick Tip: Auto Align Layers – a brief but absolutely useful article on aligning frames in Photoshop, particularly invaluable for HDR processing techniques.

Pregnant Photography Ideas and Tips – this is a great tutorial that truly delivers some fabulous tip and tricks to performing this style of photography.  Absolutely well worth the time to visit and read.

Working With Problem Exposures In Adobe Camera Raw – a brief but highly informative tutorial piece discussing how to work with problem exposures in post-processing.

How to Shoot Product Photography – Part 1 – this is the first part of a two part series that describes in great detail how to go about performing this style of image creation.  A comprehensive piece, complete with a shot of a setup to really help the reader fully take in the lesson that is shared.

Black & White Photography Must Know’s – a great series of tips and tricks on how to go about doing great black and white photography by Edin Chavez.  Well worth the time to visit and read, this is a really great post.

GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY

Creepy Shack – a creepy shack sits nestled amongst a grove of trees, providing the perfect subject for Scott Hovind to photograph.  Exquisitely processed in black and white, this picture really delivers all the drama that the scene held, resulting in a truly wonderful image to view.

Winter Sunset – New Mexico – Helene Kobelnyk captures and shares a truly gorgeous image of a colorful sunset.  Fabulous tones and colors couple with the great details in the landscape to deliver a truly stunning image.

Strolling in LoDo – wonderful tones, colors and details await the viewer in this great image taken in downtown Denver, Colorado.  Jim Nix does another wonderful job of capturing an iconic building complete with really great architecture; truly a picture well worth the time to visit and view.

Mesa Sunrise – breathtaking is the first word that leaps to mind with this fabulous shot!  Rick at Hansrico Photography captures a shot of sunrise at Canyonlands National Park, using the Mesa Arch as a frame to deliver a truly stunning photograph.

Stained Glass Atrium – the most incredible details and colors are evident in this iconic shot of an exhibit in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  Jimi Jones carefully composes and delivers an image full of elements of interest, sure to keep the viewer engaged as the eye takes the scene in.

Coconut Glen – Parked for Good – a great story as delivered both in a stunning photograph, and the accompanying blog post.  Erik Kerstenbeck captures an absolutely engaging shot here with this chopper that has seen better days, delivering a compelling post to visit and enjoy.

Flying the Misty Fjords – incredible landscapes abound in Alaska, and Len Saltiel is here to capture this wonderful photograph.  Accented by a truly wonderful float-plane as it takes off, this shot is absolutely guaranteed to mesmerize everyone, well worth the time to visit.

Silver Tongue – a wonderfully composed landscape photograph of a swift moving stream forms the subject of a great image in this post by Curt Fleenor.  Lovely details coupled with fast moving water converge in this photo, creating something absolutely compelling to take in and enjoy.

Cat Cheek – great macro studies can produce striking results, and this post by Ehpem showcases one such image.  In this case, the great details to be found are from the cheek of a beautiful cat as She shares a brief glimpse of her fur with everyone.

Bagel Time! – an iconic shot of Montreal and one of it’s bagel shops forms the subject for Edith Levy.  Great details and tones are all evident in this compelling shot, taken in Mrs. Toads hometown nonetheless!  A wonderful photo, well worth the time to visit.

Missing – a melancholy feeling rushes over me as I take this compelling photo and story in, straight from the studio of Jim Denham.  The demise and disappearance of many local historic icons continues in the modern world, and Jim is here with his camera at the ready to capture one last look at this abandoned drive-in.

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Homeless guy in Utrecht[/url] by Pim Geerts, on Flickr

Running Horse – a truly, truly stunning photograph from the studio of Helene Kobelnyk showcases a picture-perfect composition of a gorgeous horse as it runs through the snow.  Delicate processing brings the viewers eye right to the horse, producing a work of fine art that is guaranteed to delight and amaze everyone.

Linen – a wonderful and mesmerizing shot by Bob Lussier shares with us a snapshot of history.  This old book and the facility it’s housed in has been the subject of Bob’s work several times before, and this stunning photograph really brings the character of the recipe book to life for us all to enjoy.

Stilt Family – a wonderful wildlife photo of a bird family, as captured by Jay Taylor.  The fabulous details in this shot become utterly compelling as the viewer takes the image in, producing a wonderful photograph.

