Don’t Miss These Photography Links Before 2016 Ends

A Bunch of Awesome Photography Links to Round Off the Year Quite Nicely –
Merry Christmas too!

Another terrific week passes us by in the world of photography as we find Toad Hollow Photography looking in all corners of the internet for links to tutorials, reviews, special features and great photography to share here with everyone.

This weeks compendium features a very wide variety of topics in the form of photographs and articles, all created by some of the best people working in the field today.  We really hope you enjoy checking out these links as much as the Toad did himself in bringing this list to you.

PHOTOGRAPHY TUTORIALS

Impress Your Client With These 6 Product Photography Tips And Tricks – frequently in life it is the simplest concepts that provide the biggest bang, as shown in this terrific article posted right here on Light Stalking that discusses some simple tips and tricks for product photography.

Editing Trick: How to Perfectly Align Anything in Photoshop – anyone who has ever done in-depth editing in Photoshop knows that there is an endless list of things you can do with this powerful tool.  Alignment can be a very tricky thing to do when working with layers, and in this brief video tutorial Scott Kelby shows us an awesome trick to make it perfect every time.

How to Clean Up Seamless Backdrops Using Photoshop – this brief tutorial covers a challenge that many will encounter while shooting in a studio environment with a backdrop.  This great tutorial takes you through the steps of one method that can be applied to fix these problems in a very easy to follow manner.

4 Tips to help you tell a story with your work – video is quickly becoming a dominant media source in terms of online publication and storytelling and this brief primer, which includes a great video segment, covers some of the key aspects of creating great features.  Samples are included with the topics on this piece, giving you great visual feedback on how it all ties together.

Shooting Parties: How to Use Your On Camera Flash – this terrific primer covers all the bases when it comes to using a flash in a fast-paced party environment.  Even though it is a short read in terms of word count, the tips and tricks shared in here are spot-on and are sure to help you get the best shots you possibly can in this environment.

A Simple, Consistent, Dramatic One-Light Portrait Setup – sometimes simpler is better, especially when the concept is applied in a methodical way.  This quick video tutorial takes us through a single light setup for portraits that produces dramatic and consistent results.

REVIEWS

This battery powered strobe lets you shoot up to 1/8000th of a second without losing power – shooting with powerful strobes in outdoor settings in the bright light of day presents many technical challenges.  This review covers a new brand of light that seems to address these problems.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Start a Photography Business: The 2016 ‘How To’ Guide for Startup Photographers – there are so many different ways to launch a photography business, and knowing how best to traverse those waters can save you time and money, and in the long run help you achieve your goals.  This terrific primer covers some great points in this regard and is well worth the time to read for those looking to start working professionally in the field.

10 Of The Greatest Living Street Photographers In The World – for those who love street photography as a genre, you won’t want to overlook this link in this week's list.  This article showcases the work of 10 terrific street photographers who are actively working in the field today, and includes sample shots from each of them.

Faces of Fernie photographer captures 900+ photos of locals – photography projects of this nature can be very important for many of us in terms of personal and artistic growth.  This CBC article discusses the work of a photographer who is working to capture portraits of many of the residents of this small BC community, all of them coming together in the way we see a common style across the catalog.

Photos of Light, Shadows, and Lines at the BMW Headquarters – architecture can provide a countless supply of compositional opportunities, especially when the building features great lines and angles, as shown in this series of photographs captured one afternoon at BMW’s headquarters in Germany.  In this set, contrasts work in harmony with shapes and lines to create dramatic pieces that are a true joy to see for those who love this genre.

SIMPLY GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY

American Bison in Yellowstone – Scott Wood shares a breathtaking photograph in this post, featuring a lone American Bison grazing in the vast landscapes found in Yellowstone National Park.  Scott’s composition takes full advantage of the scene, capturing and delivering a nature themed shot that is full of wonderful artistic tension.

Old and Rusty – Daniel Cheong brings some of my favorite elements in the world of photography together in this great photograph that features a forgotten hull of a ship near the shoreline.  By using a long exposure to capture this shot Daniel creates a dynamic sky full of color which complements the silky waters for a touch of artistic tension.

Fog Rising – Steven Perlmutter visits Vermont in the fall where he finds an amazing fog-filled scene in a small community that features a quaint church.  The colors from the autumn leaves work flawlessly with the character-rich buildings that dot the landscape, creating an instant classic.

The Cliffs of Cap Frehel… – incredible colors in the sky come to life in this breathtaking landscape piece by Pawel Kucharski.  As you follow the cliff line along it’s natural leading line, you will find beautiful details in the dramatic cliffs that line the shores of the coast of France in this great shot.

