Ease Into 2017 Nice and Steady with this Roundup of Stunning Photography!

Take Some Time for Yourself and Have a Look Over this Collection of Goodies

Heading into the first week of the new year 2017 we find Toad Hollow Photography searching all over the internet for links to tutorials, special features and great photography to share here with everyone.

These posts and pictures represent some of the best work published online in the field of photography today, and we really hope you enjoy checking out this list as much as the Toad did in bringing it to you.

TUTORIALS

Contemplation. Dramatically Improving Your Photography With Reading – this terrific article is written and published right here on Light Stalking, and takes a fresh look at how you can improve your own practice and love of photography through the application of a new perspective.  This terrific post is sure to give you a broader look at how you perceive your own surroundings, and as such, how your compositional mind works at finding those things you love to express in an image.

Tips for iPhone Street Photography – as camera phones become more predominant in terms of photography, a quick guide with tips and tricks for shooting candid shots is welcomed.  This brief article covers many of the key facets of capturing this style of photograph and includes some great sample shots to inspire you to get out and capture your own.

Learn how to read your histogram and nail exposure in just 2 minutes – for those who wish to learn more about how to read and use the histogram that is available on most modern cameras, this two minute primer is sure to alleviate some of the mystery.  This 2 minutes video feature shows us how the feature works, and gives you visual feedback in terms of sample images which will help you to use this powerful feature to properly expose your shots.

How to Choose the Right Studio Lighting Modifier For You – with so many choices out there, how do you begin to narrow down the right modifier for your needs?  This brief article covers the basic types used today and discusses the quality of light you can expect from the various types, helping to make the choice a little easier for your specific needs.

Photoshop in 60 Seconds: How to Create a Scatter Photo Effect – it is amazing what can be learned in 60 seconds if the source material is complete.  This brief tutorial comes with a video segment that shows you how to create this interesting effect with images, giving you a new tool in your post-production toolkit that can be used in a variety of ways.

How to balance flash with ambient light – blending ambient with flash can be a challenging aspect of photography to master, and there are countless processes and procedures you can follow.  This brief video tutorial is just over 7 minutes long and covers an easy approach to this concept that doesn’t require math or a light meter, and yet it yields great results.

Those Glowing Mushrooms (Part 1): 6 Steps to Photographing Your Own Fantasy World | Those Glowing Mushrooms (Part 2): 7 Steps to Processing Your Own Fantasy World – this pair of great feature articles takes you through a series of steps showing you how to create a conceptualized image that looks like it emerged straight from a fantasy world.  These two parts cover the shoot itself in the first part, and post production in the second, serving as a foundation you can call upon time and time again as you create your own images.

What is the golden ratio and why is it meant to be beautiful? – with so much conjecture out there in terms of applying mathematical formulas to composition, it's easy to become overwhelmed leaving you feeling as if you are missing something important.  This well-written article helps to remove some of the mystery behind this concept, ultimately revealing that whatever works for you aesthetically is indeed the correct method.

SPECIAL FEATURES

10 of the Best Wildlife Photos of 2016 – the Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest announced its winners at the Natural History Museum in London recently, and this post reflects the top 10 pictures from that selection process.  Check out these amazing shots featuring some of the very best nature and wildlife themed shots captured during 2016.

GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY

A Postcard from Canada – Johannes Hulsch delivers a shot with a strong cinematic feel to it in the manner in which is was post-produced, sharing a landscape vista of the Canadian Rockies that shows off the majestic beauty of the area.  A lone canoe makes it’s way across the still waters as a wisp of fog lingers over Maligne Lake, adding a perfect touch to the scene.

The Haunted Mansion – Brad Truxell shares a Halloween themed shot in this post, featuring an old house in a spooky environment that exudes all the delicious creepiness you’d expect from a haunted mansion.  Brad uses the cobblestone driveway in this composition as a perfect leading line to guide you into the picture and up to the front door where ghosts and goblins await unsuspecting visitors.

Morning of my Dreams – this lovely landscape shot is shared here by Lauri Lohi who encounters near perfect morning conditions to capture this photograph in.  The frame is split by warm tones on the left side and cooler tones on the right, adding a strong feel that accents the stillness of the waters and the colors of the foliage.

Walking the Sunset Beach, Oregon – gorgeous colors cover this wide landscape picture from Mark Paulson that exhibits the abundant natural beauty found on the Oregon coast.  Silhouettes from the person walking on the beach work in harmony with the natural rock formations to add a perfect feel to the piece shared here.