A Moment of Clarity – CJ Schmit consistently delivers absolutely profound and compelling photographs, in this case we have a black and white shot taken from the shores of Lake Michigan.  This architectural study is perfectly composed, sharing a view of several key buildings visible from this vantage.  His accompanying blog post is absolutely profound, too, delivering a message that is timely and that is sure to inspire everyone who pops by for a visit.

Pathways – in this incredible photograph from the studio of Helene Kobelnyk, an incredible grove of trees produces a canopy for the landscape shot, highlighting great natural leading lines in a roadway.  This compelling photograph is a true delight to view, and has some fabulous lighting and shadows at work to deliver something extraordinary.

Antarctica: That’s a Wrap! – a breathtaking shot of the Antarctica by David duChemin delivers a majestic beauty that few get to see in person.  David captures and shares a truly unique and absolutely gorgeous image, well worth the time to visit and take in.

Amazing Photographs of Wrapped Trees – one of the things I love most about photography is how artists are allowed and encouraged to share their visions of the greater world we all live within.  In this set, Zander Olsen shares such a unique and interesting set of images taken with a different eye and perspective, they are sure to amaze everyone.

Lake Martin Egret – this shot is guaranteed to amaze and mesmerize all who view it.  The wistful and magical surroundings create the perfect platform for a lone Egret to sit and pose as the sun rises.  This is a truly breathtaking image, one that will leave an indelible mark on everyone.

The Art and the Life – in this post we see a truly incredible landscape photograph, punctuated by a wonderful and inspiring blog post.  Great details and colors bound right out of the monitor at the viewer in this jaw-droppingly awesome shot straight from the studio of Guy Tal.

Khalifa Sunset – great architectural photography is absolutely mesmerizing to me, especially when done well.  In this incredible photograph by David Nightingale we get all the key elements, including exquisite lines and colors, that are the core elements of this genre.

Beer Label Friday Week 49 – absolutely entertaining in every sense, Chris Nitz delivers a fresh Beer Label Friday post.  Chris shares his photography with a dash of humor, and when this is brought together into a complete package, we have a post that is guaranteed to amuse and entertain.

Falls Branch Falls – a majestic and fast moving waterfall comes into focus for the lens of Jerry Denham.  This truly stunning photo is perfectly composed, delivering all the beauty and power of the scene as it unfolds.

Coming back to IR Photography – I love the mysterious feel that IR photography can produce, in some cases coming close to capturing scenes from another planet entirely.  Scott Wood acquires a new camera that is properly converted for IR use, and shares this image.  Great composition with fabulous tones that are so typical in IR, this is a wonderful shot and I am looking forward to much more.

Dawn from the MOUNT WHITNEY – a gorgeous, gorgeous sunrise forms the perfect subject for the masterful photography of Adam Allegro.  Incredible colors and details begin to emerge in this awesome shot as the viewer spends time taking it in; an image well worth the time to visit and view.

Playing in the middle of the night with teddy bears – a fabulous series to take in and enjoy, albeit slightly dark in nature.  Our very own @astaroth here on Light Stalking shares a new and perhaps even a little macabre look into the world as he sees it.  Fabulous images leave the viewer with more questions left unanswered, yet strangely satisfied.

Inside Out – stark, moody and full of rich character, this shot of an abandoned building really brings all the drama of the scene to life for everyone to enjoy.  Steve Beal continues to delight and amaze the viewer with his unique and wonderful photography, and this is a wonderful example of such.

Abstract Espressonism – a novel subject by Terry Border creates a truly mesmerizing image to take in and enjoy.  Terry’s totally unique perspective on art is captured and shared in this great image, producing a piece full of character and interest.

Motorcycle Drops – another fabulous study in macro photography from my local photographic friend.  In this series, he captures and shares a truly incredible set of images of a motorcycle cover that is sprinkled with the after-effects of the rains that we get so frequently here on the island.  Fabulous colors and details merge in this blog post, producing a work that is full of detail and interest for everyone to enjoy.

Flow – great long exposure techniques can produce the most striking results.  In this post, Steve Beal captures a running stream with a wonderful old mill bridge in the background.  This is an absolutely stunning image, well worth the time to visit and view.

Christmas Moon – a beautiful Christmas scene complete with an old historic toy workshop and the most alluring moon I have ever seen.  Great composition and details quickly emerge in this shot, producing a striking and mesmerizing image; perfect timing for the season!