Sun Kissed Tetons (Moulton Barn) – rich golden tones dance across the majestic Teton mountain range in the distance as we enjoy the world-famous Moulton Barn in the foreground as it sits and waits patiently for the first light of day.  Mark Garbowski captures and shares this iconic shot and shares his thoughts regarding natural light illuminating select portions of a scene.

Bald Eagle – these magnificent creatures are known for their relentless ferocity alongside their incredible spirits that make them a truly special bird.  Milan Zygmunt captures a great dynamic portrait of one of these eagles as it works the shoreline, presumably looking for food as it flays its wing upwards.

Cape Arago Light, Oregon – crashing waves in the foreground of this frame create raw drama as the viewer wanders into the picture that is waiting to reveal a classic lighthouse in the distance.  Mark Paulson’s shot uses the framing and surroundings of the composition to create a strong sense of artistic tension in revealing the man-made beacon which shows the scale of the scene as a whole.

Needle – this vertigo-inducing shot comes to us from Jennifer Bin who shares a cringing perspective of the world below, capturing the essence of the city in a pool of contemporary architecture.  Jennifer uses a highly cinematic processing technique on this shot, adding to the drama of the scene depicted.

Red Labyrinth – for the fan of shapes, lines and abstract geometrics this shot exhibits the best of these elements with a predominantly red color palette.  Alfon No’s photograph takes advantage of the repeating shapes in a building somewhere with a tight composition that highlights the key facets of the capture.

Autumns end – luscious warm tones and colors greet the viewer in this beautiful autumn themed landscape photograph from Barry Turner.  Barry uses a walking path as a leading line in this frame, gently taking the viewer into the heart of the picture where a strong feel of serenity awaits.

Eltz.. – Krzysztof Browko leads us into this frame via a stone covered bridge that creates a perfect leading line that ends at the base of a medieval castle.  Great details in the old-world architecture add to the otherworldly feel this shot exudes, accented by brooding clouds lingering overhead as a thin veil of fog covers the landscape.

Hold It Up – CJ Schmit’s black-and-white shot exposes a world of shadow and contrast, creating a dark mood and feel in the underbelly of what appears to be an abandoned industrial site.  CJ’s composition uses the structure to create a leading line, taking us through the darkness to the other side where a great vanishing point awaits.

The boat – as the sun sets across the landscape, we find a scene of an old, forgotten steel hulled boat lying stuck in the sands of the shore in this great shot from Panagiotis Laoudikos.  The real star of this shot is the rusty hull that dominates the foreground, but also in the background we find swatches of light beaming in from the late day through openings in the dramatic clouds overhead.

In A Fog – Brad Truxell’s shot was captured around the end of October, a time when ghosts and goblins dominate our imaginations.  This great photo uses the thick fog of the area to create a dark and moody feel, taking advantage of a dramatic tree that appears to come out from behind the veil of fog.

The Arrival – Daniel Cheong shares another of his epic shots of the Dubai city skyline, captured from a very high perspective overlooking the city below.  This great shot showcases the dramatic architecture of the city itself, and the thick fog that envelops the world below creates pools of color through diffusion, adding a great element.

autumn in the foothills – Frank King’s shots of the Alberta landscapes he visits are iconic in nature, and this one showcases the rugged beauty of the snow-capped mountains in the distance with a group of five horses grazing in the foreground.  A wood fence creates a line between the mountains and the horses, finishing off the composition just perfectly.

Sunset Avenue – super crisp details help to give this shot a painterly feel due to the old-world architecture found sitting on the sides of the canal of this European community.  Herman van den Berge completes the feel of this vantage with the golden hues of the natural light as the day starts to give way to night.

Rockhopper Penguins – personality doesn’t even begin to describe what you find when viewing this terrific photograph from Ron Niebrugge featuring a pair of penguins doing whatever it is that penguins do.  The crisp details we find in this portrait study adds to the overall impact of this photograph.

Above the viaduct – an old stone viaduct crosses the valley floor in this stunning shot from Daniel Casson captured from an elevation above the landscape below.  Daniel processes this shot with a cinematic feel to it, adding the wonderful drama and natural beauty of the setting.

Further Learning

Whatever you're shooting in 2017, building on your skills and knowledge of composition requires some learning.
To understand the techniques and rules, this eBook Guide – “The Advanced Composition Digital Guide” will ensure you’re giving your photography a proper boost!