Little Devil – cats are nearly impossible to get to sit still, much less pose perfectly for a shot like the one shared here by Joan Le Jan.  Joan combines several still life elements with this adorable cat who seems to be totally hamming it up for the camera.

Luckenback – Tim Stanley shares a character-rich shot full of details intended to draw you into the frame on a journey of discovery.  The old building featured in this shot finds its interior as the prime subject of this image, revealing the terrific items on display and a true sense of character and spirit found in the area.

Entrance of skyscraper – artistic tension pops to life in this shot from Junichi Hakoyama, carefully processed as a monochromatic piece to accent the raw drama.  Deep shadows frame a lone individual who presents as a silhouette making their way across the scene with an upturned collar and a briefcase, presumably hurrying their way towards work.

Prague Rooftops – after a great visit to the famous city of Prague, we find Edith Levy sharing a series of shots from this old city that encapsulate the character of the city within the context of a frame.  This shot takes us to an elevated perspective where the rooftops below showcase the incredible old architecture and the scale of the city.

Joffre Lake, BC – the wonderful British Columbia landscape comes to focus in this great shot by Rishad Daroowala that features a still lake in the wilds of BC.  A pile of trees in the foreground acts as a perfect leading line into the frame with rugged mountains in the backdrop waiting for those who visually explore the photograph.

Stanley Hotel – this incredible architectural study comes to us from Michael Criswell who visits a location with a rich and storied history, one that comprises the foundation for the world-famous Steven King novel “The Shining”.  The beautiful white hotel drips of the history the lives within it’s walls, and exudes a character that speaks to the inspiration it provided to the author in helping him find the story behind his famous book.

winter against autumn – Jørn Allan Pedersen shares a compelling panoramic format image that features a wood cabin on the side of a mountain slope with gorgeous snow-capped peaks in the backdrop.  Golden light dances across the face of the cabin and a portion of the rugged mountains, painting the entire setting in perfect natural light to accent the inherent beauty.

F18 and the “cone” – as these incredible jets reach supersonic speed in flight, in some circumstances they create a natural phenomenon where the aircraft creates a cone of vapor that surrounds it.    Derrick Birdsall captures this effect at just the right moment to share in this stunning photograph here on his site.

Golden Morning in Bled – beautiful natural light beams in from frame right in this epic shot of a destination in Slovenia that is truly amazing.  This shot from Daniel F. showcases the incredible medieval monastery that sits on the tiny island in the middle of Lake Bled, framed in a panoramic format to highlight the drama.

Western King 6 – local Vancouver Island photographer Randy Hall captures and shares a wonderful boat themed shot here, featuring a fishing boat on the oceans offshore from the island.  The beautiful natural surroundings adds the perfect finishing touch to this shot that reveals a taste of west coast living.

Bixby Bridge in the fog – the coast of California is frequently cloaked in a thick layer of fog, adding a certain drama to scenes that simply cannot be found elsewhere.  This great shot from Jerm Cohen features the Bixby Bridge as a main leading line that takes the viewer into the photograph and out into a terrific vanishing point created by this weather phenomenon.

Fleeting Sunset – Scott Wood is certainly at the right place at the right time with this shot, capturing a simply breathtaking sunset at just the moment it appears.  The buildings and features in the frame below the skyline create an anchor and add an element of context, finishing this shot off perfectly.

A Christmas Carol – Ole Henrik Skjelstad shares a delightful landscape piece that features red little homes dotting a snow-covered landscape.  By using a ND filter and extending the exposure time, Ole captures the dynamic clouds against the beautiful landscape, all of which is accented by the wonderful colors and hues that grace the scene.

Morris Island Lighthouse – lighthouses remain one of my personal favorite photography subjects, often steeped in rich history and displaying a sense of romance that can only be found at sea.  A collection of rocks in the foreground of this wonderful shot create an anchor and a natural leading line out to the ocean where the wonderful lighthouse remains steadfastly at the ready.

The Stump House – a tiny wood house sits atop a large tree stump alongside a still body of water in this ethereal piece from Dylan Furst.  As the light of day fades, the light from inside the character house creates wonderful artistic tension, as does the reflection it creates in the waters in the foreground.

Broadway Burger Station – Americana comes in many shapes and forms, frequently found in the old diners and restaurants the line the highways that cut a ribbon across the vast landscapes of the country.  This wonderful shot by Mark Garbowski reveals a perfect example of this in the form of an old burger joint that instantly takes us back a handful of decades to a time when people roamed the highways and byways looking for adventure.

Further Resources

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