Golden – natures abstract canvas produces the perfect subject for Jason Hines in this iconic image.  Natural lines produces a perfect leading edge for the viewer to follow as you take in all the wonderful elements in this truly dramatic and compelling scene.

The Open Range – a masterfully produced black and white image taken in Utah produces a striking image, one sure to delight and amaze everyone.  The natural drama produced in the processing delivers a picture that has a distinct historic and nostalgic feel to it; this is truly a stunning image to take in.

Business As Usual – a truly awesome series of images taken in the ghost-town of Tombstone, AZ.  The accompanying blog post to the set of images really bring alive the entire set for everyone, and is finished off by a small series of images of a truly old hearse.  Well worth the time to visit, the series is rich in details and textures.

Hoar Frost – the magic and mystery of Hoar Frost is captured and shared by the masterful photography of LenScaper.  This great set features all the details that make up the delicate textures that produce such striking imagery.

Renovations – an old historic building is in process of being renovated, and Steven Perlmutter is ready to capture this fabulous image.  Natural lighting can produce the most striking results, especially when it generates powerful shadows.  This image is a great example of this, the truly incredible lighting and shadows in this shot serve to add further drama to the scene in front of Steven.

The Orange Moon – a bright, vibrant moon poses for Mike Olbinski in this fabulous shot of the full moon as it neared it’s lunar eclipse cycle.  Great colors emerge in this shot, and are accented by the silhouette of the trees in Mike’s composition of this instant classic.

Cheetah Stare Down, Namibia – this incredible and dramatic wildlife image as captured by Mark Paulson delivers an image that could make your blood run ice cold.  Especially if encountered in real-life, in it’s natural habitat.  Great details in the eyes of this powerful creature accent the strong and dramatic sense one gets from viewing it.

The Doors – a wonderful study of architectural elements, specifically doors, is presented in this stunning black and white photograph.  Rich Helmer delivers a truly dramatic image, full of drama and interest, as we take in this historic doorway.

Open Wide! – a stunning photograph of a hippopotamus that looks about ready to eat anything that comes close!  Great composition and details all are masterfully captured in this shot, delivering an image that is truly best seen in a photograph.

Wilson Carbide Ruins – an iconic study of an abandoned building in very poor condition, further accented with black and white processing techniques, delivers a compelling image.  Sean McConnery captures and shares a wonderful photograph, full of character and interest.

They Dance by the Light of the Moon – Bev captures and produces some of the most incredible wildlife photography I have ever seen, and in this great photograph we enjoy a pair of owls as they sit and relax.  Perfect composition in punctuated by the wonderful facial expressions these owls share with us, producing a great picture.

Cave Lake – a truly popular image this week on 500px by Nathan Dunn captures a night scene of a serene lake.  The stars produce a dash of light into the scene, creating the most jaw-droppingly awesome reflection in the lake; a picture well worth the time to visit and see.

Tokyo City – a bright, vibrant and detailed shot of Tokyo City at night awaits the viewer in this breathtaking image.  Details quickly begin to emerge for those who spend time taking this photo in, and are combined with some of the most beautiful lights and colors a city could possibly share.  Guaranteed to take your breath away, this is truly a must-see shot for this week.

White-throated Sparrow – Outside My Window – truly exquisite depth of focus is utilized in this image to bring our little feathered friend to life for us all to enjoy.  Kerri Farley masterfully composes and captures an image of this delicate bird in it’s natural environs, producing a piece that is truly wonderful.

Sea Smoke – Jon Rendell captures and shares a truly stunning image that is almost surreal in nature.  A gentle fog sits on a body of water that is accented by fabulous colors and tones, producing a captivating piece.

Dead Calm – a dramatic and moody piece from the studio of Jerry Denham shares a view of a fog enshrouded body of water.  Fabulous reflections in the still waters of the trees that sit on the shore further add much interest in this wonderfully composed image.

Against The Sky – a stunning tree poses as the main subject in this snow filled scene as captured by Jason Hines.  A strong composition showcases the power of the tree in imagery as the surrounding snow creates a sense of serenity, peace and beauty.

Look At Me – a trio of really expressive photos delivers a poetic message in this post by Stéfan.  Poignant and profound, the entry shared here leaves the viewer with a glimpse into the underlying human condition.

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First light[/url] by StephEvaPhoto, on Flickr

Thinking About Summer – black and white processing in this image really adds a touch of drama and nostalgia to the scene, as captured by Steve Beal.  A true throwback to a time now long past, when summers were filled with camp and lake activities, this photograph really shares a special scene that is sure to bring many of us back a few years to reminisce.

Monochromes – a series of truly epic black and white photos by Phillip Colla.  These truly incredible landscape photos are absolutely full of drama and interest, well worth the time to visit and view.

Blue Sands – a surreal and absolutely breathtaking landscape photo with jaw-droppingly awesome colors, hues and tones.  This image as posted by Michael Murphy is guaranteed to delight and truly amaze everyone who visits and views.

A Dahlia Adorned – a truly beautiful photo of a butterfly delicately perched atop a flower.  Nature photographer Bev captures and shares an image rich in details and colors, a true gem to behold.

Dragonfly – A Moment In Time – Kerri Farley does the impossible and captures a photograph of a dragonfly mid-flight.  Fabulous details in the image bring this wonderful little creature to life for everyone to enjoy.

Day 341 December 8th – a stunning photograph of a flower done in HDR by Helene Kobelnyk brings all the details and textures out of the scene.  This gorgeous flower is masterfully composed, creating a stunning image, well worth the time to visit and view.

White Hall – a jaw-dropping series of images taken in an abandoned hall delivers a set of photographs chock full of fabulous textures to enjoy.  This is a large and comprehensive series, sure to engage the viewer for an extended time as you go through each frame and take in all the drama and interest.

Blue Hour at Christmastime – isn’t Christmas fabulous?  One of my favorite parts to this time of year is the lights and decorations.  In this gorgeous photo, we see a wonderfully decorated tree at The Greenbrier Resort; definitely something you’d expect to see on the front of a Christmas card!

Connections of the Heart – a heartfelt and emotional piece by Helene Kobelnyk takes us on a journey to a time now past.  The incredible photograph of a collection of letters to and from her mother while she was away at school as a young girl combine with incredible writing to create this fabulous post, one that is most certainly well worth the time to visit and read.

Fall Road into Color – incredible colors await the viewer in this autumn photograph.  Mark Paulson captures and shares this gorgeous image composed perfectly using a road as a leading line, and punctuated rather nicely with a bright blast of sunshine.

Hollow hallways – this is a truly incredible photograph, full of great details and textures to enjoy.  Jim Nix masterfully composes and captured this shot taken in Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, PA, producing a piece that is truly compelling and captivating.

Jadyn – A Desert Portrait Shoot – this beautiful little girl creates the perfect subject for a photo shoot by Shane Lund.  In this session, Shane tries to keep up with the wee one as she runs about having a blast, and Shane is ready with his camera to capture the action, producing a great series.

Looking Up, Looking Down – Jimi Jones delivers a double shot in this great post, sharing a wonderful architectural study and a cityscape photograph in one post.  These wonderful images are top drawer, and well worth the time to visit and view.

Welcome To My Town – a truly wonderful portrait photograph, straight from the studio of Barbara Youngleson.  Fabulous details in the face of the man in this shot really tell a story, producing a piece that is a true delight to view.

Sailors Take Warning – the most incredible colors are captured in this stunning sunrise photograph by Anne McKinnell.  This breathtaking image is one of the most beautiful sunrise images I have ever seen, with colors that are captivating beyond words.

It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like… – as Christmas approaches once again, we find ourselves captivated and entranced by gorgeous shots of Christmas settings.  In this incredible photograph by Edith Levy, we get a peek into a mall and Edith captures a wonderful shot that is so very worthy of being on the front of any Christmas card.

Overlooking the Snowy Bright Angel Trail – Kristi Hines braves some frosty conditions to capture this wonderful shot taken of the Grand Canyon.  This landscape image appears to go on forever, and the beautiful majesty of the location is captured exquisitely for everyone to take in and enjoy.

Outside In – incredible juxtaposition can be found in this great image by Steven Perlmutter.  A state park forms the subject matter, and in this fabulous composition Steven captures the dichotomy in the park of Mother Nature and all her glory in contrast with some industrial elements to add a heft dose of drama.

The City by the Sea – this series of images taken on the Amalfi Coast city of Vietri is really a captivating set.  Adam Allegro shares a gorgeous view of this world famous location, presenting a glimpse into a historic and culturally significant place.

White Hall – More White Hall – a pair of posts that shares a view into an abandoned facility.  These compelling shots feature fabulous details and textures to enjoy as captured by Abby Elliott.

Liquid Snail from splash garden – master photographer Alex Koloskov shares another absolutely stunning image as shot in his studio.  Alex is the master of product and splash photography, and in this incredible image we find a liquid splash that creates the form of a snail.  Words cannot do this justice, it’s one of those things you just have to see!

City Scapes – a wonderful street lamp is exquisitely framed in this iconic shot from the studio of Mike Victorino.  The unique composition and framing Mike employed in taking this image really help to create a truly fabulous picture.

Broken – a dramatic image as shared by Jason Hines showcases an old classic car as left to die in the desert.  Awesome details and textures are all there to engage the viewer, who is rewarded the longer they spend taking the picture in.

O, Canada – this iconic shot of the Vancouver harbor was taken from a cruise ship as it set to dock.  Len Saltiel captures a wonderful shot of this facility, with a backdrop of the city and some of it’s breathtaking architecture.

Has anyone seen our Pheasant? – a small set of great images of a Pheasant awaits the viewer in this great post by Len.  We, too, have a group of Pheasants that lives near us and visits every day, and we can totally related to the question that is posed in this great blog post.

Viburnum December – a fabulous macro study of a colorful Viburnum bush is posted in this great blog entry from a local photographer who I enjoy following very much.  Fabulous colors and details are all exquisitely captured in this series, producing a post that is a true joy to view and take in.

Around The Corner – Steve Beal captures and shares a great image of an abandoned school hallway.  A picture perfect composition really introduces a ton of drama and interest to the scene, producing a strong and compelling piece that is well worth the time to visit and view.

Casa Norma – this black and white image is absolutely full of compelling drama to enjoy.  The light and surrounding brickwork is full of character and interest, and is masterfully captured and shared by the talented Aaron Barlow.

The Window – a study in abstract minimalism is presented in this post of a photograph of a window.  Wonderful textures and details are all captured in this picture, producing a compelling piece.

Lake Louise – Jacob Lucas shares a truly breathtaking landscape photo of this iconic lake in the Jasper/Banff area of Canada.  This incredible photograph captures a glimpse of the beauty that is so treasured by many.  A must-see image for this week, to say the very least.

Other side of the river – a pair of vibrant and detailed cityscapes are the subjects of this great post by Dave DiCello.  Dramatic and commanding architecture punctuates this set of images, producing a very compelling set of visuals for everyone to enjoy.

Lore – a stunning frozen action scene of a motocross cyclist as he kicks up a pretty massive cloud of dust.  This image has a ton of views and we believe that Mauricio Ramos has really captured something unique and special, well worth the time to visit and view.

INTERESTING BLOGS

13 Places Every Landscape Photographer Should See Before They Die – a truly great and comprehensive list of some of the most fabulous places to perform landscape photography, as written by Scott Bourne.

Timescapes Will Blow Your Mind – stunning, absolutely stunning.  A great video time-lapse showcasing some truly incredible photography in an exciting way.

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Klasse_W_Tokyo_20111206_24[/url] by Jun Takeuchi, on Flickr

Cameras through time – a fabulous photographic project using cameras as a subject brings to life many generations of cameras for everyone to enjoy.  Great details and compositions merge with the use of these awesome subjects, producing a series that is sure to take us all down memory lane.

That’s Not What I Had in my Head: Finding a Style – this is a wonderful message to hear, truly inspirational.  I have read and seen this exact message many times as we strive to find our style, and I believe in this message more today than I have ever before.

100 Most Influential Photographers Of All Time – a must see list containing the most comprehensive listing of the most important and influential photographers.  Many of those listed have links to their online work, producing a post that is guaranteed to keep the photography fan engaged for quite the extended period of time.

Best Reuters Pictures of 2011 – a compilation of truly incredible photographs taken by Reuters photographers for the year of 2011.  This is the first part of a running series.  There are some truly incredible images in this collection, well worth the time to visit and view.

Being a Professional Photographer is Easier Than You Think! – a truly hysterical series of videos, all tongue-in-cheek, that describes in wonderful detail “how to be a professional photographer”.  Prepare to laugh, this is some pretty funny material.

Firefly Beauty Box lighting attachment review – a great review by Doug Pruden on this lighting accessory really gives the reader a pretty good look at the “under the hood” details.  Now I know what I want for Christmas!